Outcomes of Deceased Donor Kidney Transplantation in the Eurotransplant Senior Program with A Focus on Recipients ≥75 Years

To evaluate the outcomes of kidney transplantations (KTs) in the Eurotransplant Senior Program (ESP) with a focus on the very old, defined as recipients ≥75 years. This retrospective clinical study included 85 patients, who under the ESP protocol underwent deceased donor kidney transplantation from January 2010 to July 2018 at the Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin in Germany. Recipients were divided in three age groups, i.e., Group 65–69, Group 70–74, Group ≥75, and compared. Prognostic risk factors for short and long-term outcomes of kidney transplantations were investigated. Graft survival at 1 and 5 years were respectively 90.7% and 68.0% for group 65–69, 88.9% and 76.2% for Group 70–74, and 100% and 71.4% for Group ≥75. Patient survival at 1 and 5 years were respectively 92.9% and 68.0% for Group 65–69, 85.7% and 61.5% for Group 70–74 and 100% and 62.5% for Group ≥75. Serum creatinine did not significantly differ between the three groups, with the exception of serum creatinine at 1 year. Increased recipient age and prolonged time on dialysis correlated with increased occurrence of postoperative complication. An increase in BMI, pretransplant diabetes mellitus and prolonged time on dialysis correlated with the occurrence of delayed graft function (DGF). History of smoking was identified as an independent risk factor for events of rejection. Increased human leukocyte antigen mismatches (HLA-MM) and prolonged cold ischemia time (CIT) correlated with higher rates of intensive care unit (ICU) treatment. This study supports kidney transplantations for the very old. End-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients ≥75 years of age who underwent kidney transplantation experienced comparable results to their younger counterparts. A comprehensive evaluation of ESRD patients with consideration of prognostic risk factor is the most suitable mean of identifying adequate kidney transplant candidates.

Donor-Derived Human Parvovirus B19 Infection in Kidney Transplantation

BackgroundDonor-derived human parvovirus B19 (B19V) infections are rarely reported. Thus, its incidence in kidney transplantation is still unknown due to lack of surveillance studies. Similarly, whether the donor needs to be routinely screened for B19V and whether the kidneys from those with B19V DNAemia could be accepted also remain unknown.MethodsThis retrospective study aims to evaluate the donor-derived B19V infections occurring in 823 living and 1,225 deceased donor kidney transplantations from January 2016 to December 2020. The serum viral load of living donors and their corresponding recipients was evaluated before and after transplantation. Meanwhile, for the deceased donor kidney transplantation, the serum viral load of recipients was only tested after transplantation; if recipients of a deceased donor subsequently developed B19V infection, the serum viral load of recipients and their corresponding donors before transplantation would then be further traced.ResultsA total of 15 living donors were B19V DNAemia positive before the donation, of which B19V DNAemia occurred in three corresponding recipients. In deceased donor kidney transplantation, DNAemia occurred simultaneously in 18 recipients and their corresponding nine donors. A progressive decline in hemoglobin and reticulocyte count could be observed in one living donor recipient and other 11 deceased donor recipients, which were all well controlled by treatment eventually.ConclusionThe incidence of donor-derived B19V infection was 0.4% and 1.5% in living and deceased kidney transplantations, respectively. B19V was seemingly unnecessary to be routinely screened for the donor. Moreover, kidneys of the donors with B19V infection were acceptable.

The impact of early acute rejection on kidney graft survival after repeat kidney transplantation

Introduction. Despite the improvements in immunosuppressive therapy, the growing number of repeat kidney transplantations and associated risks of acute rejection make it relevant to assess the impact of early acute rejection on a long-term kidney graft survival.Objective. The aim of the study was to evaluate the rate, the clinical aspects of early acute rejection after repeat kidney transplantation and the outcomes of its treatment, to perform the assessment of the impact of rejection episodes on a long-term kidney graft survival.Material and methods. We carried out the retrospective analysis of kidney graft survival after 121 repeat kidney transplantations performed in N.V. Sklifosovsky Research Institute for Emergency Medicine in the period from 2007 to 2018. Group I included 96 recipients after kidney transplantation without acute rejection in postoperative period. Group II consisted of 25 patients with early acute rejection after kidney transplantation. We performed the assessment of the impact of early acute rejection on the kidney graft survival in comparison with recipients with uncomplicated postoperative period. Statistical processing was carried out by nonparametric methods. Survival was assessed using the Kaplan–Meier curves.Results. 1-year and 3-year kidney graft survival rates amounted to 90.3% (95%, confidence interval 85–95) and 85.4% (95%, CI 79–91), respectively, in recipients of Group I; and 72% (95%, CI 58–86) and 60% (95%, CI 46–76) in patients of Group II. Significant differences in 1-year and 3-year kidney graft survival between patients of Group I and II have been noticed (P=0.0022 and P=0.0065, respectively).Conclusions. Patients with early acute rejection after kidney transplantation had poorer kidney graft survival in comparison with patients without rejection episodes in postoperative period.

Does the Side Matter? A Retrospective Cohort Study Comparing Left and Right Pure Laparoscopic Donor Nephrectomies

<b><i>Objectives:</i></b> Right laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (RLDN) is no longer regarded inferior to left LDN (LLDN). However, this knowledge is based on many studies suffering from inherent learning curves, center-specific imbalances, and different laparoscopic techniques. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Pure LDNs at a high-volume referral center from 2011 to 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. Patient, graft characteristics, outcomes of LDNs, and corresponding open kidney transplantations were compared between LLDN and RLDN including a follow-up. <b><i>Results:</i></b> 160 (78.4%) LLDNs and 44 (21.6%) RLDNs only differed regarding graft characteristics, as more right grafts had multiple veins (34.1 vs. 6.9%, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001) and worse scintigraphic function (44 vs. 51%, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001). RLDNs were shorter (201 vs. 220 min, <i>p</i> = 0.032) with longer warm ischemia time (165 vs. 140 s, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001), but left grafts were transplanted faster (160 vs. 171 min, <i>p</i> = 0.048). Recipients of right kidneys had more postoperative complications (grade 3: 25.6 vs. 11.3%, <i>p</i> = 0.020). At a follow-up of 45 (range 6–79) months, neither the kidney function, nor death-censored graft (5-year: LLDN 89 vs. 92%, <i>p</i> = 0.969) and patient survival (5-year: LLDN 95 vs. 98%, <i>p</i> = 0.747) differed. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> Pure LLDN and RLDN can have different outcomes at high-volume centers, especially higher complications for recipients of right grafts. However, long-term function and graft survival are the same irrespective of the chosen side.