Effect of Delayed Graft Function in Hypersensitized Kidney Transplant Recipients

Outcomes of first versus third kidney transplantations: propensity score matching and paired subgroup analysis-a single-centre experience

Background

In the Eurotransplant, 12.6% of kidney transplantations are a repeat procedure. Third transplants are significantly more complex than first and second ones. We compared the results of first (PRT) versus third (TRT) transplantations.

Methods

Between 2011 and 2016, we performed 779 deceased donor adult kidney transplantations, 14.2% out of them were second, 2.6% (20) third, and 0.3% fourth. We compared the pre-, intra-, and postoperative data, kidney function, and survival rate.

Results

Recipients of TRT were younger (53.4 vs. 47.3 p = 0.02). HCV infection rate (20%, p = 0.00) is ten times higher. The operation time is longer (132 vs. 152 min, p = 0.02), and delayed graft function is much more frequent (22.4% vs. 60%, p = 0.00). Induction therapy was given to every TRT (7.9% vs.100%), but as a result, the rejection rate was the same (~ 15%). Hospital stay is a week longer. Patient’s survival at 1, 3, and 5 years for PRT is 96.4%, 93.9%, and 91.2% and for TRT is 90%, 85%, and 78.4%, respectively (p = 0.023). TRT’s odds ratio of fatal outcome is 4.35 (1.5–12.5). Graft survival at 1, 3, and 5 years for PRT is 93.1%, 91.4%, and 90.3% and for TRT is 75%, 75%, and 75%, respectively (p = 0.020). TRT’s odds ratio of graft loss is 3.14 (1.1–8.9). Of PRT 85.76%, out of PRT 85.76%, while out of TRT 60% live with a functioning graft, p=0.00149.

Conclusion

In a third transplant, both graft and patient survival are significantly inferior to primer ones. Careful selection is required to minimize the patient risk and graft loss.

Transplanting Sensitized Kidney Transplant Patients With Equivalent Outcomes Utilizing Stringent HLA Crossmatching

OBJECIVES

Elevated panel reactive antibody levels have been traditionally associated with increased acute rejection rate and decreased long-term graft survival after kidney transplant. In this study, our objective was to determine patient and allograft outcomes in sensitized kidney transplant recipients with advanced HLA antibody detection and stringent protein sequence epitope analyses.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a subanalysis of a prospective, risk-stratified randomized controlled trial that compared interleukin 2 receptor antagonist to rabbit antithymocyte globulin induction in 200 kidney transplant recipients, examining outcomes based on panel reactive antibody levels of < 20% (low) versus ≥ 20% (high, sensitized). The study was conducted between February 2009 and July 2011. All patients underwent solid-phase single antigen bead assays to detect HLA antibodies and stringent HLA epitope analyses with protein sequence alignment for virtual crossmatching. Delayed graft function, acute rejection rates, and graft loss were the main outcomes measured.

RESULTS

Both the low (134 patients) and high (66 patients) panel reactive antibody level cohorts had equivalent induction and maintenance immunosuppression. Patients in the high-level group were more likely to be female (P < .001), African American (P < .001), and received a kidney from a deceased donor (P = .004). Acute rejection rates were similar between the low (rate of 8%) and high (rate of 9%) panel reactive antibody groups (P = .783). Delayed graft function, borderline rejection, graft loss, and death were not different between groups. Multivariate analyses demonstrated delayed graft function to be the strongest predictor of acute rejection (odds ratio, 5.7; P = .005); panel reactive antibody level, as a continuous variable, had no significant correlation with acute rejection (C statistic, 0.48; P = .771).

CONCLUSIONS

Appropriate biologic matching with single antigen bead assays and stringent epitope analyses provided excellent outcomes in sensitized patients regardless of the induction therapy choice.

Proinflammatory events are associated with significant increases in breadth and strength of HLA-specific antibody

Identification of factors responsible for an increase in the breadth or strength of HLA-specific antibody (HSA) is critical to the continued successful management and transplantation of sensitized patients. A retrospective review of our HLA registry identified 107 patients with known HSA and sufficient information in their electronic patient record to determine the presence or absence of a proinflammatory event. The patients were stratified according to transplant status [sensitized and on the transplant waitlist (n = 65); immunosuppressed recipients of a positive crossmatch (+XM) transplant (n = 42)]. Eighty-three percent of waitlist candidates and 55% of sensitized kidney transplant recipients with a documented proinflammatory event had an associated increase in HSA. Interestingly, among patients with a culture-proven infection, 97% of the waitlist patients and 54.8% of +XM recipients had an associated rise in HSA. Overall, proinflammatory events were associated with a greater increase among waitlist patients than +XM recipients, 5.3-fold [IRR 5.25, (95% CI 4.03-6.85), p < 0.001] versus 2.5-fold [IRR 2.54, (95% CI 1.64-3.95), p < 0.001] increase in HSA. Therefore, sensitized patients known to have an infection or undergoing surgery should be monitored for expansion of HSA.