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Katz-Greenberg G, Samoylova ML, Shaw BI, Peskoe S, Mohottige D, Boulware LE, Wang V, McElroy LM. Association of the Affordable Care Act on Access to and Outcomes After Kidney or Liver Transplant: A Transplant Registry Study. Transplant Proc 2023; 55:56-65. [PMID: 36623960 PMCID: PMC11025621 DOI: 10.1016/j.transproceed.2022.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND To evaluate the effect of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Medicaid expansion on payor mix among patients on the kidney and liver transplant waiting list as well as waiting list and post-transplant outcomes. DESIGN Using the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients, we performed a secondary data analysis of all patients on the kidney and liver transplant waiting list from 2007 to 2018. We described changes in payor mix by timing of state Medicaid expansion. We used competing risks models to estimate cause-specific hazard ratios for the effects of insurance and era on death/delisting and transplant. We used a Poisson regression model to estimate the effect of insurance and era on incidence rate ratio of inactivations on the waiting list. We used Cox proportional hazards models to estimate the effect of insurance and era on graft and patient survival. RESULTS A decade after implementation of the ACA, the prevalence of Medicaid beneficiaries listed for transplant increased by 2.5% (from 7.4% to 9.9%) for kidney and by 2.6% (15.3% to 17.9%) for liver. Expansion states had greater increases than nonexpansion states (kidney 3.8% vs 0.6%, liver 5.3% vs -1.8%). Among wait-listed patients, the magnitude of association of Medicaid insurance vs private insurance with transplant decreased over time for kidney candidates (era 1 subdistribution hazard ratio (SHR), 0.62 [95% CI, 0.60-0.64] vs era 3 SHR, 0.77 [95% CI, 0.74-0.70]) but increased for liver candidates (era 1 SHR, 0.85 [95% CI, 0.83-0.90] vs era 3 SHR 0.79 [95% CI, 0.77-0.82]). Medicaid-insured kidney and liver recipients had greater hazards of graft failure; this did not change over time (kidney: HR, 1.23 [95% CI, 1.06-1.44] liver: HR, 1.05 [95% CI, 0.94-1.17]). CONCLUSIONS For the millions of patients with chronic kidney and liver diseases, implementation of the ACA has resulted in only modest increases in access to transplant for the publicly insured vs the privately insured.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Brian I Shaw
- Department of Surgery, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Sarah Peskoe
- Department of Biostatistics, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | | | - L Ebony Boulware
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina; Department of Population Health Sciences, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Virginia Wang
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina; Department of Population Health Sciences, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina; Center of Innovation for Health Services Research and Development, Durham Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Lisa M McElroy
- Department of Surgery, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina; Department of Population Health Sciences, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
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2
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Tennankore KK, Gunaratnam L, Suri RS, Yohanna S, Walsh M, Tangri N, Prasad B, Gogan N, Rockwood K, Doucette S, Sills L, Kiberd B, Keough-Ryan T, West K, Vinson A. Frailty and the Kidney Transplant Wait List: Protocol for a Multicenter Prospective Study. Can J Kidney Health Dis 2020; 7:2054358120957430. [PMID: 32963793 PMCID: PMC7488612 DOI: 10.1177/2054358120957430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Understanding how frailty affects patients listed for transplantation has
been identified as a priority research need. Frailty may be associated with
a high risk of death or wait-list withdrawal, but this has not been
evaluated in a large multicenter cohort of Canadian wait-listed
patients. Objective: The primary objective is to evaluate whether frailty is associated with death
or permanent withdrawal from the transplant wait list. Secondary objectives
include assessing whether frailty is associated with hospitalization,
quality of life, and the probability of being accepted to the wait list. Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: Seven sites with established renal transplant programs that evaluate patients
for the kidney transplant wait list. Patients: Individuals who are being considered for the kidney transplant wait list. Measurements: We will assess frailty using the Fried Phenotype, a frailty index, the Short
Physical Performance Battery, and the Clinical Frailty Scale at the time of
listing for transplantation. We will also assess frailty at the time of
referral to the wait list and annually after listing in a subgroup of
patients. Methods: The primary outcome of the composite of time to death or permanent wait-list
withdrawal will be compared between patients who are frail and those who are
not frail and will account for the competing risks of deceased and live
donor transplantation. Secondary outcomes will include number of
hospitalizations and length of stay, and in a subset, changes in frailty
severity over time, change in quality of life, and the probability of being
listed. Recruitment of 1165 patients will provide >80% power to identify
a relative hazard of ≥1.7 comparing patients who are frail to those who are
not frail for the primary outcome (2-sided α = .05), whereas a more
conservative recruitment target of 624 patients will provide >80% power
to identify a relative hazard of ≥2.0. Results: Through December 2019, 665 assessments of frailty (inclusive of those for the
primary outcome and all secondary outcomes including repeated measures) have
been completed. Limitations: There may be variation across sites in the processes of referral and listing
for transplantation that will require consideration in the analysis and
results. Conclusions: This study will provide a detailed understanding of the association between
frailty and outcomes for wait-listed patients. Understanding this
association is necessary before routinely measuring frailty as part of the
wait-list eligibility assessment and prior to ascertaining the need for
interventions that may modify frailty. Trial Registration: Not applicable as this is a protocol for a prospective observational
study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karthik K Tennankore
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Dalhousie University & Nova Scotia Health Authority, Halifax, Canada
| | - Lakshman Gunaratnam
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Rita S Suri
- Division of Nephrology and Research Institute, Department of Medicine, McGill University/Centre de Recherche de l'Université de Montréal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Michael Walsh
- Departments of Medicine and Health Research Methods, Evidence & Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.,Population Health Research Institute, Hamilton Health Sciences/McMaster University, ON, Canada.,St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Navdeep Tangri
- Department of Medicine and Department of Community Health Sciences, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
| | | | - Nessa Gogan
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Horizon Health Network, Dalhousie University, Saint John, NB, Canada
| | - Kenneth Rockwood
- Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, School of Health Administration, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Steve Doucette
- Research Methods Unit, Nova Scotia Health Authority, Halifax, Canada
| | - Laura Sills
- Multi-Organ Transplant Program, Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | | | - Tammy Keough-Ryan
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Dalhousie University & Nova Scotia Health Authority, Halifax, Canada
| | - Kenneth West
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Dalhousie University & Nova Scotia Health Authority, Halifax, Canada
| | - Amanda Vinson
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Dalhousie University & Nova Scotia Health Authority, Halifax, Canada
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3
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Kataria A, Gowda M, Lamphron BP, Jalal K, Venuto RC, Gundroo AA. The impact of systematic review of status 7 patients on the kidney transplant waitlist. BMC Nephrol 2019; 20:174. [PMID: 31096935 PMCID: PMC6524301 DOI: 10.1186/s12882-019-1362-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2019] [Accepted: 04/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Increased morbidity and mortality are well documented in Status 7(inactive list) patients. Delays in transplantation secondary to prolonged periods on inactive status also negatively impacts transplant outcomes. We developed an effective system to reduce the proportion of status 7 patients on our kidney transplant waitlist. This can easily be reproduced by other transplant centers since concerns about Status 7 list size are commonplace. Methods Meetings of a dedicated status 7 focus group were undertaken biweekly beginning in April 2016, each lasting for 1 hour or less. The group was led by a transplant physician and comprised of members from all disciplines of the kidney transplant department. Individual patient barriers to activation were systematically evaluated and action plans were developed to overcome those. The formal meetings were supplemented by updates to an electronic database accessible to all members of the team. Results In the first 2 years of the program, we were able to activate and eventually transplant 18% of the formerly inactive patients. Forty percent of all inactive patients were removed from the waitlist due to one or more unsurmountable barriers. The median time patients stayed inactive on the waitlist was shortened from 1344 days at the start of this initiative to 581 days at the end. Conclusion This strategy of systematic reevaluation of status 7 patients resulted in successful disposition of a substantial number of inactive patients. Further, waitlist time was reduced and transplantation expedited for the appropriate individuals. This approach could easily be adapted by other transplant centers with minimum utilization of resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashish Kataria
- Division of Nephrology, University at Buffalo, Erie County Medical Center, 462 Grider Street, Buffalo, NY, 14215, USA.
| | - Madan Gowda
- Division of Nephrology, University at Buffalo, Erie County Medical Center, 462 Grider Street, Buffalo, NY, 14215, USA
| | - Brian Paul Lamphron
- Quality and Patient Safety Department, Erie County Medical Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Kabir Jalal
- Population Health Observatory, Department of Biostatistics, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, USA
| | - Rocco C Venuto
- Division of Nephrology, University at Buffalo, Erie County Medical Center, 462 Grider Street, Buffalo, NY, 14215, USA
| | - Aijaz A Gundroo
- Division of Nephrology, University at Buffalo, Erie County Medical Center, 462 Grider Street, Buffalo, NY, 14215, USA
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4
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Wallace ZS, Wallwork R, Zhang Y, Lu N, Cortazar F, Niles JL, Heher E, Stone JH, Choi HK. Improved survival with renal transplantation for end-stage renal disease due to granulomatosis with polyangiitis: data from the United States Renal Data System. Ann Rheum Dis 2018; 77:1333-1338. [PMID: 29760156 DOI: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2018-213452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2018] [Revised: 04/20/2018] [Accepted: 04/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Renal transplantation is the optimal treatment for selected patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). However, the survival benefit of renal transplantation among patients with ESRD attributed to granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) is unknown. METHODS We identified patients from the United States Renal Data System with ESRD due to GPA (ESRD-GPA) between 1995 and 2014. We restricted our analysis to waitlisted subjects to evaluate the impact of transplantation on mortality. We followed patients until death or the end of follow-up. We compared the relative risk (RR) of all-cause and cause-specific mortality in patients who received a transplant versus non-transplanted patients using a pooled logistic regression model with transplantation as a time-varying exposure. RESULTS During the study period, 1525 patients were waitlisted and 946 received a renal transplant. Receiving a renal transplant was associated with a 70% reduction in the risk of all-cause mortality in multivariable-adjusted analyses (RR=0.30, 95% CI 0.25 to 0.37), largely attributed to a 90% reduction in the risk of death due to cardiovascular disease (CVD) (RR=0.10, 95% 0.06-0.16). DISCUSSION Renal transplantation is associated with a significant decrease in all-cause mortality among patients with ESRD attributed to GPA, largely due to a decrease in the risk of death to CVD. Prompt referral for transplantation is critical to optimise outcomes for this patient population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary S Wallace
- Rheumatology Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Vasculitis and Glomerulonephritis Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Rachel Wallwork
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Yuqing Zhang
- Rheumatology Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Na Lu
- Rheumatology Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Frank Cortazar
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Vasculitis and Glomerulonephritis Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Renal Division, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - John L Niles
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Vasculitis and Glomerulonephritis Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Renal Division, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Eliot Heher
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Transplant Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - John H Stone
- Rheumatology Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Vasculitis and Glomerulonephritis Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Hyon K Choi
- Rheumatology Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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5
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Reese PP, Harhay MN, Abt PL, Levine MH, Halpern SD. New Solutions to Reduce Discard of Kidneys Donated for Transplantation. J Am Soc Nephrol 2015; 27:973-80. [PMID: 26369343 DOI: 10.1681/asn.2015010023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Kidney transplantation is a cost-saving treatment that extends the lives of patients with ESRD. Unfortunately, the kidney transplant waiting list has ballooned to over 100,000 Americans. Across large areas of the United States, many kidney transplant candidates spend over 5 years waiting and often die before undergoing transplantation. However, more than 2500 kidneys (>17% of the total recovered from deceased donors) were discarded in 2013, despite evidence that many of these kidneys would provide a survival benefit to wait-listed patients. Transplant leaders have focused attention on transplant center report cards as a likely cause for this discard problem, although that focus is too narrow. In this review, we examine the risks associated with accepting various categories of donated kidneys, including discarded kidneys, compared with the risk of remaining on dialysis. With the goal of improving access to kidney transplant, we describe feasible proposals to increase acceptance of currently discarded organs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter P Reese
- Renal-Electrolyte and Hypertension Division, Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology and Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and
| | - Meera N Harhay
- Renal Division, Department of Medicine, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | | | | | - Scott D Halpern
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology and Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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6
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Current world literature. Curr Opin Organ Transplant 2013; 18:241-50. [PMID: 23486386 DOI: 10.1097/mot.0b013e32835f5709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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7
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Yuan CM, Bohen EM, Abbott KC. Initiating and Completing the Kidney Transplant Evaluation Process: The Red Queen’s Race. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol 2012; 7:1551-2. [DOI: 10.2215/cjn.08680812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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