Post-Liver Transplant Early Allograft Dysfunction Modifies the Effect of Pre-Liver Transplant Renal Dysfunction on Post-Liver Transplant Survival

Pros and Cons of the Safety Net Rule for Prioritization of Liver Transplant Recipients Who Receive Liver Alone Transplant but Develop End-Stage Renal Disease

The number of patients presenting with cirrhosis with kidney injury and the potential need for SLKT is increasing. In 2017, standardized criteria were implemented to identify candidates for SLKT as well as criteria for prioritizing LTA recipients for kidney transplant if they developed kidney failure, which is referred to as the 'safety net rule.' Goal of the safety net rule is to provide a pathway that provides increased priority to LTA recipients with renal failure who may have previously undergone SLKT. This article reviews the pros and cons of the safety net rule for liver transplant recipients who develop ESRD.

A meta-analysis on the prevalence of chronic kidney disease in liver transplant candidates and its associated risk factors and outcomes

Pre-liver transplant (LT) chronic kidney disease (CKD) has emerged as a leading cause of post-operative morbidity. We aimed to report the prevalence, associated risk factors, and clinical outcomes in patients with pre-LT CKD. Meta-analysis and systematic review were conducted for included cohort and cross-sectional studies. Studies comparing healthy and patients with s pre-LT CKD were included. Outcomes were assessed with pooled hazard ratios. 15 studies were included, consisting of 82,432 LT patients and 26,754 with pre-LT CKD. Pooled prevalence of pre-LT CKD was 22.35% (CI: 15.30%-32.71%). Diabetes mellitus, hypertension, viral hepatitis, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and older age were associated with increased risk of pre-LT CKD: (OR 1.72 CI: 1.15-2.56, P = 0.01), (OR 2.23 CI: 1.76-2.83, P < 0.01), (OR 1.09; CI: 1.05-1.13, P < 0.01), (OR 1.73; CI: 1.10-2.71 P = 0.03), and (MD: 2.92 years; CI: 1.29-4.55years; P < 0.01) respectively. Pre-LT CKD was significantly associated with increased mortality (HR 1.38; CI: 1.2-1.59; P < 0.01), post-LT end-stage renal disease and post-LT CKD. Almost a quarter of pre-LT patients have CKD and it is significantly associated with post-operative morbidity and mortality. However, long-term outcomes remain unclear due to a lack of studies reporting such outcomes.

Current State of Multiorgan Transplantation and Implications for Future Practice and Policy

The incidence of kidney dysfunction has increased in liver transplant and heart transplant candidates, reflecting a changing patient population and allocation policies that prioritize the most urgent candidates. A higher burden of pretransplant kidney dysfunction has resulted in a substantial rise in the utilization of multiorgan transplantation (MOT). Owing to a shortage of available deceased donor kidneys, the increased use of MOT has the potential to disadvantage kidney-alone transplant candidates, as current allocation policies generally provide priority for MOT candidates above all kidney-alone transplant candidates. In this review, the implications of kidney disease in liver transplant and heart transplant candidates is reviewed, and current policies used to allocate organs are discussed. Important ethical considerations pertaining to MOT allocation are examined, and future policy modifications that may improve both equity and utility in MOT policy are considered.