Real world data on healthcare resource consumption and costs before and after kidney transplantation

End-stage renal disease (ESRD) is increasing worldwide as a consequence of population aging and increasing chronic illness. Treatment consists mostly of dialysis and kidney transplantation (KTx), and KTx offers advantages for life expectancy and long-term cost reductions compared to dialysis. This study uses the administrative database of the Lombardy Region to analyze the costs of a cohort of ESRD patients receiving KTx, covering a time period of 24 months before transplant to 12 months after. During 2011, 276 patients underwent kidney transplantation (8.7% preemptive and 91.3% non-preemptive). In the period before transplantation, the main cost driver was dialysis (66.6% for the period from -24 to -12 months and 73.8% for the period from -12 to 0 months), while in the 12 months after KTx, the most relevant cost was surgery. The total cost -24 to -12 months pre-KTx was 35,049.2€; the cost -12 to 0 months was 36,745.9€; and the cost 12 months after KTx was 43,805.8€. Non-preemptive patients showed much higher costs both pre- and post-KTx than preemptive patients. This study highlights how KTx modifies the resource consumption and costs composition of ESRD patients vs. those undergoing dialysis treatment and how KTx may be economically beneficial, especially preemptive intervention.