Excess Stroke Deaths in Kidney Transplant Recipients: A Retrospective Population-based Cohort Study Using Data Linkage

Frailty as a determinant of liver transplant outcomes: A call for integrative strategies

Frailty has emerged as a pivotal determinant of post-liver transplant (LT) outcomes, yet its integration into clinical practice remains inconsistent. Defined by functional impairments and reduced physiologic reserve, frailty transcends traditional metrics like the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score, demonstrating increasing predictive value for mortality beyond the immediate post-operative period. Recent findings suggest that frail recipients experience significantly higher mortality within the first 12 months following transplantation—a period when traditional monitoring often wanes. This raises critical questions about the adequacy of current assessment and follow-up protocols. The observed dissociation between MELD scores and long-term survival underscores the limitations of existing selection criteria. Frailty, as a dynamic and modifiable condition, represents an opportunity for targeted intervention. Prehabilitation programs focusing on nutritional optimization, physical rehabilitation, and psychosocial support could enhance resilience in transplant candidates, reducing their risk profile and improving post-transplant outcomes. Furthermore, these findings call for an expanded approach to post-transplant monitoring. Extending surveillance for frail recipients beyond standard timelines may facilitate early detection of complications, mitigating their impact on survival. Incorporating frailty into both pre- and post-transplant protocols could redefine how transplant centers evaluate and manage risk. This editorial advocates for a paradigm shift: Frailty must no longer be viewed as a secondary consideration but as a core element in LT care. By addressing frailty comprehensively, we can move toward more personalized, effective strategies that improve survival and quality of life for LT recipients.

Kidney disease and stroke: epidemiology and potential mechanisms of susceptibility

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have an increased risk of both ischaemic and haemorrhagic stroke compared with the general population. Both acute and chronic kidney impairment are independently associated with poor outcome after the onset of a stroke, after adjustment for confounders. End-stage kidney disease (ESKD) is associated with a 7- and 9-fold increased incidence of both ischaemic and haemorrhagic strokes, respectively, poorer neurological outcome and a 3-fold higher mortality. Acute kidney injury (AKI) occurs in 12% of patients with stroke and is associated with a 4-fold increased mortality and unfavourable functional outcome. CKD patients seem to have less access to revascularisation techniques like thrombolysis and thrombectomy despite their poorer prognosis. Even if CKD patients could benefit from these specific treatments in acute ischaemic stroke, their prognosis remains poor. After thrombolysis, CKD is associated with a 40% increased risk of intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH), a 20% increase in mortality and poorer functional neurological outcomes. After thrombectomy, CKD is not associated with ICH but is still associated with increased mortality, and AKI with unfavourable outcome and mortality. The beneficial impact of gliflozins on the prevention of stroke is still uncertain. Non-traditional risk factors of stroke, like uraemic toxins, can lead to chronic cerebrovascular disease predisposing to stroke in CKD, notably through an increase in the blood-brain barrier permeability and impaired coagulation and thrombosis mechanisms. Preclinical and clinical studies are needed to specifically assess the impact of these non-traditional risk factors on stroke incidence and outcomes, aiming to optimize and identify potential therapeutic targets.

Stroke and kidney transplantation

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review will focus on the epidemiological data, risk factors, and management of stroke before and after kidney transplant. Stroke is highly prevalent in waitlisted patients as well as kidney transplant recipients and is associated with impaired transplant outcomes. Multiple traditional, nontraditional, and transplanted risk factors increase the risk of stroke.

RECENT FINDINGS

Although the risk of stroke is reduced after kidney transplantation compared with remaining on dialysis, the morbidity and mortality from stroke after transplantation remain significant.

SUMMARY

Early screening for risk factors before and after a kidney transplant and following the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) management guidelines could minimize the incidence of stroke and transplant outcomes.

Cancer Mortality in People Receiving Dialysis for Kidney Failure: An Australian and New Zealand Cohort Study, 1980-2013

RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE

Cancer is a significant cause of morbidity in the population with kidney failure; however, cancer mortality in people undergoing dialysis has not been well described. We sought to compare cancer mortality in people on dialysis for kidney failure with cancer mortality in the general population.

STUDY DESIGN

A retrospective cohort study using linked health-administrative and dialysis registry data.

SETTING & PARTICIPANTS

All people receiving dialysis represented in the Australian and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplantation Registry, 1980-2013.

EXPOSURE

Dialysis; hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD).

OUTCOME

Death and underlying cause of death ascertained using health administrative data and classified using International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Australian Modification (ICD-10-AM) codes.

ANALYTICAL APPROACH

Indirect standardization on age at death, sex, year, and country to estimate standardized mortality ratios (SMR).

RESULTS

Over 269,598 person years of observation, 34,100 deaths occurred among 59,648 people on dialysis, including 3,677 cancer deaths. The relative risk of all-site cancer death in dialysis was twice (SMR, 2.4 [95% CI, 2.33-2.49]) that of the general population and highest for oral and pharynx cancers (SMR, 24.3 [95% CI, 18.0-31.5]) and multiple myeloma (SMR, 22.5 [95% CI, 20.3-23.9]). Women on dialysis had a significantly higher risk of all-site cancer mortality (SMR, 2.7 [95% CI, 2.59-2.89]) compared with men (SMR, 2.3 [95% CI, 2.17-2.36]) (P < 0.001). People on HD (SMR, 2.2 [95% CI, 2.11-2.30]) experienced greater excess deaths from all-site cancer compared with people on PD (SMR, 1.3 [95% CI, 1.23-1.44]). Excess deaths have gradually decreased over time for all-site, multiple myeloma, and kidney cancers (P < 0.001) but have not kept up with improvements in the general population. By contrast, among people receiving dialysis, excess deaths increased for colorectal and lung cancers (P < 0.001).

LIMITATIONS

Confirmation of cancer diagnoses and population incidence data were not available; inability to exclude pre-existing cancers.

CONCLUSIONS

People on dialysis experience excess all-site and site-specific cancer mortality compared with the general population. Mortality differs by modality type, age, and sex. Understanding the role of kidney failure and other morbidities in the treatment of cancer is important for shared decision-making regarding cancer treatments and identifying potential approaches to improve outcomes.

Outcomes of acute ischemic stroke in kidney transplant recipients: An analysis of US Nationwide inpatient sample

A kidney transplant is often the treatment of choice for end-stage kidney disease, compared with a lifetime on dialysis. Kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) have a reduced risk for new strokes than patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) G5 treated by dialysis (CKD G5D). However, the benefit of Kidney transplant on post-stroke hospitalization outcomes has not been well studied. This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes of hospitalization after acute ischemic stroke (AIS) in KTRs and patients with CKD G5D. This retrospective study used patient data from the US Nationwide Inpatient Sample database. From 2005 to 2018, patients hospitalized with AIS were classified into 3 groups, including KTRs (n = 1,833), patients with CKD G5D (n = 26,767), and those without CKD (CKD-free, n = 986,945). Patients with CKD G1–G4 or unspecified stage, and graft failure requiring dialysis were excluded. In-hospital mortality, medical complications, transfer to nursing homes, and length of stay (LOS) were compared. Compared to CKD-free group, KTRs had no significant higher risks for in-hospital mortality, transfer to nursing homes, and LOS, but a greater risk for medical complications after adjusting for relevant factors. CKD G5D group had higher risks for in-hospital mortality (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 2.04, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.93–2.15), medical complications (aOR: 1.49, 95% CI: 1.45–1.54), and transfer to nursing homes (aOR: 1.10, 95% CI: 1.07–1.13), and a 0.07 day (95% CI: 0.06–0.08) longer LOS than CKD-free group. In conclusion, the outcomes of AIS hospitalization were more favorable in KTRs as compared with CKD G5D. Furthermore, the risks for in-hospital mortality, transfer to long-term care facilities, and LOS were not significantly different between KTRs and CKD-free patients.

Chronic kidney disease as a risk factor for acute stroke

One of the most relevant issues of nephrology, neurology, and cardiology is the management and treatment of patients with chronic kidney disease and stroke. Patients with chronic kidney disease have a risk of both thrombotic complications and bleeding, and they have a high risk of both ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. Chronic kidney disease significantly worsens the outcome of stroke by limiting the treatment due to reduced drug clearance and side effects. Hemodialysis which causes drastic hemodynamic and biochemical changes leads to the "stress" of the cerebral vascular system, increasing the risk of stroke; kidney transplantation reduces the risk of stroke due to functional recovery. Chronic kidney disease and stroke have significant socio-economic consequences. Patients with end-stage chronic kidney disease, as a rule, are not included in clinical trials; and stroke treatment tactics have not been developed for them. This review examines the interaction between kidneys and brain, the pathophysiology and epidemiology of stroke in all stages of chronic kidney disease, after kidney transplantation and discusses the management and treatment of chronic kidney disease patients with stroke.

The investigation of the factors responsible for the high prevalence of brain lesions in chronic kidney disease will allow developing new treatment methods.

Chronic Kidney Disease is a Risk Factor for Stroke

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a sustained reduction in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and/or presence of albuminuria. People with CKD have adverse cardiovascular outcomes including stroke. CKD and stroke share several risk factors, most notably older age, diabetes and hypertension, but CKD is also an independent risk factor for stroke. Relative burden of increased risk is worse for younger people and women, with <40 years with end stage CKD having more than 11 times the risk of their age-matched peers. Risk also varies by CKD treatment, with a risk peak for those starting dialysis, but dropping after the first month of treatment. Proposed mechanisms for increased risk are uraemia, cerebral blood flow dysregulation, vascular calcification, arterial stiffness, chronic inflammation, vascular access impacts, and for those on haemodialysis the use of anticoagulation to maintain dialysis circuits. Outcomes for people with CKD and stroke are poorer; functional outcomes may be impacted by reduced access to specialised stroke care. Stroke mortality is higher for those with CKD; with standardised mortality ratio more than three times higher than expected, but for some groups higher still (young women <40 years with a kidney transplant have 19 times the risk of stroke mortality than women without a transplant). Interventions to prevent and treat stroke lack the evidence base in CKD patients that is present for the general population.

Abdominal Organ Transplantation: Noteworthy Literature in 2020

In 2020, we identified and screened over 490 peer-reviewed publications on pancreatic transplantation, over 500 on intestinal transplantation, and over 5000 on kidney transplantation. The liver transplantation section specially focused on clinical trials and systematic reviews published in 2020 and featured selected articles. This review highlights noteworthy literature pertinent to anesthesiologists and critical care physicians caring for patients undergoing abdominal organ transplantation. We explore a wide range of topics, including COVID-19 and organ transplantation, risk factors and outcomes, pain management, artificial intelligence, robotic donor surgery, and machine perfusion.