Post-transplant survey to assess patient experiences with donor-derived HCV infection

To decline or not to decline: Consequences of decision-making regarding lung offers from donors with hepatitis C

OBJECTIVE

Lung transplants from donors with hepatitis C (HCV D+) have excellent outcomes, but these organs continue to be declined. We evaluated whether (1) being listed to consider and (2) accepting versus declining HCV D+ offers provided a survival benefit to lung transplant candidates.

METHODS

Using the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients, we identified all adult (≥18 years) lung transplant candidates 2016-2021 and compared waitlist mortality between those willing versus not willing to consider HCV D+ offers using competing risk regression. We identified all candidates offered an HCV D+ lung that was later accepted and followed them from offer decision until death or end-of-study. We estimated adjusted mortality risk of accepting versus declining an HCV D+ lung offer using propensity-weighted Cox regression.

RESULTS

From 2016 to 2021, we identified 21,007 lung transplant candidates, 33.8% of whom were willing to consider HCV D+ offers. Candidates willing to consider HCV D+ offers had a 17% lower risk of waitlist mortality (subhazard ratio, 0.83; 95% confidence interval, 0.75-0.91, P < .001). Over the same period, 665 HCV D+ lung offers were accepted after being declined a total of 2562 times. HCV D+ offer acceptance versus decline was associated with a 20% lower risk of mortality (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.80; 95% confidence interval, 0.66-0.96, P = .02).

CONCLUSIONS

Considering HCV D+ lung offers was associated with a 17% lower risk of waitlist mortality, whereas accepting versus declining an HCV D+ lung offer was associated with a 20% lower risk of mortality. Centers and candidates should consider accepting suitable HCV D+ lung offers to optimize outcomes.

Kidney Transplantation From Hepatitis-C Viraemic Donors:Considerations for Practice in the United Kingdom

Background: Donor hepatitis-C (HCV) infection has historically represented a barrier to kidney transplantation (KT). However, direct-acting antiviral (DAA) medications have revolutionised treatment of chronic HCV infection. Recent American studies have demonstrated that DAA regimes can be used safely peri-operatively in KT to mitigate HCV transmission risk. Methods: To formulate this narrative review, a comprehensive literature search was performed to analyse results of existing clinical trials examining KT from HCV-positive donors to HCV-negative recipients with peri-operative DAA regimes. Results: 13 studies were reviewed (11 single centre, four retrospective). Outcomes for 315 recipients were available across these studies. A sustained virological response at 12 weeks (SVR12) of 100% was achieved in 11 studies. One study employed an ultra-short DAA regime and achieved an SVR12 of 98%, while another achieved SVR12 of 96% due to treatment of a missed mixed genotype. Conclusion: HCV+ KT is safe and may allow increased utilisation of organs for transplantation from HCV+ donors, who often have other favourable characteristics for successful donation. Findings from US clinical trials can be applied to the United Kingdom transplant framework to improve organ utilisation as suggested by the NHSBT vision strategy "Organ Donation and Transplantation 2030: meeting the need".

Proposal and validation of a liver graft discard score for liver transplantation from deceased donors: a multicenter Italian study

Several studies have explored the risk of graft dysfunction after liver transplantation (LT) in recent years. Conversely, risk factors for graft discard before or at procurement have poorly been investigated. The study aimed at identifying a score to predict the risk of liver-related graft discard before transplantation. Secondary aims were to test the score for prediction of biopsy-related negative features and post-LT early graft loss. A total of 4207 donors evaluated during the period January 2004–Decemeber 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. The group was split into a training set (n = 3,156; 75.0%) and a validation set (n = 1,051; 25.0%). The Donor Rejected Organ Pre-transplantation (DROP) Score was proposed: − 2.68 + (2.14 if Regional Share) + (0.03*age) + (0.04*weight)-(0.03*height) + (0.29 if diabetes) + (1.65 if anti-HCV-positive) + (0.27 if HBV core) − (0.69 if hypotension) + (0.09*creatinine) + (0.38*log10AST) + (0.34*log10ALT) + (0.06*total bilirubin). At validation, the DROP Score showed the best AUCs for the prediction of liver-related graft discard (0.82; p < 0.001) and macrovesicular steatosis ≥ 30% (0.71; p < 0.001). Patients exceeding the DROP 90th centile had the worse post-LT results (3-month graft loss: 82.8%; log-rank P = 0.024).The DROP score represents a valuable tool to predict the risk of liver function-related graft discard, steatosis, and early post-LT graft survival rates. Studies focused on the validation of this score in other geographical settings are required.

Clinician and patient attitudes toward use of organs from hepatitis C viremic donors and their impact on acceptance: A contemporary review

BACKGROUND

The use of Hepatitis C (HCV) NAT positive allografts remains unusual and is clustered at few centers. We conducted a contemporary literature review to assess whether patient and clinician attitudes toward viremic organs impact acceptance.

METHODS

Databases including PubMed, MEDLINE, and SCOPUS databases were reviewed to identify studies focused on evaluating patient and provider perceptions of HCV NAT positive organ use within the DAA era (January 2015-April 2021). Search included MeSH terms related to Hepatitis C, transplantation, and patient and clinician attitudes. Two investigators extracted study characteristics including information on willingness to accept viremic organs, HCV-specific outcomes knowledge, HCV-specific concerns, and factors that contributed to acceptance or non-acceptance.

RESULTS

Eight studies met all inclusion criteria. These included three pretransplant patient-directed studies, two post-transplant patient-directed studies, one pre- and post-transplant patient-directed study, and two clinician-directed studies. Common themes identified were concerns regarding HCV cure rates, viremic organ quality, DAA cost, stigma, and the possibility of HCV transmission to household members. The perception of decreased waitlist time was associated with viremic organ acceptance. Physician trust played a mixed role in acceptance patterns.

CONCLUSIONS

Knowledge of high cure rates, shorter waitlist times, and higher organ quality appear to have the highest impact on organ acceptance.

Clinical and Financial Implications of 2 Treatment Strategies for Donor-derived Hepatitis C Infections

Transplanting hepatitis C viremic donor organs into hepatitis C virus (HCV)-negative recipients is becoming increasingly common; however, practices for posttransplant direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment vary widely. Protracted insurance authorization processes for DAA therapy often lead to treatment delays.

Patients' Experiences With HIV-positive to HIV-positive Organ Transplantation

Background.

HIV⁺ donor (HIV D⁺) to HIV⁺ recipient (HIV R⁺) transplantation involves ethical considerations related to safety, consent, stigma, and privacy, which could be better understood through studying patients’ actual experiences.

Methods.

We interviewed kidney and liver transplant recipients enrolled in clinical trials evaluating HIV D⁺/R⁺ transplantation at 4 centers regarding their decision-making process, the informed consent process, and posttransplant experiences. Participants were interviewed at-transplant (≤3 wk after transplant), posttransplant (≥3 mo after transplant), or both time points. Interviews were analyzed thematically using constant comparison of inductive and deductive coding.

Results.

We conducted 35 interviews with 22 recipients (15 at-transplant; 20 posttransplant; 13 both time points; 85% participation). Participants accepted HIV D⁺ organs because of perceived benefits and situational factors that increased their confidence in the trials and outweighed perceived clinical and social risks. Participants reported positive experiences with the consent process and the trial. Some described HIV-related stigma and emphasized the need for privacy; others believed HIV D⁺/R⁺ transplantation could help combat such stigma. There were some indications of possible therapeutic misestimation (overestimation of benefits or underestimation of risks of a study). Some participants believed that HIV⁺ transplant candidates were unable to receive HIV-noninfected donor organs.

Conclusions.

Despite overall positive experiences, some ethical concerns remain that should be mitigated going forward. For instance, based on our findings, targeted education for HIV⁺ transplant candidates regarding available treatment options and for transplant teams regarding privacy and stigma concerns would be beneficial.

Innovations in liver transplantation in 2020, position of the Belgian Liver Intestine Advisory Committee (BeLIAC)

Liver transplantation (LT) remains the only curative option for patients suffering from end-stage liver disease, acute liver failure and selected hepatocellular carcinomas and access to the LT-waiting list is limited to certain strict indications. However, LT has shown survival advantages for patients in certain indications such as acute alcoholic hepatitis, hepatocellular carcinoma outside Milan criteria and colorectal cancer metastases. These newer indications increase the pressure in an already difficult context of organ shortage. Strategies to increase the transplantable organ pool are therefore needed. We will discuss here the use of HCV positive grafts as the use of normothermic isolated liver perfusion. Belgian Liver Intestine Advisory Committee (BeLIAC) from the Belgian Transplant Society (BTS) aims to guarantee the balance between the new indications and the available resources.

Pan-Genotype Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Allows Transplantation of HCV-Positive Donor Kidneys to Negative Transplant Recipients

Transplant candidates are facing incremental mortality risks on the waiting list. Here, we report a novel strategy to expand the donor pool by including hepatitis C seropositive (HCV+) donors. We investigated a pre-exposure prophylactic (PrEP) treatment with direct-acting antivirals (DAA) to allow transplantation for HCV seronegative (HCV-) kidney transplant recipients (KTR) with the aim to prevent HCV infection post transplantation. In this prospective trial, a pan-genotypic PrEP with daclatasvir and sofosbuvir once daily for 12 week was administered at transplantation. The primary endpoint sustained virological negativity (SVN) 12 weeks after the end of PrEP. Seven patients received a transplantation from four HCV+ donors. Accumulated waiting time was 70 ± 31.3 months already. Of note, study subjects underwent transplantation 24.7 ± 16.1 days after given consent. All KTR developed excellent graft function without any rejection episodes. One patient died with a functioning graft due to sepsis 13 months after transplantation. PrEP demonstrated efficacy with no signs of HCV transmission with excellent tolerability. Two out of four HCV+ donors were viremic at the time of explantation. Interestingly, KTR developed HCV antibodies also from non viramic donors. The acceptance of HCV+ donor was safe and reduced waiting time under the protection of PrEP DAA in kidney transplantation.