Impact of Willingness to Accept Hepatitis C Seropositive Kidneys Among Hepatitis C RNA-Positive Waitlisted Patients

Center and Individual Willingness to Consider Heart and Lung Offers From Donors With Hepatitis C

INTRODUCTION

Transplants with hearts and lungs from donors with hepatitis C virus (HCV D+) have been proven safe and effective since development of direct-acting antivirals, yet the presence of HCV + persists as a reason to decline organs.

METHODS

We identified adult candidates listed January 1, 2015-March 8, 2023 for heart or lung transplant using the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients. We identified individual-level and center-level characteristics associated with listing to consider HCV D+ offers using multilevel logistic regression in a multivariable framework.

RESULTS

Over the study period, the annual percentage of candidates willing to consider HCV D+ offers increased for both heart (9.5%-74.3%) and lung (7.8%-59.5%), as did the percentage of centers listing candidates for HCV D+ heart (52.9%-91.1%) and lung (32.8%-82.8%) offers. Candidates at centers with more experience with HCV D+ transplants were more likely to consider HCV D+ organ offers. After adjustment, listing center explained 70% and 78% of the residual variance in willingness to consider HCV D+ hearts and lungs, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Although listing for consideration of HCV D+ offers has increased, it varies by transplant center. Center-level barriers to consideration of HCV D+ organs reduce recipients' transplant access.

Hepatitis C Guidance 2023 Update: AASLD-IDSA Recommendations for Testing, Managing, and Treating Hepatitis C Virus Infection

The Infectious Diseases Society of America and the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases have collaboratively developed evidence-based guidance regarding the diagnosis, management, and treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection since 2013. A panel of clinicians and investigators with extensive infectious diseases or hepatology expertise specific to HCV infection periodically review evidence from the field and update existing recommendations or introduce new recommendations as evidence warrants. This update focuses on changes to the guidance since the previous 2020 published update, including ongoing emphasis on recommended universal screening; management recommendations for incomplete treatment adherence; expanded eligibility for simplified chronic HCV infection treatment in adults with minimal monitoring; updated treatment and retreatment recommendations for children as young as 3 years old; management and treatment recommendations in the transplantation setting; and screening, treatment, and management recommendations for unique and key populations.

Transplanting Organs from Donors with HIV or Hepatitis C: The Viral Frontier

A wide gap between the increasing demand for organs and the limited supply leads to immeasurable loss of life each year. The organ shortage could be attenuated by donors with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV). The transplantation of organs from HIV+ deceased donors into HIV+ individuals (HIV D+ /R+) was initiated in South Africa in 2010; however, this practice was forbidden in the USA until the HIV Organ Policy Equity (HOPE) Act in 2013. HIV D+/R+ transplantation is now practiced in the USA as part of ongoing research studies, helping to reduce waiting times for all patients on the waitlist. The introduction of direct acting antivirals for HCV has revolutionized the utilization of donors with HCV for HCV-uninfected (HCV-) recipients. This is particularly relevant as the HCV donor pool has increased substantially in the context of the rise in deaths related to drug overdose from injection drug use. This article serves to review the current literature on using organs from donors with HIV or HCV.

Liver and Kidney Recipient Selection of Hepatitis C Virus Viremic Donors: Meeting Consensus Report From the 2019 Controversies in Transplantation

The development of multiple highly effective and safe direct-acting antivirals to treat hepatitis C virus (HCV) has resulted in greater ease and confidence in managing HCV infection in transplant recipients that in turn has impacted the solid organ transplant community as well. In the United States, the opioid epidemic has increased the number of overdose deaths with a concomitant increase in younger HCV viremic donors after brain death being identified. At the same time, a decrease in HCV viremic transplant candidates has led to a growing interest in exploring the use of HCV viremic liver and kidney donor allografts in HCV-negative recipients. To date, experience with the use of HCV viremic liver and kidney allografts in HCV-negative recipients is limited to a few small prospective research trials, case series, and case reports. There are also limited data on recipient and donor selection for HCV viremic liver and kidney allografts. In response to this rapidly changing landscape in the United States, experts in the field of viral hepatitis and liver and kidney transplantation convened a meeting to review current data on liver and kidney recipient selection and developed consensus opinions related specifically to recipient and donor selection of HCV viremic liver and kidney allografts.

Changes in Utilization and Discard of HCV Antibody-Positive Deceased Donor Kidneys in the Era of Direct-Acting Antiviral Therapy

BACKGROUND

The availability of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy might have impacted use of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected (HCV+) deceased donor kidneys for transplantation.

METHODS

We used 2005 to 2018 Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients data to identify 18 936 candidates willing to accept HCV+ kidneys and 3348 HCV+ recipients of HCV+ kidneys. We compared willingness to accept, utilization, discard, and posttransplant outcomes associated with HCV+ kidneys between 2 treatment eras (interferon [IFN] era, January 1, 2005 to December 5, 2013 vs DAA era, December 6, 2013 to August 2, 2018). Models were adjusted for candidate, recipient, and donor factors where appropriate.

RESULTS

In the DAA era, candidates were 2.2 times more likely to list as willing to accept HCV+ kidneys (adjusted odds ratio, 2.072.232.41; P < 0.001), and HCV+ recipients were 1.95 times more likely to have received an HCV+ kidney (adjusted odds ratio, 1.761.952.16; P < 0.001). Median Kidney Donor Profile Index of HCV+ kidneys decreased from 77 (interquartile range [IQR], 59-90) in 2005 to 53 (IQR, 40-67) in 2017. Kidney Donor Profile Index of HCV- kidneys remained unchanged from 45 (IQR, 21-74) to 47 (IQR, 24-73). After adjustment, HCV+ kidneys were 3.7 times more likely to be discarded than HCV- kidneys in the DAA era (adjusted relative rate, 3.363.674.02; P < 0.001); an increase from the IFN era (adjusted relative rate, 2.783.023.27; P < 0.001). HCV+ kidney use was concentrated within a subset of centers; 22.5% of centers performed 75% of all HCV+ kidney transplants in the DAA era. Mortality risk associated with HCV+ kidneys remained unchanged (aHR, 1.071.191.32 in both eras).

CONCLUSIONS

Given the elevated risk of death on dialysis facing HCV+ candidates, improving quality of HCV+ kidneys, and DAA availability, broader utilization of HCV+ kidneys is warranted to improve access in this era of organ shortage.