Selective retransplant after graft loss to nonadherence: success with a second chance

Kidney Transplant Candidacy: Addressing Common Medical and Psychosocial Barriers to Transplant

Improving access to kidney transplants remains a priority for the transplant community. However, many medical, psychosocial, geographic, and socioeconomic barriers exist that prevent or delay transplantation for candidates with certain conditions. There is a lack of consensus regarding how to best approach many of these issues and barriers, leading to heterogeneity in transplant centers' management and acceptance practices for a variety of pretransplant candidate issues. In this review, we address several of the more common contemporary patient medical and psychosocial barriers frequently encountered by transplant programs. The barriers discussed here include kidney transplant candidates with obesity, older age, prior malignancy, cardiovascular disease, history of nonadherence, and cannabis use. Improving understanding of how to best address these specific issues can empower referring providers, transplant programs, and patients to address these issues as necessary to progress toward eventual successful transplantation.

Long-Term Graft and Patient Survival After Re-Transplantation

BACKGROUND Kidney transplant recipients have higher life expectancy but may require subsequent transplantations, raising ethical concerns regarding organ allocation. We assessed the safety of multiple kidney transplants through long-term follow-up. MATERIAL AND METHODS A retrospective cohort study was conducted at a single center, categorizing patients based on the number of kidney transplantations received. The primary outcome was the composite of death-censored graft failure and overall mortality. The secondary outcome was death-censored graft failure. RESULTS Between 2000 and 2019, our center performed 2152 kidney transplantations. Patients were divided into 3 groups: A (1 transplant; n=1850), B (2 transplants; n=285), and C (3 or more transplants; n=75). Group C patients were younger, had fewer comorbidities, and received more aggressive induction therapy. The primary outcomes, including death-censored graft loss and overall mortality, showed similar rates across groups (A: 21.3%, B: 25.2%, C: 21.7%, p=0.068). However, the secondary outcome of death-censored graft failure alone was significantly lower in group A compared to the other groups. No significant difference was observed between groups B and C (8% vs 16% and 13%, respectively, p=0.001, p=0.845). Multivariate analysis identified having a living donor as the strongest predictor of patient and graft survival in all study groups. CONCLUSIONS Graft and patient survival rates were similar between first and multiple transplant recipients. Multiple transplant recipients had lower death-censored graft failure risk compared to first transplant recipients. However, the risk did not differ among second and subsequent transplant recipients. Younger patients, especially those with a living donor, should be considered for repeat kidney transplantation.

Kidney Retransplantation in Children

Pediatric kidney transplant recipients will likely require a retransplant in their lifetime. Although the significant advances in clinical management and newer immunosuppressive agents have had a significant effect to improve short-term allograft function, it is apparent that long-term allograft function remains suboptimal. Therefore, it is likely that most pediatric renal allograft recipients will require 1 or more retransplants during their lifetime. In the West, an increasing number of patients on the deceased donor wait list are awaiting a retransplant; in the US, 15% of current annual transplants are retransplants. Unfortunately, the use of a second or subsequent grafts in pediatric recipients has inferior long-term graft survival rates compared with initial grafts, with decreasing rates with each subsequent graft. Multiple issues influence the outcome of retransplant, with the most significant being the cause of the prior transplant failure. Nonadherenceassociated graft loss poses unresolved ethical issues that may affect a patient's access to retransplant. Graft nephrectomy prior to retransplant may benefit selected patients, but the effect of an in situ failed graft on the development of panel reactive antibodies remains to be definitively determined. It is important that these and other factors discussed in this presentation be taken into consideration during the counseling of families on the optimal approach for their child who requires a retransplant.

Differences between kidney retransplant recipients as identified by machine learning consensus clustering

BACKGROUND

Our study aimed to characterize kidney retransplant recipients using an unsupervised machine-learning approach.

METHODS

We performed consensus cluster analysis based on the recipient-, donor-, and transplant-related characteristics in 17 443 kidney retransplant recipients in the OPTN/UNOS database from 2010 to 2019. We identified each cluster's key characteristics using the standardized mean difference of >.3. We compared the posttransplant outcomes, including death-censored graft failure and patient death among the assigned clusters RESULTS: Consensus cluster analysis identified three distinct clusters of kidney retransplant recipients. Cluster 1 recipients were predominantly white and were less sensitized. They were most likely to receive a living donor kidney transplant and more likely to be preemptive (30%) or need ≤1 year of dialysis (32%). In contrast, cluster 2 recipients were the most sensitized (median PRA 95%). They were more likely to have been on dialysis >1 year, and receive a nationally allocated, low HLA mismatch, standard KDPI deceased donor kidney. Recipients in cluster 3 were more likely to be minorities (37% Black; 15% Hispanic). They were moderately sensitized with a median PRA of 87% and were also most likely to have been on dialysis >1 year. They received locally allocated high HLA mismatch kidneys from standard KDPI deceased donors. Thymoglobulin was the most commonly used induction agent for all three clusters. Cluster 1 had the most favorable patient and graft survival, while cluster 3 had the worst patient and graft survival.

CONCLUSION

The use of an unsupervised machine learning approach characterized kidney retransplant recipients into three clinically distinct clusters with differing posttransplant outcomes. Recipients with moderate allosensitization, such as those represented in cluster 3, are perhaps more disadvantaged in the kidney retransplantation process. Potential opportunities for improvement specific to these re-transplant recipients include working to improve opportunities to improve access to living donor kidney transplantation, living donor paired exchange and identifying strategies for better HLA matching.

How to Deal With Kidney Retransplantation-Second, Third, Fourth, and Beyond

Kidney transplantation is the best health option for patients with end-stage kidney disease. Ideally, a kidney transplant would last for the lifetime of each recipient. However, depending on the age of the recipient and details of the kidney transplant, there may be a need for a second, third, fourth, or even more kidney transplants. In this overview, the outcome of multiple kidney transplants for an individual is presented. Key issues include surgical approach and immunologic concerns. Included in the surgical approach is an analysis of transplant nephrectomy, with indications, timing, and immunologic impact. Allograft thrombosis, whether related to donor or recipient factors merits investigation to prevent it from happening again. Other posttransplant events such as rejection, viral illness (polyomavirus hominis type I), recurrent disease (focal segmental glomerulosclerosis), and posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease may lead to the need for retransplantation. The pediatric recipient is especially likely to need a subsequent kidney transplant. Finally, noncompliance/nonadherence can affect both adults and children. Innovative approaches may reduce the need for retransplantation in the future.

Graft Failure Due to Nonadherence among 150 Prospectively-Followed Kidney Transplant Recipients at 18 Years Post-transplant: Our Results and Review of the Literature

Background: We previously reported that graft failure due to nonadherence (GFNA) was a major cause of graft loss in kidney transplantation. Here, among 150 prospectively-followed kidney transplant recipients at 18 years post-transplant, we provide: updated (longer-term) estimates of cause-specific graft loss probabilities, risk factors for developing GFNA, and detailed characterizations of patients’ overt nonadherent (NA) behavior, including timing, extent, and clinical consequences. Methods: Determination of the patient becoming NA in taking his/her immunosuppressive medications, and the underlying cause of graft loss, were determined prospectively by the attending physicians. For never-functioning-graft, GFNA, GF due to causes other than NA (Other GF), and death with a functioning graft (DWFG), cumulative incidence functions were used to estimate the cumulative probabilities of cause-specific graft loss. Cox stepwise regression was used to determine significant multivariable predictors for the hazard rate of developing GFNA. Results: GFNA was a major cause of graft loss (22/150 patients), particularly among African-American and Hispanic recipients <50 years of age-at-transplant (20/56 experienced GFNA), with estimated percentages of such patients ever developing GFNA ranging between 36.9 and 41.5%. These patients were also at a higher risk of developing Other GF. For the remaining patients (2/94 experienced GFNA), estimated percentages of ever-developing GFNA were much lower (range: 0.0−6.7%). The major cause of graft loss among recipients ≥50 years of age was DWFG; GFNA rarely occurred among older recipients. In 21/22 GFNA patients, NA behavior lasted continuously from the time of developing NA until GFNA. In total, 28/150 patients became NA, and 67.9% (19/28) occurred beyond 36 months post-transplant. A total of 25 of 28 NA patients (89.3%) developed biopsy-proven acute rejection and/or chronic rejection that was directly attributed to the NA behavior. Lastly, 25/28 admitted to NA behavior, with financial and psychological components documented in 71.4% (20/28) and 96.4% (27/28) of NA cases, respectively. Conclusions: These results highlight the importance of performing serial monitoring of patients for overt NA behavior throughout their post-transplant follow-up. Financial and psychological components to NA behavior need to be simultaneously addressed with the goal of achieving complete avoidance/elimination of NA behavior among higher risk patients.

Repeated kidney re-transplantation in times of organ shortage - a critical review

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Organ shortage forces those responsible to streamline allocation rules to provide a maximum of candidates with a graft and to optimize transplant outcome. Recently, repeated kidney re-transplantation was investigated in several studies with different analytic settings concerning the control group, the donors, parameters influencing outcome, and demographic characteristics. This review gives an overview on the candidates awaiting a repeated re-transplantation, summarizes the outcome, and comments on the relevance of these findings in the context of sustained organ shortage.

RECENT FINDINGS

Repeated kidney re-transplantation is technically and immunologically feasible and the recipients' survival is better compared to candidates remaining on dialysis or on the waiting-list. However, the outcome is mainly reported to be worse as compared to first or second kidney transplantation. Kidneys from living donors seem to have a favorable impact on outcome in this setting.

SUMMARY

The survival benefit of repeated re-transplantation recipients over patients on dialysis demands for continuation of this procedure. Comprehensive registries are essential to continuously optimize allocation. Governmental authorities are obliged to set the course to increase organ donation rather than forcing transplant decision makers to withhold a third or fourth graft from any candidate.

Non-adherence and transition clinics

The majority of children who undergo liver transplantation now survive into adulthood and their requirement for life-long follow-up means that they will need to transition from paediatric to adult services. Poor transition is a risk factor for poor clinical and psychosocial outcomes and one of the barriers to effective transition is vulnerability to risk-taking behaviours, and specifically non-adherence. This chapter focuses on practical considerations for transitioning young people from paediatric to adult services, with a particular focus on the risk factors associated with non-adherence and examples of interventions for managing it.

KDIGO Clinical Practice Guideline on the Evaluation and Management of Candidates for Kidney Transplantation

The 2020 Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) Clinical Practice Guideline on the Evaluation and Management of Candidates for Kidney Transplantation is intended to assist health care professionals worldwide who evaluate and manage potential candidates for deceased or living donor kidney transplantation. This guideline addresses general candidacy issues such as access to transplantation, patient demographic and health status factors, and immunological and psychosocial assessment. The roles of various risk factors and comorbid conditions governing an individual's suitability for transplantation such as adherence, tobacco use, diabetes, obesity, perioperative issues, causes of kidney failure, infections, malignancy, pulmonary disease, cardiac and peripheral arterial disease, neurologic disease, gastrointestinal and liver disease, hematologic disease, and bone and mineral disorder are also addressed. This guideline provides recommendations for evaluation of individual aspects of a candidate's profile such that each risk factor and comorbidity are considered separately. The goal is to assist the clinical team to assimilate all data relevant to an individual, consider this within their local health context, and make an overall judgment on candidacy for transplantation. The guideline development process followed the Grades of Recommendation Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. Guideline recommendations are primarily based on systematic reviews of relevant studies and our assessment of the quality of that evidence, and the strengths of recommendations are provided. Limitations of the evidence are discussed with differences from previous guidelines noted and suggestions for future research are also provided.

New Intravenous Calcimimetic Agents: New Options, New Problems. An Example on How Clinical, Economical and Ethical Considerations Affect Choice of Treatment

BACKGROUND

Dialysis treatment is improving, but several long-term problems remain unsolved, including metabolic bone disease linked to chronic kidney disease (CKD-MBD). The availability of new, efficacious but expensive drugs (intravenous calcimimetic agents) poses ethical problems, especially in the setting of budget limitations.

METHODS

Reasons of choice, side effects, biochemical trends were discussed in a cohort of 15 patients (13% of the dialysis population) who stared treatment with intravenous calcimimetics in a single center. All patients had previously been treated with oral calcimimetic agents; dialysis efficacy was at target in 14/15; hemodiafiltration was employed in 10/15. Median Charlson Comorbidity Index was 8. The indications were discussed according to the principlist ethics (beneficience, non maleficience, justice and autonomy). Biochemical results were analyzed to support the clinical-ethical choices.

RESULTS

In the context of a strict clinical and biochemical surveillance, the lack of side effects ensured "non-maleficence"; efficacy was at least similar to oral calcimimetic agents, but tolerance was better. Autonomy was respected through a shared decision-making model; all patients appreciated the reduction of the drug burden, and most acknowledged better control of their biochemical data. The ethical conflict resides in the balance between the clinical "beneficience, non-maleficience" advantage and "justice" (economic impact of treatment, potentially in attrition with other resources, since the drug is expensive and included in the dialysis bundle). The dilemma is more relevant when a patient's life expectancy is short (economic impact without clear clinical advantages), or when non-compliance is an issue (unclear advantage if the whole treatment is not correctly taken).

CONCLUSIONS

In a context of person-centered medicine, autonomy, beneficence and non-maleficence should weight more than economic justice. While ethical discussions are not aimed at finding "the right answer" but asking "the right questions", this example can raise awareness of the importance of including an ethical analysis in the choice of "economically relevant" drugs.

Allograft outcome following repeat transplantation of patients with non-adherence-related first kidney allograft failure: a population cohort study

Nonadherence is an important risk factor for premature allograft failure after kidney transplantation, but outcomes after re-transplantation remain uncertain. Using data from the Australian and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant registry, the associations between causes of first allograft failure and acute rejection-related and non-adherence-related allograft failure following re-transplantation were examined using competing risk analyses, treating the respective alternative causes of allograft failure and death with functioning graft as competing events. Fifty-nine of 2450 patients (2%) lost their first allografts from nonadherence. Patients who lost their first kidney allograft from nonadherence were younger at the time of first kidney allograft failure but waited longer for a second allograft (>5 years: 54% vs. 20%, P < 0.001) compared with other causes. Compared with patients who lost their first allograft from causes other than nonadherence, the adjusted subdistribution hazard ratio (HR and 95% CI) for acute rejection-related second allograft failure was 0.58 (0.08, 4.07; P = 0.582) for patients with allograft failure attributed to nonadherence and was 6.30 (1.34, 29.67; P = 0.020) for non-adherence-related second allograft failure. In this cohort of transplant recipients who have received second allografts, first allograft failure secondary to nonadherence was associated with a marginally greater risk of allograft failure attributed to nonadherence in subsequent transplantation.

High Intrapatient Tacrolimus Variability Is Associated With Worse Outcomes in Renal Transplantation Using a Low-Dose Tacrolimus Immunosuppressive Regime

BACKGROUND

High intrapatient tacrolimus variability has been associated with worse clinical outcomes postrenal transplantation. Theoretically, tacrolimus levels consistently outside the target therapeutic window may result in allograft dysfunction as subtherapeutic tacrolimus levels predispose to episodes of acute rejection, whereas supratherapeutic levels may cause nephrotoxicity.

METHODS

We investigated the effect of tacrolimus variability in a "Symphony" style low-dose tacrolimus based regime, by collecting data from 432 patients over a 4-year period.Three hundred seventy-six patients were included, with a mean follow-up of 1495 days. Tacrolimus variability 6 to 12 months after renal transplantation was calculated, and outcomes were compared in low (n = 186) and high variability (n = 190) groups.

RESULTS

High variability patients were found to be at increased risk of rejection during the first posttransplant year (P = 0.0054) and to have reduced rejection-free survival (hazard ratio, 1.953; 95% confidence interval, 1.234-3.093; P = 0.0054). High variability patients had significantly worse (P < 0.0001) glomerular filtration rates at 1, 2, 3, and 4 years posttransplant. High variability patients were at increased risk of allograft loss (hazard ratio, 4.928; 95% confidence interval, 2.050-11.85; P = 0.0004).

CONCLUSIONS

This suggests that highly variable tacrolimus levels predict worse outcomes postrenal transplantation, although the causal nature of this relationship remains unclear. High tacrolimus variability may identify a subset of patients who warrant increased surveillance and patient education regarding dietary and medication compliance.

Precision monitoring of immunotherapies in solid organ and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Pharmacological immunotherapies are a key component of post-transplant therapy in solid-organ and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. In current clinical practice, immunotherapies largely follow a one-size fits all approach, leaving a large portion of transplant recipients either over- or under-immunosuppressed, and consequently at risk of infections or immune-mediated complications. Our goal here is to review recent and rapid advances in precision and genomic medicine approaches to monitoring of post-transplant immunotherapies. We will discuss recent advances in precision measurements of pharmacological immunosuppression, measurements of the plasma and gut microbiome, strategies to monitor for allograft injury and post-transplant malignancies via circulating cell-free DNA, and comprehensive measurements of the B and T cell immune cell repertoire.

Pediatric kidney transplantation: a historical review

Successful renal transplantation is the optimal treatment for chronic kidney failure, but this was not always so for children. Beginning with the first kidney transplants in the 1950s, children experienced poorer patient and graft survival rates than adult patients. But over the last 6 decades, an improved understanding of the immune system which has steered pediatric multi-center clinical/pharmacokinetic and mechanistic studies that have sculpted our immunosuppression with markedly better patient and graft survivals. In addition, uniquely pediatric issues related to growth, development, neurocognitive maturation, increased complications from primary viral infections, and comorbid congenital/inherited disorders, are now diagnosed and effectively managed in these children. Refined pretransplant preparation (vaccinations for preventable diseases, attention to cognitive delays, effective dialysis and nutrition) improved donor selection, and more potent immunosuppression have all contributed to enhanced outcomes. Similarly, improvements in pediatric surgical techniques, postoperative care and better antiviral prophylaxis have all shortened hospitalizations and reduced morbidity. Today pediatric kidney transplant outcomes are markedly improved and younger children today experience better long-term graft survival than adults! While difficult problems remain, we have made tremendous progress and anticipate even more advances in the future of pediatric kidney transplantation.

Kidney retransplantation in children following rejection and recurrent disease

Retransplantation accounts for approximately 15 % of the annual transplants performed in the USA, and in the recent International Collaborative Transplant Study report on pediatric patients 15.2 % of the 9209 patients included in the report were retransplant recipients. Although the significant advances in clinical management and newer immunosuppressive agents have had a significant impact on improving short-term allograft function, it is apparent that long-term allograft function remains suboptimal. Therefore, it is likely that the majority of pediatric renal allograft recipients will require one or more retransplants during their lifetime. Unfortunately, a second or subsequent graft in pediatric recipients has inferior long-term graft survival rates compared to initial grafts, with decreasing rates with each subsequent graft. Multiple issues influence the outcome of retransplantation, with the most significant being the cause of the prior transplant failure. Non-adherence-associated graft loss poses unresolved ethical issues that may impact access to retransplantation. Graft nephrectomy prior to retransplantation may benefit selected patients, but the impact of an in situ failed graft on the development of panel-reactive antibodies remains to be definitively determined. It is important that these and other factors discussed in this review be taken into consideration during the counseling of families on the optimal approach for their child who requires a retransplant.

Sirolimus and tacrolimus coefficient of variation is associated with rejection, donor-specific antibodies, and nonadherence

BACKGROUND

Immunosuppression medication nonadherence has been associated with donor-specific antibodies and treatment-refractory rejection. Drug-level monitoring is a practical direct marker for nonadherence, as variations indicate erratic ingestion of medication. We previously reported that high variability in tacrolimus trough levels determined by the percent coefficient of variation (CV %) and standard deviation (SD) were associated with biopsy-proven rejection. We hypothesized that the CV % and SD in patients on a sirolimus/low-dose tacrolimus regimen may associate with self-reported medication nonadherence, rejection and donor-specific antibodies.

METHODS

In this pilot feasibility study, we studied 37 biopsies in 23 pediatric renal transplant patients on both sirolimus and tacrolimus immunosuppression; CV %, SD, de novo donor-specific antibodies, rejection, and self-reported adherence were examined.

RESULTS

A cut-off sirolimus CV % of 25 maximized the percentage of biopsies correctly classified as rejection (32 of 37, or 86 %, p = 0.001). A cut-off tacrolimus CV % of 31 maximized the percentage of correctly classified biopsies (25 of 37, or 68 %, p = 0.09). Among patients with both high sirolimus and tacrolimus CV %, 67 % developed de novo donor-specific antibodies (p = 0.002) with a DQ predominance and 71 % reported nonadherence (p = 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

In pediatric renal transplantation, sirolimus and tacrolimus CV % is a potential tool for monitoring patients at risk for allograft rejection and donor-specific antibodies secondary to medication nonadherence.

MAGIC Study: Aims, Design and Methods using SystemCHANGE™ to Improve Immunosuppressive Medication Adherence in Adult Kidney Transplant Recipients

BACKGROUND

Among adult kidney transplant recipients, non-adherence to immunosuppressive medications is the leading predictor of poor outcomes, including rejection, kidney loss, and death. An alarming one-third of kidney transplant patients experience medication non-adherence even though the problem is preventable. Existing adherence interventions have proven marginally effective for those with acute and chronic illnesses and ineffective for adult kidney transplant recipients. Our purpose is to describe the design and methods of the MAGIC (Medication Adherence Given Individual SystemCHANGE™) trial

METHODS/DESIGN

We report the design of a randomized controlled trial with an attention-control group to test an innovative 6-month SystemCHANGE™ intervention designed to enhance immunosuppressive medication adherence in adult non-adherent kidney transplant recipients from two transplant centers. Grounded in the Socio-Ecological Model, SystemCHANGE™ seeks to systematically improve medication adherence behaviors by identifying and shaping routines, involving supportive others in routines, and using medication taking feedback through small patient-led experiments to change and maintain behavior. After a 3-month screening phase of 190 eligible adult kidney transplant recipients, those who are <85 % adherent as measured by electronic monitoring, will be randomized into a 6-month SystemCHANGE™ intervention or attention-control phase, followed by a 6-month maintenance phase without intervention or attention. Differences in adherence between the two groups will be assessed at baseline, 6 months (intervention phase) and 12 months (maintenance phase). Adherence mediators (social support, systems-thinking) and moderators (ethnicity, perceived health) are examined. Patient outcomes (creatinine/blood urea nitrogen, infection, acute/chronic rejection, graft loss, death) and cost effectiveness are to be examined.

DISCUSSION

Based on the large effect size of 1.4 found in our pilot study, intervention shows great promise for increasing adherence. Grounded in the socio-ecological model, SystemCHANGE™ seeks to systematically improve medication adherence behaviors by identifying and shaping routines, involving supportive others in routines, and using medication taking feedback through small patient-lead experiments to change and maintain behavior. Medication adherence will be measured by electronic monitoring. Medication adherence persistence will be examined by evaluating differences between the two groups at the end of the 6-and 12- month phases. Mediators and moderators of medication adherence will be examined. Patient outcomes will be compared and a cost-effectiveness analysis will be conducted.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov Registry: NCT02416479 Registered April 3, 2015.

Use of belatacept to maintain adequate early immunosuppression in calcineurin-mediated microangiopathic hemolysis post-renal transplant

We report a 17-yr-old boy who developed a microangiopathic hemolytic anemia presumed secondary to tacrolimus shortly following a living-related donor renal transplant. This was initially managed by plasmapheresis. Reinstitution of calcineurin inhibition using cyclosporine led to recurrence of hemolysis, so an alternative agent was needed. He was commenced on monthly intravenous belatacept, with no further recurrence of the hemolysis, and subsequent stable graft function. Modulation via CTLA-4 offers an alternative immunosuppressive tactic if current regimens produce graft threatening adverse effects. The method of administration and frequency of dosage of belatacept also lends itself well to the high-risk period of adolescence and transition. We propose that belatacept may therefore also have utility in difficult cases complicated by poor concordance, common in the adolescent age group.

Graft failure due to noncompliance among 628 kidney transplant recipients with long-term follow-up: a single-center observational study

BACKGROUND

In adult kidney transplantation, there is no clear consensus on the incidence of graft failure-due-to noncompliance (GFNC), with some reporting it as relatively uncommon and others as a major cause of late graft failure. We suspected that GFNC was a major cause of late graft loss at our center but did not know the extent of this problem.

METHODS

In our prospectively followed cohort of 628 adult, primary kidney-alone transplant recipients with long-term follow-up, GFNC and other graft loss causes were determined from our ongoing clinical evaluations. Using competing risks methodology, we determined the overall percentage of patients developing GFNC and the significant prognostic factors for its hazard rate and cumulative incidence (via Cox regression).

RESULTS

Cumulative incidence estimates (± standard error) of GFNC (n=29), GF-with-compliance (n=46), receiving a never-functioning graft (n=7), and death-with-a-functioning-graft (n=53) at 101 months after transplant (last-observed-graft loss) were as follows: 9.8%± 2.4%, 10.9%± 1.7%, 1.1%± 0.4%, and 13.0%± 1.9%, respectively. Only three patients experienced GFNC during the first 24 months; GFNC represented 48.1% (26/54) of death-censored GFs beyond 24 months. Two baseline variables were jointly associated with a significantly higher GFNC hazard and cumulative incidence: younger recipient age (P<0.000001 each) and non-white recipient (P=0.004 and P=0.02). Estimated percentages of ever developing GFNC were 28.4%± 6.5% among 79 non-whites younger than 35 years versus 0.0% (0/144) among whites 50 years or older. Among 302 recipients younger than 50 years, 18.1%± 4.1% developed GFNC, representing 67.6% (25/37) of its death-censored graft failures observed beyond 24 months after transplant.

CONCLUSIONS

GFNC is a major cause of late GF at our center, with younger and non-white recipients at a significantly greater GFNC risk. Interventional approaches to eliminate GFNC could dramatically improve long-term kidney graft survival.

Transparent vessels?: What organ donors should be allowed to know about their recipients

A live organ donor needs to be informed carefully about the risks and benefits of her donation for both herself and her recipient, but a key ethical question is how much the donor is allowed to know about the recipient. To decide this question, we must first decide whether, out of respect for autonomy, the donor should decide how much she wants to know, or whether the transplant team, as the professionals, should decide what information is relevant to the donor's decision. I argue that the transplant team should control the process. While the donor has the right to know enough about her recipient to assess the risk to herself and the prospects for a successful donation, she is not entitled to any further information, no matter how much she wants it. In particular, I argue that donors are not entitled to information that has not been shown to affect outcomes, but that they should be told if a recipient is HIV or that he has rejected a previous organ due to non-compliance. Donors have a right to make decisions with all the information they need, but recipients need not make their lives completely transparent.

Should we retransplant a patient who is non-adherent? A literature review and critical reflection

The majority of transplant centers around the world face an ethical debate whether to retransplant a young non-adherent patient. Non-adherence to lifelong immunosuppressants presents a significant risk for graft loss, yet rates remain consistently high. Despite a number of these patients presenting for retransplantation, there is little evidence to guide professionals in their decision-making. This paper aims to provide such guidance, by systematically reviewing the existing outcome data for retransplantation in patients who are known to be non-adherent to their immunosuppressants. This review searched for original papers that addressed retransplantation of a solid organ and included quantitative data on adherence or graft function. Only one original research paper was found to meet the inclusion criteria. This paper is reviewed, and details of the protocol to determine eligibility for retransplantation are summarized. The findings are discussed within the ethical context that transplant professionals work within, and the arguments for and against retransplantation are considered. The need for effective integration of adherence management into routine practice is highlighted, with an emphasis on reliable measurement of adherence throughout the patient's life. Examples of good practice are discussed, favoring prevention over cure.

Optimizing medication adherence: an ongoing opportunity to improve outcomes after kidney transplantation

Nonadherence of transplant recipients to prescribed medical regimens has been identified as a major cause of allograft failure. Although recent studies offer new insight into the clinical phenotypes of nonadherence, advances in defining risk factors and appropriate interventions have been limited because of variable definitions, inadequate clinical metrics, and the challenges associated with healthcare delivery. Significant nonadherence is estimated to occur in 22% of renal allograft recipients and may be a component of allograft loss in approximately 36% of patients. It is associated with increased incidence of rejection (acute and chronic) and, consequently, shortened renal allograft survival, requiring reinstitution of costly chronic renal replacement therapy with an incumbent effect on morbidity and mortality. The economic effect of nonadherence approaches similar magnitude. Identification of risk factors, coupled with measures that effectively address them, can have a positive effect at many levels--medically, socially, and economically. Further advances are likely to be dependent on improving interactions between patients and caregivers, broadening immunosuppressant availability, and newer therapeutics that move toward simpler regimens.