2,500 living donor kidney transplants: a single-center experience

Twelve Thousand Kidney Transplants Over More Than 55 Y: A Single-center Experience

Background

Kidney transplant outcomes have dramatically improved since the first successful transplant in 1954. In its early years, kidney transplantation was viewed more skeptically. Today it is considered the treatment of choice among patients with end-stage kidney disease.

Methods

Our program performed its first kidney transplant in 1966 and recently performed our 12 000th kidney transplant. Here, we review and describe our experience with these 12 000 transplants. Transplant recipients were analyzed by decade of date of transplant: 1966-1975, 1976-1985, 1986-1995, 1996-2005, 2006-2015, and 2016-2022. Death-censored graft failure and mortality were outcomes of interest.

Results

Of 12 000 kidneys, 247 were transplanted from 1966 to 1975, 1147 from 1976 to 1985, 2194 from 1986 to 1995, 3147 from 1996 to 2005, 3046 from 2006 to 2015, and 2219 from 2016 to 2022 compared with 1966-1975, there were statistically significant and progressively lower risks of death-censored graft failure at 1 y, 5 y, and at last follow-up in all subsequent eras. Although mortality at 1 y was lower in all subsequent eras after 1986-1995, there was no difference in mortality at 5 y or the last follow-up between eras.

Conclusions

In this large cohort of 12 000 kidneys from a single center, we observed significant improvement in outcomes over time. Kidney transplantation remains a robust and ever-growing and improving field.

Safety and safety protocols for living donor nephrectomy in Italy

Living donor kidney transplantation (LDKTx) is recommended by all scientific societies. Living donor nephrectomy (LDN) is probably one of the safest surgical procedures, but it carries some risk for healthy donors. The aim of this study is to provide a snapshot of LDKTx activities in Italy and ask about safety measures implemented in LDN. Data on LDKTx were extracted from the national database. Safety measures were examined through a specific survey. Between 2001 and 2022 40,663 kidney transplants (31.4 per million population-pmp) were performed, including 4731 LDKTx (3.7 pmp). There was no postoperative death of the donor. After a median follow-up of 52.2 months [IQR:17.9-99.5], the 10-year donor survival rate was 93.38% (CI:97.52-98.94). There was evidence of renal disease in 65 donors (1.8%), including 42 (1.1%) with stage III end-stage renal disease. Twenty-nine out of 35 transplant centers (TC) involved in LDKTx responded to the survey (82.9%). Six TCs (21.4%) had a total experience of 20 or fewer LDN. Minimally invasive LDN was the first choice at 24 TC (82.8%). At 10 TC (37.0%) only one surgeon performed LDN. Nineteen TCs (65.5%) had a surgical safety checklist for LDN and 14 had a postoperative surveillance protocol. The renal artery was occluded in 3 TCs (10.3%) mainly by non-transfixion methods (including clips). Redundancy of key safety systems in the operating room was available in 22 of 29 centers (75.8%). In summary, LDKTx should be further implemented in Italy. Donor safety should be improved through the implementation of a national procedural protocol.

Association of Primary Kidney Disease Type and Donor Relatedness With Live Donor Kidney Transplant Outcomes: An Analysis of ANZDATA

RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE

There is limited information about the association between primary kidney disease and donor relatedness with transplant outcomes. This study addresses this gap by evaluating clinical outcomes after kidney transplantation in recipients of living donor kidneys as a function of primary kidney disease type and donor relatedness in Australia and New Zealand.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective observational study.

SETTING & PARTICIPANTS

Kidney transplant recipients who received allografts from living donors between January 1, 1998, and December 31, 2018, as recorded in the Australian and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry (ANZDATA).

EXPOSURES

Primary kidney disease type categorized as majority monogenic, minority monogenic, or other primary kidney disease based on disease heritability as well as donor relatedness.

OUTCOME

Primary kidney disease recurrence, graft failure.

ANALYTICAL APPROACH

Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportion hazards regression to generate hazard ratios for primary kidney disease recurrence, allograft failure, and mortality. Partial likelihood ratio test was used to examine possible interactions between primary kidney disease type and donor relatedness for both study outcomes.

RESULTS

Among 5,500 live donor kidney transplant recipients, majority monogenic (adjusted HR, 0.58, P<0.001) and minority monogenic primary kidney diseases (adjusted HR, 0.64, P<0.001) were associated with reduced primary kidney disease recurrence compared with other primary kidney diseases. Majority monogenic primary kidney disease was also associated with reduced allograft failure (adjusted HR, 0.86, P=0.04) compared with other primary kidney diseases. Donor relatedness was not associated with primary kidney disease recurrence nor graft failure. No interaction was detected between primary kidney disease type and donor relatedness for either study outcome.

LIMITATIONS

Potential misclassification of primary kidney disease type, incomplete ascertainment of primary kidney disease recurrence, unmeasured confounding.

CONCLUSIONS

Monogenic primary kidney disease is associated with lower rates of primary kidney disease recurrence and allograft failure. Donor relatedness was not associated with allograft outcomes. These results may inform pretransplant counseling and live donor selection.

PLAIN-LANGUAGE SUMMARY

There are theoretical concerns that live-donor kidney transplants may be associated with increased risks of kidney disease recurrence and transplant failure due to unmeasurable shared genetic factors between the donor and the recipient. This study analyzed data from the Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant (ANZDATA) registry and showed that, although disease type was associated with the risk of disease recurrence and transplant failure, donor relatedness did not impact transplant outcomes. These findings may inform pretransplant counseling and live donor selection.

Catecholamine Vasopressor Exposure Is Associated With Early Poor Allograft Function and Adverse Events in Living Donor Kidney Transplant Recipients

BACKGROUND

Hypoperfusion leads to allograft injury during kidney transplantation. Catecholamine vasopressors are used to maintain blood pressure in the perioperative period but have demonstrated negative outcomes in the deceased-donor kidney transplant population. Little is known regarding living donor kidney transplants (LDKTs) and vasopressor use. The aim of this study is to describe the incidence of vasopressor use in LDKT and characterize its effects on allograft function and patient outcomes.

METHODS

This retrospective, observational cohort study included adult patients who underwent an isolated LDKT between August 1, 2017, and September 1, 2018. Patients were divided into those who received perioperative vasopressors and those who did not. The primary objective was to compare allograft function between LDKT recipients that received vasopressors and those who did not. Secondary outcomes included safety endpoints and the identification of clinical variables associated with vasopressor use.

RESULTS

A total of 67 patients received an LDKT during the study period. Of those, 25 (37%) received perioperative vasopressors, and 42 (62%) did not. Poor graft function, as defined by the development of slow or delayed graft function, occurred more frequently in patients receiving perioperative vasopressors compared with those who did not (6 [24%] vs 1 [2.4%], P = .016). In multivariable regression modeling, only perioperative vasopressors were statistically significantly associated with poor graft function. In addition, patients exposed to vasopressors experienced more postoperative arrhythmias (8 [32%] vs 1 [4.8%], P = .0025).

CONCLUSION

Using perioperative vasopressors was independently associated with worsened early renal allograft function, including delayed graft function and adverse events in the LDKT population.

Second Kidney Transplant Outcomes in Dialysis Dependent Recipients by Induction Type in the United States

BACKGROUND

We examined the association between induction type for a second kidney transplant in dialysis-dependent recipients and the long-term outcomes.

METHODS

Using the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients, we identified all second kidney transplant recipients who returned to dialysis before re-transplantation. Exclusion criteria included: missing, unusual, or no-induction regimens, maintenance regimens other than tacrolimus and mycophenolate, and positive crossmatch status. We grouped recipients by induction type into 3 groups: the anti-thymocyte group (N = 9899), the alemtuzumab group (N = 1982), and the interleukin 2 receptor antagonist group (N = 1904). We analyzed recipient and death-censored graft survival (DCGS) using the Kaplan-Meier survival function with follow-up censored at 10 years post-transplant. We used Cox proportional hazard models to examine the association between induction and the outcomes of interest. To account for the center-specific effect, we included the center as a random effect. We adjusted the models for the pertinent recipient and organ variables.

RESULTS

In the Kaplan-Meier analyses, induction type did not alter recipient survival (log-rank P = .419) or DCGS (log-rank P = .146). Similarly, in the adjusted models, induction type was not a predictor of recipient or graft survival. Live-donor kidneys were associated with better recipient survival (HR 0.73, 95% CI [0.65, 0.83], P < .001) and graft survival (HR 0.72, 95% CI [0.64, 0.82], P < .001). Publicly insured recipients had worse recipient and allograft outcomes.

CONCLUSION

In this large cohort of average immunologic-risk dialysis-dependent second kidney transplant recipients, who were discharged on tacrolimus and mycophenolate maintenance, induction type did not influence the long-term outcomes of recipient or graft survival. Live-donor kidneys improved recipient and graft survival.

Vascular closure devices in living-donor nephrectomy: a much-needed systematic review and meta-analysis focusing on safety

OBJECTIVE

To assess the safety of vascular closure devices in living-donor nephrectomy (LDN), as staplers and non-transfixion techniques (polymer locking and metal clips) are the methods employed to secure the renal vessels during laparoscopic and robotic LDN, but the use of clips has come into question since the United States Food and Drug Administration and manufacturers issued a contraindication.

METHODS

A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to assess the safety of vascular closure devices (International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews [PROSPERO] registration: CRD42022364349). The PubMed, Scopus, the Excerpta Medica dataBASE (EMBASE), and the Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde (LILACS) databases were searched in September 2022. For comparative and non-comparative studies, incidence estimates and odds ratios (ORs), respectively, for the main variables regarding safety of vascular closure devices were pooled by using random effects meta-analyses. Quality assessment of the included comparative studies was conducted using the Risk Of Bias In Non-randomised Studies of Interventions (ROBINS-I) tool.

RESULTS

Of the 863 articles obtained, data were retrieved from 44 studies, which included 42 902 patients. In non-comparative studies, the pooled estimate rates for device failure, severe haemorrhage rate, conversion to open surgery, and mortality were similar for both clips and staplers. Regarding the meta-analyses for comparative studies (three studies), there were no significant differences between the two groups for the severe haemorrhage rate (OR 0.57, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.18-1.75; P = 0.33), conversion to open surgery (OR 0.35, 95% CI 0.08-1.54; P = 0.16), or death rate (OR 3.64, 95% CI 0.47-28.45; P = 0.22). Based on weak evidence, device failure was lower in the polymer clip group (OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.23-0.75; P = 0.00).

CONCLUSIONS

This study has confirmed that there is no evidence for the superiority of any vascular closure device in terms of safety in LDN. Standardised recommendations for vascular control in this context should be carefully designed and prospectively evaluated.

Prediction models for the recipients' ideal perioperative estimated glomerular filtration rates for predicting graft survival after adult living-donor kidney transplantation

Introduction

The impact of the perioperative estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) on graft survival in kidney transplant recipients is yet to be evaluated. In this study, we developed prediction models for the ideal perioperative eGFRs in recipients.

Methods

We evaluated the impact of perioperative predicted ideal and actual eGFRs on graft survival by including 1,174 consecutive adult patients who underwent living-donor kidney transplantation (LDKT) between January 2008 and December 2020. Prediction models for the ideal perioperative eGFR were developed for 676 recipients who were randomly assigned to the training and validation sets (ratio: 7:3). The prediction models for the ideal best eGFR within 3 weeks and those at 1, 2, and 3 weeks after LDKT in 474 recipients were developed using 10-fold validation and stepwise multiple regression model analyzes. The developed prediction models were validated in 202 recipients. Finally, the impact of perioperative predicted ideal eGFRs/actual eGFRs on graft survival was investigated using Fine-Gray regression analysis.

Results

The correlation coefficients of the predicted ideal best eGFR within 3 weeks and the predicted ideal eGFRs at 1, 2, and 3 weeks after LDKT were 0.651, 0.600, 0.598, and 0.617, respectively. Multivariate analyzes for graft loss demonstrated significant differences in the predicted ideal best eGFR/actual best eGFR within 3 weeks and the predicted ideal eGFRs/actual eGFRs at 1, 2, and 3 weeks after LDKT.

Discussion

The predicted ideal best eGFR/actual best eGFR within 3 weeks and the predicted ideal eGFRs/actual eGFRs at 1, 2, and 3 weeks after LDKT were independent prognostic factors for graft loss. Therefore, the perioperative predicted ideal eGFR/actual eGFR may be useful for predicting graft survival after adult LDKT.

Clinical Outcomes in Living Donor Kidney Transplantation: A Single Center Experience in Latin America

BACKGROUND

In Latin America, few reports are available about the clinical outcomes of living donor kidney transplants (LDKT). We aim to evaluate the main clinical outcomes for LDKT patients in a single center's experience.

METHODS

We retrospectively evaluated 530 LDKT patients who underwent transplantation from August 2008 to December 2020 at Colombiana de Trasplantes. Graft survival censored for death and patient survival were determined up to 5 years post-transplantation by the Kaplan-Meier method. Vascular and urinary complications, readmission, and reintervention rates were documented.

RESULTS

A total of 530 LDKT patients were analyzed. Most of the recipients were men (56%). There were 123 patients (23.2%) with a preemptive transplant. Panel reactive antibody type I and II had higher immunologic risk (>20%) in 15.9% of the patients. The donor mean age was 37.8 ± 11.5 years. Most of the donors were women (52.6%) and related to the recipient (69.1%). Multivariate analysis identified panel reactive antibody type II (P = 0.003), female donor (P = 0.001), surgical reintervention at 30 days post-transplantation (P < .01), and delayed graft function (P < .01) as risk factors for graft loss. The graft survival death-censored rates were 93.7% and 89% at 1 and 5 years, respectively. Patient survival rates were 97.0% and 94.1% at 1 and 5 years after transplantation, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The long-term graft and patient survival rates in our center are comparable to previous reports from other leading centers. The clinical outcomes from a medium-sized center can be noteworthy, although not entirely new.

Deceased Donor Kidney Transplantation Outcomes at a Sri Lankan Center: A Comprehensive Single-Center Analysis

Background Chronic kidney disease (CKD) causes significant morbidity and mortality in patients and incurs a huge burden on healthcare expenses globally. Renal replacement therapy becomes imperative when patients reach end-stage renal disease. Kidney transplant is the best modality of choice for the majority of patients, and deceased donor kidney transplantation is the major contributor in the majority of countries. We present an outcome study in Sri Lanka for deceased donor kidney transplantation. Methodology This is an observational study conducted at the Nephrology Unit 1 at the National Hospital of Sri Lanka, Colombo, in patients who had undergone deceased donor kidney transplantation from July 2018 to mid-2020. We studied the outcomes of these patients for one year, including delayed graft function, acute rejection, infection, and mortality. Ethical clearance was obtained from the ethical review committee of the National Hospital of Sri Lanka, Colombo, and the University of Colombo. Results The study included 27 participants with a mean age of 55 ± 9.519 years. Diabetes mellitus (69.2%), hypertension (11.5%), chronic glomerulonephritis (7.7%), chronic pyelonephritis (7.7%), and obstructive uropathy (3.8%) were the etiological factors of CKD. Basiliximab was used as an induction agent, and a tacrolimus-based triple-drug regimen was used for maintenance in all patients. The mean cold ischemic time was 9 ± 3.861 hours. The majority (44%) of recipients had an O-positive blood group. At one year, the mean serum creatinine was 1.40 ± 0.686 mg/dL, and the mean estimated glomerular filtration rate was 62 ± 21.281 mL/minute/1.73 m². Delayed graft function occurred in 25.9% of the recipients, and 22.2% had acute transplant rejection. Postoperative infection was observed in 44.4% of recipients. One year after transplantation, 22% of the recipients died. Infection was the cause of death in 83% of recipients (five of six patients). The causes of death in the study sample were pneumonia (50%), including pneumocystis pneumonia (17%), myocardial infarction (17%), mucormycosis (16%), and other infections (17%). There was no significant association between outcomes at one year with age, gender, causes of CKD, or postoperative complications. Conclusions Our study found that the one-year survival rate following deceased donor kidney transplantation in Sri Lanka is relatively low, with infections being the leading cause of mortality. The high infection rate during the early post-transplant period underscores the need for enhanced infection prevention and control measures. Although we did not observe any significant association between the outcomes and the variables studied, it is important to note that the small sample size of our study may have influenced this finding. Future research with larger sample sizes may provide more insights into the factors influencing post-transplant outcomes in Sri Lanka.

Recommendations for living donor kidney transplantation

This Guide for Living Donor Kidney Transplantation (LDKT) has been prepared with the sponsorship of the Spanish Society of Nephrology (SEN), the Spanish Transplant Society (SET), and the Spanish National Transplant Organization (ONT). It updates evidence to offer the best chronic renal failure treatment when a potential living donor is available. The core aim of this Guide is to supply clinicians who evaluate living donors and transplant recipients with the best decision-making tools, to optimise their outcomes. Moreover, the role of living donors in the current KT context should recover the level of importance it had until recently. To this end the new forms of incompatible HLA and/or ABO donation, as well as the paired donation which is possible in several hospitals with experience in LDKT, offer additional ways to treat renal patients with an incompatible donor. Good results in terms of patient and graft survival have expanded the range of circumstances under which living renal donors are accepted. Older donors are now accepted, as are others with factors that affect the decision, such as a borderline clinical history or alterations, which when evaluated may lead to an additional number of transplantations. This Guide does not forget that LDKT may lead to risk for the donor. Pre-donation evaluation has to centre on the problems which may arise over the short or long-term, and these have to be described to the potential donor so that they are able take them into account. Experience over recent years has led to progress in risk analysis, to protect donors' health. This aspect always has to be taken into account by LDKT programmes when evaluating potential donors. Finally, this Guide has been designed to aid decision-making, with recommendations and suggestions when uncertainties arise in pre-donation studies. Its overarching aim is to ensure that informed consent is based on high quality studies and information supplied to donors and recipients, offering the strongest possible guarantees.

Employment and ability to work after kidney transplantation in the Netherlands: The impact of preemptive versus non-preemptive kidney transplantation

BACKGROUND

Work can have a major positive impact on health and wellbeing. Employment of kidney transplant recipients (KTR) of working age is much lower than in the general population. The first aim of this study was to examine the impact of a preemptive kidney transplantation (PKT) on employment, in addition to other possible influencing factors. The second aim was to explore differences in work ability, absenteeism and work performance among employed KTR with different types of transplantations.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey study was conducted between 2018 and 2019 in nine Dutch hospitals. PKT as potential predictor of employment was examined. Furthermore, work ability, absenteeism and loss of work performance were compared between employed preemptive recipients with a living donor (L-PKT) and non-preemptive recipients with a living donor (L-nPKT) and with a deceased donor (D-nPKT).

RESULTS

Two hundred and twenty four KTR participated; 71% reported having paid work. Paid work was more common among PKT recipients (82% vs. 65% in L-nPKT and 55% in D-nPKT) and recipients who were younger (OR .950, 95%CI .913-.989), had no comorbidities (1 comorbidity: OR .397, 95%CI .167-.942; 2 comorbidities: OR .347, 95%CI .142-.844), had less fatigue (OR .974, 95%CI .962-.987) and had mentally demanding work tasks (only in comparison with physically demanding tasks, OR .342, 95%CI .145-.806). If recipients were employed, D-nPKT recipients worked fewer hours (mean 24.6±11.3 vs. PKT 31.1±9.6, L-nPKT 30.1±9.5) and D-nPKT and L-nPKT recipients received more often supplemental disability benefits (32 and 33.3%, respectively) compared to PKT recipients (9.9%). No differences were found for self-reported ability to work, sick leave (absenteeism) and loss of work performance with the exception of limitations in functioning at work.

CONCLUSIONS

Preemptive kidney transplantation recipients with a kidney from a living donor are employed more often, work more hours per week (only in comparison with D-nPKT) and have a partial disability benefit less often than nPKT recipients. More knowledge regarding treatments supporting sustainable participation in the labor force is needed as work has a positive impact on recipients' health and wellbeing and is also beneficial for society as a whole.

Early graft loss due to acute thrombotic microangiopathy accompanied by complement gene variants in living-related kidney transplantation: case series report

Background

Recently, early graft loss has become very rare in living-related kidney transplantation (LKT) as a result of decreased risk of hyperacute rejection and improvements in immunosuppressive regimens. Post-transplant acute thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) is a rare, multi-factorial disease that often occurs shortly after kidney transplantation and is usually resistant to treatment with dismal renal outcomes. The complement genetic variants may accelerate the development of TMA. However, the complement genetic test was seldom performed in unknown native kidney disease recipients scheduled for LKT.

Case presentation

We reported three cases of unknown native kidney diseases who had fulminant TMA in the allograft shortly after LKT. Both the donors and the recipients were noted to carry complement genetic variants, which were identified by genetic testing after transplantation. However, all recipients were refractory to treatment and had allograft loss within 3 months after LKT.

Conclusion

This case series highlights the suggestion to screen complement gene variants in both the donors and the recipients with unknown native kidney diseases scheduled for LKT.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12882-022-02868-7.

Kidney Allograft and Recipient Survival After Heart Transplantation by Induction Type in the United States

BACKGROUND

Induction choices for kidney-after-heart transplant recipients are variable. We examined the impact of kidney induction types on kidney graft and patient survival in heart transplant recipients.

METHODS

We analyzed the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipient database from inception through the end of 2018 to study kidney and patient outcomes in the United States after heart transplantation. We only included recipients who were discharged on tacrolimus and mycophenolate maintenance. We grouped recipients by induction type into 3 groups: depletional (N = 307), nondepletional (n = 253), and no-induction (steroid only) (n = 57). We studied patients and kidney survival using Cox PH regression, with transplant centers included as a random effect. We adjusted the models for heart induction, recipient and donor age, gender, time between heart and kidney transplant, heart transplant indication, HLA mismatches, payor, live-donor kidney, transplant year, dialysis status, and diabetes mellitus at the time of kidney transplant.

RESULTS

The 1-y kidney rejection rates and creatinine levels were similar in all groups. The 1-y rehospitalization rate was higher in the depletional group (51.7%) and nondepletional group (50.7%) than in the no-induction group (39.1%) although this was not statistically significant. There were no differences in recipient or kidney survival by kidney induction type. Live-donor kidney was associated with improved patient (hazard ratio, 0.74; 95% confidence interval, 0.54-1.0; P = 0.05) and kidney survival (hazard ratio, 0.45; 95% confidence interval, 0.24-0.84; P = 0.012].

CONCLUSIONS

Type of kidney induction did not influence patient or kidney graft survival in heart transplant recipients. No-induction may be the preferred choice due to the lack of clinical benefits associated with induction use.

A Historical Cohort in Kidney Transplantation: 55-Year Follow-Up of 72 HLA-Identical, Donor-Recipient Pairs

The impact of HLA matching on graft survival has been well characterized in renal transplantation, with a higher degree of matching associated with superior graft survival. Additionally, living donor grafts are known to confer superior survival compared to those from deceased donors. The purpose of this study is to report our multi-decade institutional experience and outcomes for patients who received HLA-identical living donor grafts, which represent the most favorable scenario in kidney transplantation. We conducted a retrospective analysis of these graft recipients performed at a Duke University Medical Center between the years of 1965 and 2002. The recipients demonstrated excellent graft and patient survival outcomes, superior to a contemporary cohort, with median patient and graft survival of 24.2 and 30.9 years, respectively, among Duke recipients vs. 16.1 and 16.0 years in a cohort derived from national data. This study offers a broad perspective on the importance of HLA matching and graft type, and demonstrates a historical best-case-scenario in renal transplantation.

Laparoscopic donor nephrectomy: technique and outcome, a single-center experience

Background

Laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (LDN) has been established as a surgical standard for living kidney donation. The aim of this work is to report our own experience with LDN regarding outcome and technique.

Methods

We prospectively identified 110 LDN cases between May 2017 and April 2020. Donor case files and operative notes were analyzed for age, sex, laterality, body mass index, warm ischemia time (WIT), intraoperative and postoperative complications, operative time, and length of hospital stay (LOS). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 10 (SPSS: An IBM Company, IBM Corporation, Armonk, NY, the USA).

Results

The mean age was 38 years, and 77% were males. Three cases (2.72%) required conversion to conventional open donor nephrectomy (ODN). Nevertheless, none of cases required intraoperative blood transfusion. The mean WIT was 2.6 min. Two cases (1.8%) developed major vascular injury (Clavien grade IIIb) and required conversion to ODN. Postoperatively, one patient (0.9%) needed transfusion of one unit of packed RBCs (Clavien grade II). The mean LOS was 2 days. Most common early postoperative complication was ileus (Clavien grade II) that developed in 4 (3.6%) cases. Incisional hernia (Clavien grade IIIb) was encountered in two (1.8%) cases. Two (1.8%) cases developed wound infection at the incision site and treated conservatively (Clavien grade I).

Conclusions

LDN is a safe technique with accepted intraoperative and postoperative morbidity. It offers short hospital stay, better cosmesis and early convalescence. In experienced hands, it can effectively deal with various vascular and ureteral anomalies without compromising early graft function.

Outcomes of Kidney Allograft and Recipient Survival After Liver Transplantation by Induction Type in the United States

There are several choices for induction immunosuppression in kidney-after-liver transplantation. We used the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients database. We assessed all kidney-after-liver transplant recipients in the United States between 1/1/2000 and 7/31/2017 to study kidney graft and patient outcomes by induction type. We only included patients discharged on tacrolimus and mycophenolate with or without steroids and had a negative crossmatch before kidney engraftment. We grouped recipients by kidney induction type into the following 3 groups: depletional (n = 550), nondepletional (n = 434), and no antibody induction (n = 144). We studied patient and kidney allograft survival using Cox proportional hazard regression, with transplant center included as a random effect. Models were adjusted for liver induction regimen, recipient and donor age, sex, human leukocyte antigen mismatches, payor type, living donor kidney transplantation, dialysis status, time from liver engraftment, hepatitis C virus status, and the presence of diabetes mellitus at time of kidney transplantation and transplantation year. The 6-month and 1-year rejection rates did not differ between groups. Compared with no induction, neither depletional nor nondepletional induction was associated with an improved recipient or graft survival in the multivariable models. Depletional induction at the time of liver transplantation was associated with worse patient survival after kidney transplantation (hazard ratio [HR], 1.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09-2.67; P = 0.02). Living donor kidney transplantation was associated with a 48.1% improved graft survival (HR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.33-0.82; P = 0.00). In conclusion, in the settings of a negative cross-match and maintenance with tacrolimus and mycophenolate, induction use was not associated with a patient or graft survival benefit in kidney-after-liver transplantations.

Employment of patients with kidney failure treated with dialysis or kidney transplantation-a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Patients with kidney failure treated with dialysis or kidney transplantation experience difficulties maintaining employment due to the condition itself and the treatment. We aimed to establish the rate of employment before and after initiation of dialysis and kidney transplantation and to identify predictors of employment during dialysis and posttransplant.

METHODS

This systematic review and meta-analysis were carried out according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines for studies that included employment rate in adults receiving dialysis or a kidney transplant. The literature search included cross-sectional or cohort studies published in English between January 1966 and August 2020 in the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases. Data on employment rate, study population, age, gender, educational level, dialysis duration, kidney donor, ethnicity, dialysis modality, waiting time for transplantation, diabetes, and depression were extracted. Quality assessment was performed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Meta-analysis for predictors for employment, with odds ratios and confidence intervals, and tests for heterogeneity, using chi-square and I2 statistics, were calculated. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42020188853.

RESULTS

Thirty-three studies included 162,059 participants receiving dialysis, and 31 studies included 137,742 participants who received kidney transplantation. Dialysis patients were on average 52.6 years old (range: 16-79; 60.3% male), and kidney transplant patients were 46.7 years old (range: 18-78; 59.8% male). The employment rate (weighted mean) for dialysis patients was 26.3% (range: 10.5-59.7%); the employment rate was 36.9% pretransplant (range: 25-86%) and 38.2% posttransplant (range: 14.2-85%). Predictors for employment during dialysis and posttransplant were male, gender, age, being without diabetes, peritoneal dialysis, and higher educational level, and predictors of posttransplant: pretransplant employment included transplantation with a living donor kidney, and being without depression.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with kidney failure had a low employment rate during dialysis and pre- and posttransplant. Kidney failure patients should be supported through a combination of clinical and social measures to ensure that they remain working.

The Living-Related Kidney Transplant Program in Brunei Darussalam: Lessons Learnt from a Nascent National Program in a Small, Muslim, and Asian Country

Brunei Darussalam commenced its living-related renal transplant program in 2013, with subsequent attainment of independent local capacity and proficiency in 2019. The preliminary outcome from the program has already begun to shape the national nephrology landscape with a 36% increment in transplant rate and mitigation of commercialized transplantations. The blueprint for the program was first laid out in 2010 and thereupon executed in four phases. The first phase involved the gathering of evidence to support the establishment of the national program, through researches investigating feasibility, public opinion, quality of life, graft survival, and cost-effectiveness. The second phase focused on laying the foundation of the program through grooming of local expertise, implementation of legal-ethical frameworks, religious legitimization, and propagation of awareness. The third phase worked on facilitating experiential exposure and strengthening local infrastructure through the upgrading of facilities and the introduction of subsidiary services. The fourth phase was implemented in Brunei in 2013 when foreign personnel worked together with the local team to perform the transplants. Between 2013 and 2019, ten kidney transplants were performed, with two being done in 2018 and three in 2019. We hope to inspire other similar countries to develop their own self-sustainable and independent local program.

Association Between Donor-Recipient Biological Relationship and Allograft Outcomes After Living Donor Kidney Transplant

IMPORTANCE

The proportion of living donor kidney transplants from donors unrelated to their recipients is increasing in the US.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the association between donor-recipient biological relationship and allograft survival after living donor kidney transplant.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This retrospective cohort study used Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network data on US adult living donor kidney transplants (n = 86 154) performed from January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2014, excluding cases in which recipients previously received a kidney transplant (n = 10 342) or key data were missing (n = 2832). Last follow-up was March 20, 2020.

EXPOSURES

Donor-recipient biological relationship.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

The primary outcome was death-censored allograft failure. Univariate and multivariable time-to-event analyses were performed for death-censored allograft failure for the overall cohort, then separately for recipients with and without primary diagnoses of cystic kidney disease and for transplants from African American and non-African American donors.

RESULTS

Among the 72 980 transplant donor and recipients included in the study (median donor age, 41 years; interquartile range [IQR], 32-50 years; 43 990 [60%] female; 50 014 [69%] White), 43 174 (59%) donors and recipients were biologically related and 29 806 (41%) were unrelated. Donors related to their recipients were younger (median [IQR] age, 39 [31-48] vs 44 [35-52] years) and less likely to be female (24 848 [58%] vs 19 142 [64%]) or White (26 933 [62%] vs 23 081 [77%]). Recipients related to their donors were younger (median [IQR] age, 48 [34-58] vs 50 [40-58] years), more likely to be female (18 035 [42%] vs 10 530 [35%]), and less likely to have cystic kidney disease (2530 [6%] vs 4600 [15%]). Related pairs had fewer HLA mismatches overall (median [IQR], 3 [2-3] vs 5 [4-5]). After adjustment for HLA mismatches, donor and recipient characteristics, and transplant era, donor-recipient biological relationship was associated with higher death-censored allograft failure (hazard ratio, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.01-1.10; P = .03). When stratified by primary disease, this association persisted only for recipients without cystic kidney disease. When stratified by donor race, this association persisted only for transplants from African American donors.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

In this cohort study, living donor kidney transplants from donors biologically related to their recipients had higher rates of allograft failure than transplants from donors unrelated to their recipients after HLA matching was accounted for. Further study is needed to determine which genetic or socioenvironmental factors are associated with this finding.

Human kidney graft survival correlates with structural parameters in baseline biopsies: a quantitative observational cohort study with more than 14 years' follow-up

This prospective cohort study evaluates associations between structural and ultrastructural parameters in baseline biopsies from human kidney transplants and long-term graft survival after more than 14 years' follow-up. Baseline kidney graft biopsies were obtained prospectively from 54 consecutive patients receiving a kidney transplant at a single institution. Quantitative measurements were performed on the baseline biopsies by computer-assisted light microscopy and electron microscopy. Stereology-based techniques estimated the fraction of interstitial tissue, the volume of glomeruli, mesangial fraction, and basement membrane thickness of glomerular capillaries. The fraction of occluded glomeruli and scores according to the Banff classification were achieved. Kidney graft survival was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier estimates and Cox regression. Association to long-term kidney function was also analyzed. The long-term surviving kidney transplants were characterized at implantation by less arteriolar hyaline thickening (P < 0.001) and less interstitial fibrosis (P = 0.001), as well as a lower fraction of occluded glomeruli (P = 0.004) and lower glomerular volume (P = 0.03). At the latest follow-up, eGFR was decreased by 12 ml/min/1.73 m² per unit increase in the score for arteriolar hyalinosis at implantation (P = 0.02), and eGFR was decreased by 19 ml/min/1.73 m² per 10⁶ μm³ increase in glomerular volume at baseline (P = 0.03). The unbiased Cavalieri estimate of glomerular volume and the ultrastructural parameters are the first to be evaluated in a cohort study with prospective follow-up for more than 14 years. The study shows that baseline biopsies from human kidney grafts contain extraordinary long-term prognostic information, and it highlights the importance of these intrinsic graft factors.

Laparoscopic Live Donor Nephrectomy: Single-Center Experience of 200 Consecutive Cases

Background: Renal transplantation is the ideal treatment method for end-stage renal disease. Since deceased organ donation rates cannot meet the demand, live donor kidney transplantation (LDKT) is commonly performed worldwide. Laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (LDN) is currently the most commonly preferred minimally invasive donor nephrectomy technique. However, experienced surgeons should perform this procedure since the safety of the live donor is the priority in transplant practice. In this study, we aimed to investigate this procedure's safety at the hands of a surgeon during the transition period from open donor nephrectomy (ODN) to LDN. Methods: Data of the donors and recipients who underwent LDN and LDKT in Ankara Medicana Hospital between 2016 and 2019 were included in this study. Demographic, surgical, and immunological data of the donors and recipients were collected retrospectively. Donor data, including duration of surgery, warm ischemia time (WIT), complication rates, duration of hospital stay, and recipient data such as patient and graft survival rates, were compared with the published literature. Results: Two hundred donors and 200 recipients were included. The complication rate, surgical time, WIT at the donor site, and 1- and 3-year patient and graft survival rates were all comparable with the literature. Survival rates were irrespective of the relationship status of the donors with recipients. Conclusions: The LDN procedure can be safely performed by a surgeon with extensive laparoscopic surgery experience in general surgery cases and ODN.

The risk factors associated with treatment-related mortality in 16,073 kidney transplantation-A nationwide cohort study

Mortality at an early stage after kidney transplantation is a catastrophic event. Treatment-related mortality (TRM) within 1 or 3 months after kidney transplantation has been seldom reported. We designed a retrospective observational cohort study using a national population-based database, which included information about all kidney recipients between 2003 and 2016. A total of 16,073 patients who underwent kidney transplantation were included. The mortality rates 1 month (early TRM) and 3 months (TRM) after transplantation were 0.5% (n = 74) and 1.0% (n = 160), respectively. Based on a multivariate analysis, older age (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.06; P < 0.001), coronary artery disease (HR = 3.02; P = 0.002), and hemodialysis compared with pre-emptive kidney transplantation (HR = 2.53; P = 0.046) were the risk factors for early TRM. Older age (HR = 1.07; P < 0.001), coronary artery disease (HR = 2.88; P < 0.001), and hemodialysis (HR = 2.35; P = 0.004) were the common independent risk factors for TRM. In contrast, cardiac arrhythmia (HR = 1.98; P = 0.027) was associated only with early TRM, and fungal infection (HR = 2.61; P < 0.001), and epoch of transplantation (HR = 0.34; P < 0.001) were the factors associated with only TRM. The identified risk factors should be considered in patient counselling, selection, and management to prevent TRM.

Favorable Short-Term Outcome of Living Donor Kidney Transplantations in Flow Cytometry Crossmatch Positive Cases by Pretransplant Splenectomy: A Case Report

BACKGROUND

The introduction of rituximab has contributed to successful living donor kidney transplantations in ABO-incompatible recipients and has replaced splenectomy for desensitization. However, several reports still suggest that postoperative splenectomy may be effective in preventing graft failure in patients with acute antibody-mediated kidney transplant rejection (AAMR) in kidney transplantation. Therefore, we aim to assess if preoperative splenectomy also could be an alternative practical choice to avoid AAMR in high-risk rejection cases such as flow cytometry crossmatch (FCXM)-positive cases.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

We carried out 4 living donor kidney transplantations in FCXM-positive cases: 3 underwent pretransplant splenectomy, and 1 did not.

RESULTS

All 3 cases in whom pretransplant splenectomy was performed were discharged without rejection. On the contrary, in the case where pretransplant splenectomy was not performed, there was graft rejection and additional desensitization therapies were needed.

CONCLUSION

While larger clinical studies with longer observation periods are needed, our report suggested that pretransplant splenectomy may lead to successful short-term kidney transplantation outcomes in FCXM-positive cases.

Ways to Overcome Organ Shortage: Increasing Donor Pool by Accepting Suboptimal Kidney Donors

Many factors affect organ donations worldwide, including religious factors, legislative decisions, economic factors, presence of organ procurement organizations, cultural issues, the presence of commercial transplant, and other unknown factors. The number of patients with end-stage renal disease has increased by 6% worldwide. Even with more transplant procedures, these numbers have not combated the dramatically increased number of patients on wait lists. With regard to potential living donors, around 50% are either blood group or HLA incompatible with the recipient, which then requires patient desensitization or paired kidney donation or a combination of both. Survival rates of kidney donors and the general population are almost the same 35 to 40 years after donation. Although the renal consequences of diabetes after kidney donation are almost the same as that shown in the general population, other risk factors should be considered, such as hypertension, proteinuria, and low glomerular filtration rate, before donation. It is so far unknown whether donors with impaired glucose tolerance can safely donate. With diabetes, what was considered normal blood sugar in 1960 to 1990 is now considered frank diabetes. What was considered normal blood pressure is now considered hypertension. Because individuals with these parameters were accepted as organ donors in the past and have been shown to maintain good health, it is worth considering the safe use of organs from donors with early diabetes and hypertension. Whereas young donors may have not reached the age at which hypertension, diabetes, and other kidney diseases develop, older donors have the lowest likelihood of developing end-stage renal disease after donation. As a general approach, young donors can be accepted if they have high glomerular filtration rate, but young donors from certain ethnic minorities and/or extensive family history of chronic kidney disease and those less than 18 years old should not be considered.

Perioperative considerations for kidney and pancreas-kidney transplantation

Kidney transplantation is the treatment of choice in patients with end-stage renal disease, as it improves survival and quality of life. Living donor kidney transplant prior to pancreas transplantation, or simultaneous pancreas and kidney transplantation are discussed. Patients usually present comorbidities and extensive preoperative workups are recommended, especially cardiac assessment, though type and frequency of surveillance is not established. Nephroprotective strategies include adequate fluid status and goal-directed therapy. The conventional use of diuretics has not demonstrated a real nephroprotective effect at follow-up. Thromboprophylaxis regimes, especially for the pancreatic graft outcome, are of importance. Notably, transplantation in the obese population has increased in recent decades. Strict preoperative evaluation and pulmonary considerations must be kept in mind. Finally, robotic kidney transplant is a recent approach that presents anesthetic challenges, mainly related to steep Trendelenburg position and fluid restriction.

Induction type and outcomes for kidney graft and patient survival in recipients with prior lung transplantation in the United States

BACKGROUND

Induction immunosuppression regimens for kidney transplants in lung transplant recipients vary widely. We studied the impact of induction types for kidney after lung transplant recipients.

METHODS

Using the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients database between 1994 and 2015, we studied outcomes of patients and kidney grafts for 330 kidney after lung transplant recipients for whom induction before kidney transplant included depletional (n = 115), non-depletional (n = 170), or no induction (steroids only; n = 45). We studied risk factors for recipient and graft survival using Cox proportional hazards model adjusted for kidney and lung induction, kidney donor type, dialysis status, recipient and donor ages, time from lung to kidney transplant, cause of lung disease, bilateral vs single lung transplant, diabetes, and human leukocyte antigen mismatches before kidney transplant, with transplant center as a random effect.

RESULTS

There was no difference between groups in patient survival or death-censored kidney allograft survival. The 1-year kidney acute rejection rates were 15.5%, 7.14%, and 0% in depletional, non-depletional, and no induction groups, respectively. In the Cox model for patient survival, living kidney donor recipients and bilateral lung transplant recipients were favorable predictors. For death-censored graft survival, kidney induction type did not predict graft survival. Results did not change when models only included recipients on tacrolimus and mycophenolate based maintenance.

CONCLUSIONS

The type of kidney induction did not influence patient or kidney graft survival following kidney transplants for those with previous lung transplants. No induction may be the preferred choice for kidney after lung transplant because of the lack of benefits from biologic induction in this large cohort.

Effects of Smoking on Solid Organ Transplantation Outcomes

Tobacco smoking is the leading preventable cause of death worldwide. Both donor and recipient smoking have been shown to increase graft loss and mortality in solid organ transplant recipients in many studies. Only in lung transplants is smoking a universal contraindication to transplantation. Transplant centers implement different policies regarding smoking recipients and allografts from smoking donors. Due to scarcity of available allografts, the risks of smoking have to be weighed against the risks of a longer transplant waitlist period. Although transplant centers implement different strategies to encourage smoking cessation pre- and post-transplant, not many studies have been published that validate the efficacy of smoking cessation interventions in this vulnerable population. This article summarizes the results of studies investigating prevalence, impact on outcomes, and cessationinterventions for smoking in the transplant population. We report herein a review of the elevated risks of infection, malignancy, graft loss, cardiovascular events, and mortality in solid organ transplant populations.

Spectrum of Infections in Living Donor Kidney Transplant Recipients: An Experience From a Tertiary Center in Nepal

BACKGROUND

Kidney transplant recipients are always at risk of infections because they are on lifelong immunosuppressive medications. The spectrum of infections in this special population is not the same as in the general population. Post-transplant infections are extensively studied in the developed world. Publications about post-transplant infections from Nepal are scarce. This study was carried out to study the spectrum of infections, the trends in treatment, and the incidence of tuberculosis in kidney transplant recipients.

METHODS

This is a retrospective analysis of the patient data in Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal. Follow-up data from the first 100 kidney transplant recipients was recorded in a Microsoft Excel worksheet and descriptive analysis was done.

RESULTS

In the first 100 transplants done until 21 September 2011, 92 patients' data were recorded and 8 patients' data were missing. The mean follow-up period was 61.03 months. The population was 76.09% male (n = 70) and 23.91% female (n = 22). A total of 641 episodes of infections were recorded. Urinary tract infections were the most common type of infection. Escherichia coli was the most common organism isolated (36% of all cultures). There were 17 (2.65%) episodes of viral and 42 (6.6%) episodes of fungal infections. Tuberculosis was diagnosed in 6 (6.5%) patients.

CONCLUSION

Urinary tract infection is the most common type of infection in post-kidney transplant patients. Quinolones were the most common agents used to treat urinary tract infections. The incidence of tuberculosis in kidney transplant recipients is 6.5% in 5 years' follow-up.

Use of Intraoperative Duplex Ultrasound and Resistance Index Reduces Complications in Living Renal Donor Transplantation

BACKGROUND

The treatment of choice in end-stage renal disease is transplantation. Hemodynamic disturbances can evoke graft loss, while early ultrasound identification of vascular problems improves outcome. The aim of this study was to identify differences in postoperative complications with and without systematic intraoperative Doppler ultrasound use.

METHODS

The primary outcome was the postoperative rate of complications and the secondary aim was to find a predictive resistance index cut-off value, which would show where surgical reintervention was necessary. Over a 10-year period, 108 renal transplants were performed from living donors at our institution. In group 1 (n = 67), intraoperative duplex ultrasound and intraparenchymatous resistance index measurements assessed patients, while in group 2 (n = 41), no ultrasound was performed.

RESULTS

There were no intergroup differences in the overall postoperative complication rate or in benefit to graft or patient survival with Doppler use. However, significantly more vascular complications (10% vs 0%, P = .02) and more acute rejections (37% vs 10%) occurred in group 2 than in group 1. Therefore, an intraoperative cut-off value of the resistance index 0.5 was proposed to justify immediate surgical revision.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first report demonstrating benefits of systematic intraoperative Doppler ultrasound on postoperative complications in renal transplantation from living donors. Our results support surgical revision with a resistance index <0.5.

Characterization of Potentially Unsafe Ambulatory Antibiotic Use and Associated Outcomes in an Adult Kidney Transplant Population

BACKGROUND

Antibiotics are frequently prescribed to kidney transplant (KTX) recipients in the outpatient setting, but there are limited data assessing the safety and outcomes associated with this practice.

OBJECTIVE

The primary objective of this study was to describe ambulatory antibiotic prescribing in a large cohort of adult KTX recipients. The secondary objective was to assess the outcomes associated with potentially unsafe antibiotic use in this population.

METHODS

National Veterans Health Administration data compiled between 2001 and 2010 were used to conduct a pharmacovigilance assessment of antibiotic prescribing, excluding intravenous agents, antifungals, antivirals, and prophylactic regimens. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression was used to determine the impact of safe and potentially unsafe antibiotic use on time to event for graft loss.

RESULTS

Among 5130 KTX recipients and 30 127 patient-years of follow-up, 14 259 antibiotic courses were prescribed at a rate of 0.47 courses per patient-year. Transplant or nephrology providers prescribed 24.8% of courses. Overall, 608 courses (4.3%) in 311 patients (6.1%) were considered potentially unsafe for dosages in disagreement with recommended adjustments for renal function, interaction with immunosuppressive regimens, and other pertinent safety concerns. After adjusting for baseline characteristics, unsafe antibiotic use was associated with a 40% higher risk of graft loss (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.40; 95% CI = 1.03-1.89; P = 0.030) compared with safe use.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Although unsafe antibiotic prescribing was uncommon, it was associated with increased risk of graft loss. Prospective research is needed to elucidate whether the driver of poor outcomes is the safety of the antibiotic prescription or fragmented care.

Deceased-Donor Smoking History Is Associated With Increased Recipient Mortality After Kidney Transplant: A Population-Cohort Study

OBJECTIVES

Historical data have suggested that donor smoking is associated with detrimental clinical outcomes for recipients of kidneys from deceased donors. However, the effects of smoking status of a kidney donor on the outcomes of the recipient in a contemporary setting of immunosuppression and transplant practice have not yet been ascertained.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This retrospective, population-cohort study analyzed data of all deceased-donor kidney-alone transplant procedures performed in the United Kingdom between April 2001 and April 2013. Our study included 11?199 deceased-donor kidney allograft recipients, with median follow-up of 46 months posttransplant.

RESULTS

In our cohort, 5280 deceased donors (47.1%) had a documented history of smoking. Deceased donors with versus those without smoking history were more likely to be younger (mean age of 48 vs 50 years; P < .001), be of white ethnicity (96.6% vs 95.3%; P < .001), and have brain death before donation (77.1% vs 74.9%; P = .006). On unadjusted survival analyses, overall patient survival was significantly shorter in patients who received kidney allografts from deceased donors with smoking history (hazard ratio of 1.12, 95% confidence interval, 1.00-1.25; P = .044). No significant association was seen for death-censored or overall graft survival. Our multivariate survival analyses showed that, after accounting for confounding factors, the effects of donor smoking status remained significant for patient survival (hazard ratio of 1.16, 95% CI, 1.03-1.29; P =.011) but not graft survival.

CONCLUSIONS

This population-cohort study suggests that deceased-donor kidneys from smokers contribute to an increased risk of death for kidney allograft recipients. These study findings imply donor smoking history should be factored into the risk stratification decision for recipient selection to optimize decision making; however, further clarification and validation of these data are warranted.

Causal Effect of Donor Source on Survival of Renal Transplantation Using Marginal Structural Models

BACKGROUND

Marginal Structural Models (MSMs) are novel methods to estimate causal effect in epidemiology by using Inverse Probability of Treatment Weighting (IPTW) and Stabilized Weight to reduce confounding effects. This study aimed to estimate causal effect of donor source on renal transplantation survival.

METHODS

In this cohort study, 1354 transplanted patients with a median 42.55 months follow-up in Namazee Hospital Transplantation Center, Shiraz from Mar 1999 to Mar 2009, were included to use marginal structural Cox regression, binomial logistic regression model to estimate causal effect of donor source on the survival of renal transplantation. IPTW and stabilized inverse probability of treatment weighting are used as weights.

RESULTS

The un-weighted (crude) hazard ratios for live unrelated donor and deceased donor in comparison to live related donor as reference group was (HR: 1.03, 95% CI: 0.58-1.83, P=0.89) and (HR: 2.69, 95% CI: 1.67-4.31, P=0.001), respectively. Using a marginal structural Cox regression model and by stabilized weight, the hazard ratios for live-unrelated donor and cadaveric donor were (HR: 1.08, 95% CI: 0.47-2.45, P=0.84) and (HR: 3.63, 95% CI: 1.59-8.26, P=0.002), respectively. There was no difference between estimated effect size from marginal structural Cox regression, marginal structural logistic regression, and marginal structural Weibull regression model.

CONCLUSION

There is no difference between related and unrelated donor source hazard ratio; however, hazard ratio for cadaveric donor was 3.63 times of hazard ratio for related donor and 3.34 times of it for unrelated donor. Therefore, the live donor (related or unrelated) has a better survival of renal transplantation than cadaveric donor.

Short- and Intermediate-Term Outcomes in Living-Related Renal Transplant Donors

OBJECTIVES

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the short- and intermediate-term outcomes of living-related kidney donors in terms of renal function and postnephrectomy complications at a single center in Pakistan.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Our study included healthy donors who underwent unilateral nephroureterectomy for living-related renal transplant procedures at the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (Karachi, Pakistan) between January 2005 and January 2006. All patients were evaluated for early postoperative complications and renal functions at last follow-up. The mean follow-up duration was 1.7 ± 1.3 years.

RESULTS

A total of 256 living-related donors underwent nephroureterectomy during the study period, which included 142 men (55.5%) and 114 women (44.5%). The mean age of donors was 33.7 ± 10.0 years. Most donors were between 21 and 40 years old. Of total donors, most were siblings (n = 143, 55.8%), followed by offspring, parents, and spouses. Left nephrectomy was performed in 206 donors (80.4%) and right in 50 donors (19.5%). There were no deaths during transplant. The mean postoperative hospital stay was 6.37 ± 0.95 days. A total of 38 donors (14.8%) had one or more surgical complication. Hypertension developed in 25 (9.7%) and diabetes mellitus in 9 donors (5%). Creatinine clearance was > 90 mL/min in 96 (41%), 60 to 90 mL/min in 120 (51%), and ≤ 60 mL/min in 18 donors (8%).

CONCLUSIONS

Living-related donor nephrectomy remains a valuable source of kidneys for transplant procedures and carries a small risk. With careful donor selection and good surgical management, operative complications can be minimized.

Mycotic Pseudoaneurysm After Kidney Transplantation: Two Case Reports

BACKGROUND

Vascular complications after kidney transplantation may cause allograft loss. Here, we describe 2 patients with extrarenal mycotic pseudoaneurysm after kidney transplantation.

PATIENTS

Patient 1 was a 54-year-old man who developed pseudoaneurysm 60 days after transplantation, and patient 2 was a 48-year-old woman who was diagnosed with a pseudoaneurysm 5 months after transplantation.

RESULTS

Patient 1 had a deceased-donor kidney transplant with end-to-side external iliac arterial anastomosis that was reconstructed 8 days after transplantation owing to rupture and major bleeding. At 60 days after transplantation, he had high serum creatinine level and Doppler ultrasonography showed a pseudoaneurysm of the arterial graft anastomosis and postanastomotic renal artery stenosis. Treatment included surgical excision of the pseudoaneurysm, vascular reconstruction, and fluconazole, with mycologic culture of the resected pseudoaneurysm showing Candida albicans. Patient 2 developed nondisabling intermittent claudication at 5 months after kidney transplantation, with a pseudoaneurysm subsequently observed on Doppler ultrasonography and computerized tomographic angiography. Treatment included renal artery thrombectomy and common iliac bypass to the hilar donor renal artery with inverted ipsilateral long saphenous vein. Operative samples showed C albicans, and she was treated with fluconazole. Both patients had satisfactory outcomes, and both kidney allografts were preserved.

CONCLUSIONS

Extrarenal mycotic pseudoaneurysms after kidney transplantation require a high index of suspicion for early diagnosis, and preservation of the kidney graft may be achieved with the use of surgical treatment and antifungal therapy.

The National Landscape of Living Kidney Donor Follow-Up in the United States

In 2013, the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN)/ United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) mandated that transplant centers collect data on living kidney donors (LKDs) at 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years postdonation, with policy-defined thresholds for the proportion of complete living donor follow-up (LDF) data submitted in a timely manner (60 days before or after the expected visit date). While mandated, it was unclear how centers across the country would perform in meeting thresholds, given potential donor and center-level challenges of LDF. To better understand the impact of this policy, we studied Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients data for 31,615 LKDs between January 2010 and June 2015, comparing proportions of complete and timely LDF form submissions before and after policy implementation. We also used multilevel logistic regression to assess donor- and center-level characteristics associated with complete and timely LDF submissions. Complete and timely 2-year LDF increased from 33% prepolicy (January 2010 through January 2013) to 54% postpolicy (February 2013 through June 2015) (p < 0.001). In an adjusted model, the odds of 2-year LDF increased by 22% per year prepolicy (p < 0.001) and 23% per year postpolicy (p < 0.001). Despite these annual increases in LDF, only 43% (87/202) of centers met the OPTN/UNOS-required 6-month, 1-year, and 2-year LDF thresholds for LKDs who donated in 2013. These findings motivate further evaluation of LDF barriers and the optimal approaches to capturing outcomes after living donation.

Kidney transplantation in Romania: two transplant centers experience

PURPOSE

Kidney graft survival rates improved from decade to decade, but data about factors that affect patient and graft survival remain challenging and even controversial.

METHODS

We analyzed retrospectively data from kidney transplanted patients followed in two Romanian transplant centers (Iasi and Bucharest)-new programmes specifically developed after 1989 to cover transplantation requirements for two-thirds of Romania. We used a composite survival outcome defined as 50% reduction in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), return to dialysis or death. Survival analysis was performed using uni- and multivariable Cox regression with baseline and time-updated covariates.

RESULTS

From the entire cohort of 365 patients, 243 had the outcome of interest. In the univariable Cox survival analysis, age, hemoglobin, eGFR, cholesterol, AST and transplant center were associated with the outcome. The multivariable Cox analysis reveals that only cholesterol (HR 0.97, 95% CI 0.94-0.99 per 10 mg/dL increase) and transplant center (HR 3.64, 95% CI 2.67-4.97) remain associated. For the time-updated Cox survival analysis we found that eGFR (HR 0.91, 95% CI 0.87-0.96 per 10 ml/min/1.73 m² increase) and cholesterol are associated with the outcome in the univariable analysis and only eGFR and transplant center in the multivariable Cox survival analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study reports data from two distinct transplant centers from a developing country. Our results are similar to the current literature data, but also reveal that the approach of a center to the transplantation management is an independent factor associated with graft survival.

Moon phases and moon signs do not influence morbidity, mortality and long-term survival, after living donor kidney transplantation

Background

Approximately 11% of the German population are convinced that certain moon phases and moon signs may impact their health and the onset and clinical course of diseases. Before elective surgery, a considerable number of patients look to optimize the timing of the procedure based on the lunar cycle. Especially patients awaiting living donor kidney transplantation (LDKT) commonly look for an adjustment of the date of transplantation according to the moon calendar. This study therefore investigated the perioperative and long-term outcome of LDKT dependent on moon phases and zodiac signs.

Methods

Patient data were prospectively collected in a continuously updated kidney transplant database. Two hundred and seventy-eight consecutive patients who underwent LDKT between 1994 and December 2009 were selected for the study and retrospectively assigned to the four moon phases (new-moon, waxing-moon, full-moon, and waning-moon) and the corresponding zodiac sign (moon sign Libra), based on the date of transplantation. Preexisting comorbidities, perioperative mortality, surgical outcome, and long-term survival data were analyzed.

Results

Of all LDKT procedures, 11.9, 39.9, 11.5, and 36.5% were performed during the new, waxing, full, and waning moon, respectively, and 6.2% during the moon sign Libra, which is believed to interfere with renal surgery. Survival rates at 1, 5, and 10 years after transplantation were 98.9, 92, and 88.7% (patient survival) and 97.4, 91.6, and 80.6% (graft survival) without any differences between all groups of lunar phases and moon signs. Overall perioperative complications and early graft loss occurred in 21.2 and 1.4%, without statistical difference (p > 0.05) between groups.

Conclusion

Moon phases and the moon sign Libra had no impact on early and long-term outcome measures following LDKT in our study. Thus, concerns of patients awaiting LDKT regarding the ideal time of surgery can be allayed, and surgery may be scheduled independently of the lunar phases.

Employment 12 months after kidney transplantation: An in-depth bio-psycho-social analysis of the Swiss Transplant Cohort

BACKGROUND

Return to work with or after a chronic disease is a dynamic process influenced by a variety of interactions between personal, work, societal and medical resources or constraints. The aim of this study was to identify predictors for employment 12 months after transplantation in kidney patients, applying a bio-psycho-social model.

METHODS

All kidney patients followed in the Swiss Transplant Cohort between May 2008 and December 2012, aged 18 to 65 were assessed before, 6 and 12 months after transplantation.

RESULTS

Of the 689 included patients, 56.2% worked 12 months post- transplantation compared to 58.9% pre-transplantation. Age, education, self-perceived health (6 months post- transplantation), pre- transplantation employment and receiving an organ from a living donor are significant predictors of employment post- transplantation. Moreover, while self-perceived health increased post- transplantation, depression score decreased only among those employed 12 months post- transplantation. Pre- transplantation employment status was the main predictor for post- transplantation employment (OR = 18.6) and was associated with sex, age, education, depression and duration of dialysis. An organ from a living donor (42.1%) was more frequent in younger patients, with higher education, no diabetes and shorter waiting time to surgery.

CONCLUSION

Transplantation did not increase employment in end-stage kidney disease patients but helped maintaining employment. Pre-transplantation employment has been confirmed to be the most important predictor of post-transplantation employment. Furthermore, socio-demographic and individual factors predicted directly and indirectly the post-transplantation employment status. With living donor, an additional predictor linked to social factors and the medical procedure has been identified.

Smoking in Renal Transplantation; Facts Beyond Myth

Smoking is one of the preventable leading causes of death worldwide. Most of the studies focused on the association between smoking and cardiovascular disease, pulmonary diseases, malignancy and death. However, the direct effect of smoking on the renal system was undermind. There are emerging evidence correlating tobacco use with pathological changes in the normal kidneys. The effect is more obvious on the renal allograft most probably due to the chronic immune suppression status and the metabolic effect of the drugs. Several studies have documented a deleterious effect of smoking on the renal transplant recipients. Smoking was associated with lowering patient and graft survival. Smoking cessation proved to improve graft survival and to a lesser extent recipient survival. Even receiving a renal transplant from a smoker donor increases the risk of death for the recipient and carries a poorer graft survival compared to non-smoking donors. Most of the studies investigating the effect of smoking were based on self-reporting questioners, which may be misleading due to poor recall or the desire to give socially acceptable answers. This made the need of a reliable biomarker of ultimate importance. Cotinine was proposed as a promising biomarker that may help to provide objective evidence regarding the status of smoking and the dose of nicotine exposure, yet there are still some limitations of its use. The aim of this work is to review the current evidence to improve our understanding of this critical topic. Indeed, this will help to guide better-designed studies in the future.

Is There a Long-Term Risk for Donors With Heterozygous MEFV Mutation After Kidney Donation?

BACKGROUND

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is an autosomal-recessive autoinflammatory disorder manifested severely by systemic amyloidosis. It has been hypothesized that heterozygous carriers may also have susceptibility to certain symptoms or even diseases. Because the living kidney donors of patients with FMF are generally relatives of the kidney recipients, there is a high possibility that the donors will have a heterozygous mutation of the FMF gene. The goal of this study was to investigate the long-term kidney function of donors who are carriers of the Mediterranean fever (MEFV) gene.

METHODS

The medium- to long-term outcomes of 12 asymptomatic donors were compared with MEFV gene carriers and 24 non-FMF recipients' donors.

RESULTS

Heterozygous carriers and the control group were similar with respect to age, sex, and follow-up period. The preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate and 24-hour urine proteinuria levels were similar in the MEFV carrier and control groups. Four years after the donation, both groups had similar estimated glomerular filtration rates, but the change in 24-hour urine protein was statistically higher in the MEFV carrier group, and no significant change was observed in the control group (P = .004). At the end of the follow-up period, neither overt proteinuria nor kidney failure was seen in either group.

CONCLUSIONS

This study showed that the medium- to long-term results of the kidney donors who are carriers of the MEFV gene seem to be safe. However, there was more of a tendency for an increase in proteinuria in the MEFV gene carriers compared with control subjects, which necessitated further long-term care for these donors.

A comparison of the effects of oral vs. intravenous hydration on subclinical acute kidney injury in living kidney donors: a protocol of a randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Optimal treatment for established renal failure is living donor kidney transplantation. However this pathway exposes healthy individuals to significant reduction in nephron mass via major surgical procedure. Laparoscopic donor nephrectomy is now the most common method for live donor transplantation, reducing both donor post-operative pain and recovery time. However this procedure exposes kidneys to additional haemodynamic stresses. It has been suggested that donor hydration-particularly the use of preoperative intravenous fluids-may counteract these stresses, reducing subclinical acute kidney injury and ultimately improving long-term renal function. This may be important in both preservation of donor renal function and recipient graft longevity.

METHODS/DESIGN

A prospective single-centre single-blinded randomized controlled trial will be carried out to determine the effects of donor preoperative intravenous fluids. The primary outcome is donor subclinical acute kidney injury (defined as plasma NGAL, >153 ng/ml) on day 1 postoperatively. Secondary outcomes include intraoperative haemodynamics, recipient subclinical acute kidney injury, perioperative complications and donor sleep quality. Donors will be randomised into two groups: the intervention group will receive active pre-hydration consisting of three litres of intravenous Hartmann's solution between midnight and 8 am before morning kidney donation, while the control group will not receive this. Both groups will receive unlimited oral fluids until midnight, as is routine. Plasma NGAL will be measured at pre-specified perioperative time points, intraoperative haemodynamic data will be collected using non-invasive cardiac output monitoring and clinical notes will be used to obtain demographic and clinical data. The researcher will be blinded to the donor fluid hydration status. Blinded statistical analysis will be performed on an intention-to-treat basis. A prospective power calculation estimates a required sample size of 86 patients.

DISCUSSION

This study will provide important data, as there is currently little evidence about the use of donor preoperative fluids in laparoscopic nephrectomy. It is hoped that the results obtained will guide future clinical practice.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This study has been approved by the West of Scotland Research Ethics Committee 3 (reference no. 14/WS/1160, 27 January 2015) and is registered with the International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number Register (reference no. ISRCTN10199225 , 20 April 2015).

Cigarette Smoking and Its Hazards in Kidney Transplantation

Cigarette smoking affects many organs. It causes vasoconstriction through activation of sympathetic nervous system which leads to elevation of blood pressure and reduction in glomerular filtration rate and filtration pressure. It also causes thickening of renal arterioles. Cigarette smoking increases the risk of microalbuminuria and accelerates progression of microalbuminuria to macroalbuminuria. Furthermore, it causes rapid loss of glomerular filtration rate in chronic kidney disease patients. After kidney donation, these factors may be injurious to the solitary kidney. Kidney donors with history of cigarette smoking are prone to develop perioperative complications, pneumonia, and wound infection. Postkidney transplantation various stressors including warm and cold ischemia time, delayed graft function, and exposure to calcineurin inhibitors may result in poor graft function. Continuation of cigarette smoking in kidney transplant recipients will add further risk. In this review, we will specifically discuss the effects of cigarette smoking on normal kidneys, live kidney donors, and kidney transplant recipients. This will include adverse effects of cigarette smoking on graft and patient survival, cardiovascular events, rejection, infections, and cancers in kidney transplant recipients. Lastly, the impact of kidney transplantation on behavior and smoking cessation will also be discussed.

Analysis of 4000 kidney transplantations in a single center: Across immunological barriers

Kidney transplant (KT) is the optimal renal replacement therapy for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). The demand for kidneys, however, continues to exceed the supply. To overcome this problem, efforts to extend the donor pool by including human leukocyte antigen (HLA)- and ABO-incompatible (ABOi) KTs are increasing. The aim of this article was to retrospectively review data on recipients, donor profiles, and clinical outcomes in 4000 cases of KT. In addition, we analyzed clinical outcomes in ABOi and flow-cytometric crossmatch (FCXM) positive KT in a subgroup analysis.This was a retrospective, observational study using data extracted from medical records. A total of 4000 consecutive patients who underwent KT at our institution from January 1990 to February 2015 were included in this study. KTs across immunological barriers such as ABO incompatible (276 cases, 6.9%), FCXM positive (97 cases, 2.4%), and positive complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) XM KT (16 cases, 0.4%) were included.From a Kaplan-Meier analysis, overall patient survival (PS) rates after KT at 1, 5, 10, and 20 years were 96.9%, 95.1%, 92.0%, and 88.9%, respectively. The overall graft survival (GS) rates after KT at 1, 5, 10, and 20 years were 96.3%, 88.9%, 81.2%, and 67.4%, respectively. Our subgroup analysis suggested that overall PS, GS, death-censored GS, and rejection-free GS in ABOi KT showed no significant differences in comparison with ABO-compatible KT if adequate immunosuppressive treatment was performed. The overall PS rate in patients who underwent FCXM positive KT did not differ significantly from that of the control group during the 3-year follow-up (P = 0.34). The overall GS, death-censored GS, and rejection-free GS also did not differ significantly between the FCXM KT and control groups (P = 0.99, 0.42, and 88).The outcomes of KTs continually improved during the study period, while the annual number of KTs increased. ABO or FCXM positive KTs can be performed safely with successful graft outcomes.

Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence in Kidney Transplant Recipients: Development and Implementation of a Program

Tobacco use adversely affects transplant outcomes such as graft survival, patient survival, and other conditions that alter transplant patient longevity. Especially concerning is tobacco's relationship to cardiovascular disease, the number 1 cause of death in kidney transplant recipients. Many authors conclude that tobacco interventions ought to be provided to patients and sometimes lament that there are no tobacco dependence interventions designed for kidney transplant recipients. European Best Practice Guidelines for Renal Transplantation also support tobacco dependence interventions. The purpose of this article is to describe one institution's experience in implementing the clinical practice guideline for treating tobacco use and dependence within a kidney and pancreas transplant program.