Kidney donors live longer

New-onset Kidney Biopsy-proven Membranous Nephropathy Induced End-stage Kidney Disease in a Living Donor

Thirteen years after kidney donation, a 70-year-old man was referred to a nephrologist because of proteinuria. The serum creatinine, albumin, and urinary protein levels were 2.39 mg/dL, 3.0 g/dL, and 6.72 g/gCr, respectively. A kidney biopsy revealed thickening of the glomerular basement membrane with sub-epithelial deposits, suggesting membranous nephropathy. Considering the apparent interstitial fibrosis and diffuse glomerulosclerosis, supportive treatment was chosen. However, 11 months after the kidney biopsy, hemodialysis was required. The present case constitutes an important teaching point, as glomerular disease can occur in living donors and require careful and long-term medical checkup examinations.

First experiences with machine learning predictions of accelerated declining eGFR slope of living kidney donors 3 years after donation

BACKGROUND

Living kidney donors are screened pre-donation to estimate the risk of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). We evaluate Machine Learning (ML) to predict the progression of kidney function deterioration over time using the estimated GFR (eGFR) slope as the target variable.

METHODS

We included 238 living kidney donors who underwent donor nephrectomy. We divided the dataset based on the eGFR slope in the third follow-up year, resulting in 185 donors with an average eGFR slope and 53 donors with an accelerated declining eGFR-slope. We trained three Machine Learning-models (Random Forest [RF], Extreme Gradient Boosting [XG], Support Vector Machine [SVM]) and Logistic Regression (LR) for predictions. Predefined data subsets served for training to explore whether parameters of an ESKD risk score alone suffice or additional clinical and time-zero biopsy parameters enhance predictions. Machine learning-driven feature selection identified the best predictive parameters.

RESULTS

None of the four models classified the eGFR slope with an AUC greater than 0.6 or an F1 score surpassing 0.41 despite training on different data subsets. Following machine learning-driven feature selection and subsequent retraining on these selected features, random forest and extreme gradient boosting outperformed other models, achieving an AUC of 0.66 and an F1 score of 0.44. After feature selection, two predictive donor attributes consistently appeared in all models: smoking-related features and glomerulitis of the Banff Lesion Score.

CONCLUSIONS

Training machine learning-models with distinct predefined data subsets yielded unsatisfactory results. However, the efficacy of random forest and extreme gradient boosting improved when trained exclusively with machine learning-driven selected features, suggesting that the quality, rather than the quantity, of features is crucial for machine learning-model performance. This study offers insights into the application of emerging machine learning-techniques for the screening of living kidney donors.

Robotic assisted living donor nephrectomy - the first in the Czech Republic

INTRODUCTION

A kidney transplant is the best method for treating terminal kidney failure. Long-term results of kidney transplants from living donors are significantly better than transplants from dead donors. Living kidney donors are healthy people who undergo a major operation in order to improve the health of another person. Therefore, major emphasis is on safety, low level of invasiveness and a desirable cosmetic effect of the donor nephrectomy. Since 2012, the Department of Urology at the University Hospital in Olomouc has performed 12 kidney harvestings from living donors. The kidney harvesting was conducted using various techniques.

CASE REPORT

The first robotic assisted kidney harvesting in the Czech Republic was performed in June 2022. The donor was a 57-year-old man who donated his kidney to his 32-year-old daughter. The left kidney was evaluated as suitable for kidney harvesting. The operation took 174 min. The kidney's warm ischemia was 145 s. Based on the Clavien Dindo classification, no 2nd degree or high post-operative complications were recorded. The donor's pre-operative glomerular filtration was 1.63 mL/s. Six months post-operation, it went down to 1.19 mL/s. This represents a 27% decrease. The kidney recipient did not require early dialysis. Six months post-operation, the recipient's glomerular filtration was 2.03 mL/s.

CONCLUSION

In the hands of experienced professionals and transplantation centres, robotic assisted donor nephrectomy is a feasible and safe option for this operation. It not only provides all the advantages of a laparoscopic operation but it also adds other technical improvements and minimizes intraoperative stress on the surgeon. Currently, the global trend is moving towards increasing the ratio of robotic assisted donor nephrectomies.

Longitudinal mortality risks and kidney functional outcomes in Japanese living kidney donors

OBJECTIVES

Previous studies suggested that living kidney donors do not have a higher risk of death or kidney failure than the general population. However, living kidney donor risk is controversial. Furthermore, only a few studies have evaluated long-term kidney function after kidney donation.

METHODS

This study evaluated Japanese kidney donor' long-term outcomes, including mortality and kidney function. From 1965 to 2015, 230 donors (76 males, 154 females, and a median age of 54) were enrolled in this study. The median observation period was 11.0 (range, 0.3-41.0) years.

RESULTS

In total, 215 donors were still alive, and 15 had died. Causes of death included malignancies, cardiovascular disease, pneumonia, suicide, gastrointestinal bleeding, and kidney failure. Actual donor survival rates at 10, 20, and 30 years were 95.3%, 90.7%, and 80.9%, respectively. These values were comparable to age- and gender-matched expected survival. Long-term kidney function after donation was evaluated in 211 donors with serum creatinine data. Two donors developed kidney failure 24 and 26 years post-donation, respectively. The percentage of donors whose estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) remained ≥45 mL/min/1.73 m2 at 10, 20, and 30 years after donation were 84.2%, 73.0%, and 63.9%, respectively. Survival rates of donors with eGFR <45 mL/min/1.73 m2 were comparable to those in persons with eGFR >45 mL/min/1.73 m2.

CONCLUSION

Our findings revealed that kidney donors did not have a higher long-term risk of death than the general population. Although some donors showed decreased kidney function after donation, kidney function did not impact their survival.

Myosteatosis is associated with poor survival after kidney transplantation: a large retrospective cohort validation

PURPOSE

We aim to establish diagnostic thresholds of sarcopenia and myosteatosis based on CT measurements, and to validate their prognostic value in a large cohort of kidney transplant recipients.

METHODS

Local healthy population with abdominal CT between 2010 and 2022, and patients underwent kidney transplantation between 2015 and 2019 at our center were retrospectively included. The skeletal muscle index and muscle attenuation of abdominal muscles were calculated based on CT image at the middle of the third lumbar vertebra. Primary endpoints included all-cause mortality and death censored allograft survival.

RESULTS

Age- and sex-specific thresholds for sarcopenia and myosteatosis were established based on 1598 healthy local population. The final patient cohort consisted of 992 kidney transplant recipients (median age 34 years, interquartile range 28-44 years; 694 males), including 33 (3.3%) with sarcopenia and 95 (9.5%) with myosteatosis. Multivariate analysis revealed myosteatosis (adjusted hazard ratio = 3.08, p = 0.022) was an independent baseline risk factor of mortality after adjusting for age, the history of cancer, and the history of cardiovascular event. Multivariate analysis found preemptive transplantation (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.36, p = 0.037) was an independent protective factor of allograft loss. No difference was found in the prognosis between kidney transplant recipients with and without sarcopenia.

CONCLUSION

Myosteatosis was an independent risk factor of mortality after kidney transplantation, but sarcopenia was not. Neither sarcopenia nor myosteatosis was associated with graft loss.

Safety and safety protocols for living donor nephrectomy in Italy

Living donor kidney transplantation (LDKTx) is recommended by all scientific societies. Living donor nephrectomy (LDN) is probably one of the safest surgical procedures, but it carries some risk for healthy donors. The aim of this study is to provide a snapshot of LDKTx activities in Italy and ask about safety measures implemented in LDN. Data on LDKTx were extracted from the national database. Safety measures were examined through a specific survey. Between 2001 and 2022 40,663 kidney transplants (31.4 per million population-pmp) were performed, including 4731 LDKTx (3.7 pmp). There was no postoperative death of the donor. After a median follow-up of 52.2 months [IQR:17.9-99.5], the 10-year donor survival rate was 93.38% (CI:97.52-98.94). There was evidence of renal disease in 65 donors (1.8%), including 42 (1.1%) with stage III end-stage renal disease. Twenty-nine out of 35 transplant centers (TC) involved in LDKTx responded to the survey (82.9%). Six TCs (21.4%) had a total experience of 20 or fewer LDN. Minimally invasive LDN was the first choice at 24 TC (82.8%). At 10 TC (37.0%) only one surgeon performed LDN. Nineteen TCs (65.5%) had a surgical safety checklist for LDN and 14 had a postoperative surveillance protocol. The renal artery was occluded in 3 TCs (10.3%) mainly by non-transfixion methods (including clips). Redundancy of key safety systems in the operating room was available in 22 of 29 centers (75.8%). In summary, LDKTx should be further implemented in Italy. Donor safety should be improved through the implementation of a national procedural protocol.

How the websites of high-volume US centers address the risks of living kidney donation

BACKGROUND

The websites of US transplant centers may be a source of information about the renal risks of potential living kidney donors.

METHODS

To include only likely best practices, we surveyed websites of centers that performed at least 50 living donor kidney transplants per year. We tabulated how risks were conveyed regarding loss of eGFR at donation, the adequacy of long-term ESRD risk data, long-term donor mortality, minority donor ESRD risk, concerns about hyperfiltration injury versus the risk of end-stage kidney diseases, comparisons of ESRD risks in donors to population risks, the increased risks of younger donors, an effect of the donation itself to increase risk, quantifying risks over specific intervals, and a lengthening list of small post-donation medical risks and metabolic changes of uncertain significance.

RESULTS

While websites had no formal obligation to address donor risks, many offered abundant information. Some conveyed OPTN-mandated requirements for counseling individual donor candidates. While actual wording often varied, there was general agreement on many issues. We occasionally noted clear-cut differences among websites in risk characterization and other outliers.

CONCLUSIONS

The websites of the most active US centers offer insights into how transplant professionals view living kidney donor risk. Website content may merit further study.

Long-term end-stage renal disease risks after living kidney donation: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Recent studies have shown that donor nephrectomy can induce renal function impairment. However, few meta-analysis studies about this have proceeded. Therefore, the objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis including all data of recent research studies was to determine whether living donor nephrectomy (LDN) could induce renal function impairment.

METHODS

By November 2020, comprehensive literature searches were performed on PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases. Inclusion criteria were: (1) observational studies with data about overall end-stage renal disease (ESRD) or chronic kidney disease (CKD) of living kidney donors, (2) control group consisted of people without donor nephrectomy, and (3) outcomes of studies included long-term end-stage renal disease risks after living kidney donation. Risk of Bias in Non-randomized Studies of interventions (ROBINS-I) assessment tool was used to evaluate our methodological quality.

RESULTS

The qualitative review included 11 studies and the meta-analysis included 5 studies. In the meta-analysis, the integrated overall ESRD risk was 5.57 (95% CI: 2.03-15.30). Regarding the overall risk of bias using ROBINS-I assessment tool, 0 studies was rated as "Low", 7 studies were rated as "moderate", 2 studies were rated as "Serious", and two studies were rated as "Critical".

CONCLUSIONS

Our study showed that LDN increased ESRD risk in LDN patients. However, in our meta-analysis, variables in included studies were not uniform and the number of included studies was small. To have a definite conclusion, meta-analyses of well-planned and detailed studies need to be conducted in the future.

The Minnesota attributable risk of kidney donation (MARKD) study: a retrospective cohort study of long-term (> 50 year) outcomes after kidney donation compared to well-matched healthy controls

BACKGROUND

There is uncertainty about the long-term risks of living kidney donation. Well-designed studies with controls well-matched on risk factors for kidney disease are needed to understand the attributable risks of kidney donation.

METHODS

The goal of the Minnesota Attributable Risk of Kidney Donation (MARKD) study is to compare the long-term (> 50 years) outcomes of living donors (LDs) to contemporary and geographically similar controls that are well-matched on health status. University of Minnesota (n = 4022; 1st transplant: 1963) and Mayo Clinic LDs (n = 3035; 1st transplant: 1963) will be matched to Rochester Epidemiology Project (REP) controls (approximately 4 controls to 1 donor) on the basis of age, sex, and race/ethnicity. The REP controls are a well-defined population, with detailed medical record data linked between all providers in Olmsted and surrounding counties, that come from the same geographic region and era (early 1960s to present) as the donors. Controls will be carefully selected to have health status acceptable for donation on the index date (date their matched donor donated). Further refinement of the control group will include confirmed kidney health (e.g., normal serum creatinine and/or no proteinuria) and matching (on index date) of body mass index, smoking history, family history of chronic kidney disease, and blood pressure. Outcomes will be ascertained from national registries (National Death Index and United States Renal Data System) and a new survey administered to both donors and controls; the data will be supplemented by prior surveys and medical record review of donors and REP controls. The outcomes to be compared are all-cause mortality, end-stage kidney disease, cardiovascular disease and mortality, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) trajectory and chronic kidney disease, pregnancy risks, and development of diseases that frequently lead to chronic kidney disease (e.g. hypertension, diabetes, and obesity). We will additionally evaluate whether the risk of donation differs based on baseline characteristics.

DISCUSSION

Our study will provide a comprehensive assessment of long-term living donor risk to inform candidate living donors, and to inform the follow-up and care of current living donors.

The living donor evaluation as a life-saving event

BACKGROUND

As a population, living kidney donors have a longer life expectancy than the general population. This is generally thought to be an artifact of selection, as only healthy individuals are allowed to donate, and the operative mortality and risk of subsequent renal failure are very low. However, there may also be an additional benefit to the process, as the donor evaluation may uncover an early occult cancer or a potentially serious medical problem. While these problems may preclude donation, they may be lifesaving, as they are likely to be diagnosed and treated before the donor develops symptoms.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We looked at the incidence of occult cancer and other previously undiagnosed medical problems including renal disease, diabetes, hypertension, cardiac disease, and hepatitis C, in individuals volunteering to become a kidney donor at our center who proceeded with the evaluation between January 1, 1996 and May 31, 2011.

RESULTS

Of 4088 potential donors, 19 (.46%) were discovered to have an unsuspected cancer, and 286 (7%) were found to have a previously undiagnosed medical problem.

CONCLUSIONS

The living donor evaluation may lead to the early diagnosis of a life-threatening illness. This should be considered as one of the potential benefits of living donation.

Recommendations for living donor kidney transplantation

This Guide for Living Donor Kidney Transplantation (LDKT) has been prepared with the sponsorship of the Spanish Society of Nephrology (SEN), the Spanish Transplant Society (SET), and the Spanish National Transplant Organization (ONT). It updates evidence to offer the best chronic renal failure treatment when a potential living donor is available. The core aim of this Guide is to supply clinicians who evaluate living donors and transplant recipients with the best decision-making tools, to optimise their outcomes. Moreover, the role of living donors in the current KT context should recover the level of importance it had until recently. To this end the new forms of incompatible HLA and/or ABO donation, as well as the paired donation which is possible in several hospitals with experience in LDKT, offer additional ways to treat renal patients with an incompatible donor. Good results in terms of patient and graft survival have expanded the range of circumstances under which living renal donors are accepted. Older donors are now accepted, as are others with factors that affect the decision, such as a borderline clinical history or alterations, which when evaluated may lead to an additional number of transplantations. This Guide does not forget that LDKT may lead to risk for the donor. Pre-donation evaluation has to centre on the problems which may arise over the short or long-term, and these have to be described to the potential donor so that they are able take them into account. Experience over recent years has led to progress in risk analysis, to protect donors' health. This aspect always has to be taken into account by LDKT programmes when evaluating potential donors. Finally, this Guide has been designed to aid decision-making, with recommendations and suggestions when uncertainties arise in pre-donation studies. Its overarching aim is to ensure that informed consent is based on high quality studies and information supplied to donors and recipients, offering the strongest possible guarantees.

Long-term Medical Outcomes of Living Kidney Donors

Historically, to minimize risks, living kidney donors have been highly selected and healthy. Operative risks are well-defined, yet concern remains about long-term risks. In the general population, even a mild reduction in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is associated with cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). However, reduction in GFR in the general population is due to kidney or systemic disease. Retrospective studies comparing donors with matched general population controls have found no increased donor risk. Prospective studies comparing donors with controls (maximum follow-up, 9 years) have reported that donor GFR is stable or increases slightly, whereas GFR decreases in controls. However, these same studies identified metabolic and vascular donor abnormalities. There are a few retrospective studies comparing donors with controls. Each has limitations in selection of the control group, statistical analyses, and/or length of follow-up. One such study reported increased donor mortality; 2 reported a small increase in absolute risk of ESKD. Risk factors for donor ESKD are similar to those in the general population. Postdonation pregnancies are also associated with increased risk of hypertension and preeclampsia. There is a critical need for long-term follow-up studies comparing donors with controls from the same era, geographic area, and socioeconomic status who are healthy, with normal renal function on the date matching the date of donation, and are matched on demographic characteristics with the donors. These data are needed to optimize donor candidate counseling and informed consent.

Long-term renal and cardiovascular outcome of living kidney donors: A single-center retrospective observation study

Background

The nephrectomy for donation reduces the renal parenchyma and glomerular filtration rate (GFR). It is important to understand the clinical consequences of kidney donation by a living donor.

Methods

In this single-center, observational, retrospective study, we defined the renal and cardiovascular outcomes of living kidney donors. We analyzed data of 124 donors who donated at the Kidney Transplant Center (TC) of Bari between February 2002 and December 2018. Biometric data collected at visit 0, that is, at the time of the study of the donor candidate, and at visit 1, or rather at the last nephrological checkup (October-2018/August-2019) were compared.

Results

An overall drop in GFR of 29 mL/min was observed over the analyzed period of 81+/-59 months. At visit 1, two donors developed chronic renal failure, including one in ESKD who underwent a kidney transplant. No relationship between age at donation and GFR drop was found. A trend toward an increase in obese people was reported; 28% of patients had compensated dyslipidemia and 35% were treated for hypertension. During the follow-up time, 3% had major cardiovascular events and 24% were lost to follow-up. One patient died.

Conclusion

The age of the donor does not represent a basic element for reducing GFR or for the occurrence of major cardiovascular events. Furthermore, older donor candidates, in optimal health, should not be excluded from the donation. It is important to promote careful and timely follow-up of the donor, preventing the most common clinical consequences of nephrectomy, in consideration of the poor compliance of a large part of donors over the long-term post-donation period.

Living kidney donation in a developing country

BACKGROUND

Living kidney donation has been advocated as a means to ameliorate the chronic shortage of organs for transplantation. Significant rates of comorbidity and familial risk for kidney disease may limit this approach in the local context; there is currently limited data describing living donation in Africa.

METHODS

We assessed reasons for non-donation and outcomes following donation in a cohort of 1208 ethnically diverse potential living donors evaluated over a 32-year period at a single transplant centre in South Africa.

RESULTS

Medical contraindications were the commonest reason for donor exclusion. Black donors were more frequently excluded (52.1% vs. 39.3%; p<0.001), particularly for medical contraindications (44% vs. 35%; p<0.001); 298 donors proceeded to donor nephrectomy (24.7%). Although no donor required kidney replacement therapy, an estimated glomerular filtration rate below 60 ml/min/1.73 m2 was recorded in 27% of donors at a median follow-up of 3.7 years, new onset albuminuria >300 mg/day was observed in 4%, and 12.8% developed new-onset hypertension. Black ethnicity was not associated with an increased risk of adverse post-donation outcomes.

CONCLUSION

This study highlights the difficulties of pursuing live donation in a population with significant medical comorbidity, but provides reassurance of the safety of the procedure in carefully selected donors in the developing world.

Kidney glomerular filtration rate plasticity after transplantation

Since the first living donor kidney transplantation about six decades ago, significant progress has been made in terms of extending allograft survival. However, to date, only a small number of studies have compared the functional changes of the donated kidney to that of the remaining kidney. Although relatively small, the study by Gonzalez Rinne et al. demonstrated the adaptive capacity of the transplanted kidney in 30 donor-recipient pairs. The glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in both donors and recipients was obtained 12 months after transplantation and the authors identified three scenarios: (i) where donors had a higher GFR than recipients; (ii) where donors had a lower GFR than recipients; and (iii) where donors had a similar GFR to recipients. The mechanisms mediating GFR adaptability after kidney transplantation seem to be associated with body surface area (including sex differences in body surface area). Microstructural analysis of human and animal models of renal physiology provides some clues to the physiological adaptation of the transplanted organ. The nephron number from endowment and age-related loss and the adaptive ability for compensatory glomerular hyperfiltration likely play a major role.

Is a Patient with Paget's Disease of Bone Suitable for Living Kidney Donation?-Decision-Making in Lack of Clinical Evidence

Living donor kidney transplantation is a widely performed medical procedure. Living kidney donation requires an in-depth health assessment of candidates. The potential living kidney donor must remain healthy after kidney removal. A consequence of donation can be a decrease in glomerular filtration rate (GFR), and donors can become at risk of developing chronic kidney disease (CKD). We present a rationale for potential living kidney donor withdrawal due to Paget's disease of bone (PDB) based on a literature review. The treatment for PDB includes the use of, for example, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which can lead to acute kidney injury (AKI) as well as CKD, or bisphosphonates, which are not recommended for patients with decreased GFR.

Barriers to the donation of living kidneys for kidney transplantation

Since the waiting time for deceased donor kidney transplantation continues to increase, living donor kidney transplantation is an important treatment for end stage kidney disease patients. Barriers to living kidney donation have been rarely investigated despite a growing interest in the utilization of living donor transplantation and the satisfaction of donor safety. Here, we retrospectively analyzed 1658 potential donors and 1273 potential recipients who visited the Seoul National University Hospital for living kidney transplantation between 2010 and 2017 to study the causes of donation discontinuation. Among 1658 potential donors, 902 (54.4%) failed to donate kidneys. The average number of potential donors that received work-up was 1.30 ± 0.66 per recipient. Among living donor kidney transplant patients, 75.1% received kidneys after work-up of the first donor and 24.9% needed work-up of two or more donors. Donor-related factors (49.2%) were the most common causes of donation discontinuation, followed by immunologic or size mismatches between donors and recipients (25.4%) and recipient-related factors (16.2%). Interestingly, withdrawal of donation consent along with refusal by recipients or family were the commonest causes, suggesting the importance of non-biomedical aspects. The elucidation of the barriers to living kidney donation could ensure more efficient and safer living kidney donation.

Assessing Renal Function for Kidney Donation. How Low Is Too Low?

Kidney transplantation (KT) is the treatment of choice for patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) with decreased morbi-mortality, improved life quality, and reduced cost. However, the shortage of organs from deceased donors led to an increase in KT from living donors. Some stipulate that living donors have a higher risk of ESKD after donation compared with healthy non-donors. The reason for this is not clear. It is possible that ESKD is due to the nephrectomy-related reduction in glomerular filtration rate (GFR), followed by an age-related decline that may be more rapid in related donors. It is essential to assess donors properly to avoid rejecting suitable ones and not accepting those with a higher risk of ESKD. GFR is a central aspect of the evaluation of potential donors since there is an association between low GFR and ESKD. The methods for assessing GFR are in continuous debate, and the kidney function thresholds for accepting a donor may vary according to the guidelines. While direct measurements of GFR (mGFR) provide the most accurate evaluation of kidney function, guidelines do not systematically use this measurement as a reference. Also, some studies have shown that the GFR decreases with age and may vary with gender and race, therefore, the lower limit of GFR in patients eligible to donate may vary based on these demographic factors. Finally, it is known that CrCl overestimates mGFR while eGFR underestimates it, therefore, another way to have a reliable GFR could be the combination of two measurement methods.

Results of the prospective multicenter SoLKiD Cohort Study indicate bio-psycho-social outcome risks to kidney donors 12 months after donation

The outcome after living kidney donation was assumed to be comparable to that of the general population. However, recent register studies reveal negative changes in kidney function, quality of life and fatigue. Avoiding methodological issues of previous studies, the Safety of the Living Kidney Donor (SoLKiD) cohort study analyzed the outcome of donors in a multicenter and interdisciplinary fashion. Donor data were collected pre-donation and two-, six- and 12-months post-donation in 20 German transplantation centers. Primary parameters were kidney function, quality of life, and fatigue. Secondary endpoints were blood pressure, hemoglobin, hemoglobin A1c, body mass index, depression and somatization. Parameters were analyzed with non-parametric statistical tests and a mixed model regression for changes in time, their clinical relevance and interaction encompassing 336 donors with mean age of 52 years. Most of the physical secondary parameters, depression, and quality of life showed little or no changes and regained their pre-donation level. Kidney function decreased significantly with a 37% loss of glomerular filtration rate and an increase of donors with chronic kidney disease stage 3 from 1.5% pre-donation to about 50%. Donors consistently showed increased fatigue and somatization. Mental fatigue increased from 10.6% to 28.1%. The main influencing factors for decreased kidney function and increased fatigue were their respective pre-donation levels, and donor age for kidney function and subject stress level in fatigue. Thus, our study showed that a significant number of donors developed clinically relevant changes in physical and mental health and emphasizes the urgent need to inform potential donors about these risks.

Risk for subsequent hypertension and cardiovascular disease after living kidney donation: is it clinically relevant?

The first successful live donor kidney transplant was performed in 1954. Receiving a kidney transplant from a live kidney donor remains the best option for increasing both life expectancy and quality of life in patients with end-stage kidney disease. However, ever since 1954, there have been multiple questions raised on the ethics of live kidney donation in terms of negative impacts on donor life expectancy. Given the close relationship between reduced kidney function in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and hypertension, cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular mortality, information on the impact of kidney donation on these is particularly relevant. In this article, we review the existing evidence, focusing on the more recent studies on the impact of kidney donation on all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, cardiovascular disease and hypertension, as well as markers of cardiovascular damage including arterial stiffness and uraemic cardiomyopathy. We also discuss the similarities and differences between the pathological reduction in renal function that occurs in CKD, and the reduction in renal function that occurs because of a donor nephrectomy. Kidney donors perform an altruistic act that benefits individual patients as well as the wider society. They deserve to have high-quality evidence on which to make informed decisions.

The Association between Glomerular Diameter and Secondary Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis in Chronic Kidney Disease

INTRODUCTION

When nephron loss occurs, the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is suggested to be maintained by glomerular hypertrophy, but excessive hypertrophy can rather lead to the formation of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), thereby causing progressive kidney damage. However, it is not clear how much glomerular hypertrophy leads to the formation of FSGS. We examined the association between glomerular diameter and FSGS lesions in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients.

METHODS

We recruited 77 patients who underwent renal biopsy during 2016-2017; however, those identified with primary FSGS and glomerulonephritis with active glomerular lesion were excluded. We evaluated the maximal glomerular diameter (Max GD), an indicator of glomerular size, in each renal biopsy specimen and examined its association with FSGS lesion.

RESULTS

The median age, blood pressure, and estimated GFR of the patients were 53 years, 122/70 mm Hg, and 65 mL/min/1.73 m2, respectively. The optimal cutoff threshold of Max GD for predicting the presence of FSGS lesions, assessed by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, was determined to be at 224 μm (area under the curve, 0.81; sensitivity, 81%; specificity, 72%). Multivariate logistic regression analyses demonstrated that Max GD ≥224 μm was significantly associated with the presence of FSGS lesions, independent of other confounding factors (odds ratio, 11.70; 95% confidence interval, 1.93-70.84).

DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION

Glomerular hypertrophy (Max GD ≥224 μm) has been associated with FSGS lesions in CKD patients and may reflect the limits of the compensatory process.

Living donation - any news on the donor?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Living kidney donation has been an established practice for many years. Although studies from the past decade have uncovered risks to the donor, living kidney donation is still promoted. In this review, the most recent studies are summarized.

RECENT FINDINGS

Retrospective studies with long follow-up have detected an increased risk of hypertension among donors. Donors with hypertension at the time of donation may be at increased risk of adverse outcomes, but results differ. Recent studies have not found increased long-term mortality, but follow-up is short and control groups are of different quality.

SUMMARY

In all, the most recent findings more or less corroborate previous knowledge in the field of living donation. There is still a need for new studies on mortality with appropriate control groups and long enough follow-up.

Changes in renal function and predictors affecting renal outcome of living kidney donors: a nationwide prospective cohort study

AIM

The safety of donors is an important issue in living donor kidney transplantation. We investigated serial changes in renal function and predictors affecting the renal outcome of living kidney donors.

METHODS

We obtained the data of 456 kidney donors registered to the Korean Organ Transplantation Registry from 2014 to 2016. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) changes according to the development of incident chronic kidney disease (CKD) and factors related to CKD were analysed. CKD was defined as an eGFR <60 ml/min/1.73 m² or the presence of proteinuria or albuminuria. The change in eGFR over time was analysed using a linear mixed model.

RESULTS

At 2 years after kidney donation, 21.7% of the donors (99/456) developed CKD. Annual eGFR changes after nephrectomy were 2.2 ml/min/1.73 m² /year in donors without CKD, and - 0.4 ml/min/1.73 m² /year in donors with CKD. Higher systolic blood pressure was associated with higher risk of CKD (odds ratio [OR] 1.322 per 10 mmHg increment, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.036-1.686, p = .025). Higher pre-donation eGFR (OR 0.906 per 1 ml/min/1.73 m² increment, 95% CI 0.876-0.936, p < .001) and higher ratio of eGFR at discharge to pre-donation (OR 0.603 per 0.1 increment, 95% CI 0.426-0.849, p = .004) were related to lower risk of CKD.

CONCLUSION

Kidney donors without incident CKD at 2 years after donation showed gradual increases in eGFR, whereas donors with CKD had relatively constant eGFR. A low ratio of eGFR at discharge after nephrectomy to baseline was a risk factor of CKD.

Long-term risks after kidney donation: how do we inform potential donors? A survey from DESCARTES and EKITA transplantation working groups

Background

Publications from the last decade have increased knowledge regarding long-term risks after kidney donation. We wanted to perform a survey to assess how transplant professionals in Europe inform potential kidney donors regarding long-term risks. The objectives of the survey were to determine how they inform donors and to what extent, and to evaluate the degree of variation.

Methods

All transplant professionals involved in the evaluation process were considered eligible, regardless of the type of profession. The survey was dispatched as a link to a web-based survey. The subjects included questions on demographics, the information policy of the respondent and the use of risk calculators, including the difference of relative and absolute risks and how the respondents themselves understood these risks.

Results

The main finding was a large variation in how often different long-term risks were discussed with the potential donors, i.e. from always to never. Eighty percent of respondents stated that they always discuss the risk of end-stage renal disease, while 56% of respondents stated that they always discuss the risk of preeclampsia. Twenty percent of respondents answered correctly regarding the relationship between absolute and relative risks for rare outcomes.

Conclusions

The use of written information and checklists should be encouraged. This may improve standardization regarding the information provided to potential living kidney donors in Europe. There is a need for information and education among European transplant professionals regarding long-term risks after kidney donation and how to interpret and present these risks.

Protein and calorie restriction may improve outcomes in living kidney donors and kidney transplant recipients

Previously, we and others showed that dietary restriction protects against renal ischemia-reperfusion injury in animals. However, clinical translation of preoperative diets is scarce, and in the setting of kidney transplantation these data are lacking. In this pilot study, we investigated the effects of five days of a preoperative protein and caloric dietary restriction (PCR) diet in living kidney donors on the perioperative effects in donors, recipients and transplanted kidneys. Thirty-five kidney donors were randomized into either the PCR, 30% calorie and 80% protein reduction, or control group without restrictions. Adherence to the diet and kidney function in donors and their kidney recipients were analyzed. Perioperative kidney biopsies were taken in a selected group of transplanted kidneys for gene expression analysis. All donors adhered to the diet. From postoperative day 2 up until month 1, kidney function of donors was significantly better in the PCR-group. PCR-donor kidney recipients showed significantly improved kidney function and lower incidence of slow graft function and acute rejection. PCR inhibited cellular immune response pathways and activated stress-resistance signaling. These observations are the first to show that preoperative dietary restriction induces postoperative recovery benefits in humans and may be beneficial in clinical settings involving ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Serum Klotho in Living Kidney Donors and Kidney Transplant Recipients: A Meta-Analysis

α-Klotho is a known anti-aging protein that exerts diverse physiological effects, including phosphate homeostasis. Klotho expression occurs predominantly in the kidney and is significantly decreased in patients with chronic kidney disease. However, changes in serum klotho levels and impacts of klotho on outcomes among kidney transplant (KTx) recipients and kidney donors remain unclear. A literature search was conducted using MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Database from inception through October 2019 to identify studies evaluating serum klotho levels and impacts of klotho on outcomes among KTx recipients and kidney donors. Study results were pooled and analyzed utilizing a random-effects model. Ten cohort studies with a total of 431 KTx recipients and 5 cohort studies with a total of 108 living kidney donors and were identified. After KTx, recipients had a significant increase in serum klotho levels (at 4 to 13 months post-KTx) with a mean difference (MD) of 243.11 pg/mL (three studies; 95% CI 67.41 to 418.81 pg/mL). Although KTx recipients had a lower serum klotho level with a MD of = -234.50 pg/mL (five studies; 95% CI -444.84 to -24.16 pg/mL) compared to healthy unmatched volunteers, one study demonstrated comparable klotho levels between KTx recipients and eGFR-matched controls. Among kidney donors, there was a significant decrease in serum klotho levels post-nephrectomy (day 3 to day 5) with a mean difference (MD) of -232.24 pg/mL (three studies; 95% CI -299.41 to -165.07 pg/mL). At one year following kidney donation, serum klotho levels remained lower than baseline before nephrectomy with a MD of = -110.80 pg/mL (two studies; 95% CI 166.35 to 55.24 pg/mL). Compared to healthy volunteers, living kidney donors had lower serum klotho levels with a MD of = -92.41 pg/mL (two studies; 95% CI -180.53 to -4.29 pg/mL). There is a significant reduction in serum klotho levels after living kidney donation and an increase in serum klotho levels after KTx. Future prospective studies are needed to assess the impact of changes in klotho on clinical outcomes in KTx recipients and living kidney donors.

Simultaneous Pancreas-Kidney Transplant: A Positive Stimulus in the Medical World

Kidneys are one of the essential organs of our body, with chronic kidney disease being a very prevalent and emotionally, mentally and physically straining condition affecting 1 in 15 people worldwide. The prevalence is further escalating with every passing year. It is slowly progressive in nature, and many times goes unnoticed until symptoms start manifesting and presenting themselves much later in life. In this article, end-stage renal disease (ESRD) due to diabetes mellitus and its effect on different organs is examined, along with the role of simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplant (SPKT) in the management of this condition. Although proven to be an assured treatment with an outstanding allograft acceptance rate, the fact that it is still not widely adopted in many healthcare setups due to financial implications is also studied.

Online databases such as PubMed and Google Scholar were searched for the purpose of data collection; due to the very limited number of randomized controlled trials conducted on this given topic, a limited discussion was retrieved. By applying the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) method and several inclusion/exclusion criteria, approximately 66 articles were assessed for eligibility based on the title and abstract. A total of 44 articles were shortlisted and considered in the final review.

Several systematic reviews that have been conducted in the past reveal the importance of SPKT at an early stage of diagnosis towards increasing longevity of the patient with freedom from multiple medications. Transplant is a cost-effective therapy when compared to the prolonged dependence on dialysis, insulin pens, and increased susceptibility to infections.

A greater number of specialists must also train to carry out SPKT and identify the early stages of ESRD, and medical centers should be encouraged to carry out transplant procedures effectively both financially and medically. This can be achieved through the development of global policy mechanisms and establishment of universally adoptable standards.

Living Kidney Donor Evaluation

Long-term safety of living kidney donation (LKD), especially for young donors, has become a real matter of concern in the transplant community and may contribute to creating resistance to LKD. In this context, the criteria that govern living donor donations must live up to very demanding standards as well as adjust to this novel reality. In the first part, we review the existing guidelines published after 2010 and critically examine their recommendations to see how they do not necessarily lead to consistent and universal practices in the choice of specific thresholds for a parameter used to accept or reject a living donor candidate. In the second part, we present the emergence of a new paradigm for LKD developed in the 2017 Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes guidelines with the introduction of an integrative risk-based approach. Finally, we focus on predonation renal function evaluation, a criteria that remain central in the selection process, and discuss several issues surrounding the donor candidate's glomerular filtration rate assessment.

Survival in Living Kidney Donors: An Australian and New Zealand Cohort Study Using Data Linkage

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text.

Background.

Living kidney donors are a highly selected healthy population expected to have high survival postdonation, but mortality studies are limited. Our study aimed to compare mortality in living kidney donors with the general population in Australia and New Zealand, hypothesizing that donor survival would exceed average survival.

Methods.

All living kidney donors in Australia, 2004–2013, and New Zealand, 2004–2012, from the Australian and New Zealand Living Kidney Donor Registry were included. We ascertained primary cause of death from data linkage with national death registers. Standardized mortality ratios and relative survival were estimated, matching on age, sex, calendar year, and country.

Results.

Among 3253 living kidney donors, there were 32 deaths over 20 331 person-years, with median follow-up 6.2 years [interquartile range: 3.9–8.4]. Only 25 donors had diabetes-fasting blood sugar level predonation, of which 3 had impaired glucose tolerance. At discharge, the median creatinine was 108 µmol/L and estimated glomerular filtration rate was 58 mL/min/1.72 m². Four deaths occurred in the first year: 2 from immediate complications of donation, and 2 from unrelated accidental causes. The leading cause of death was cancer (n = 16). The crude mortality rate was 157 (95% confidence interval [CI], 111-222)/100 000 person-y, and the standardized mortality ratio was 0.33 (95% CI, 0.24-0.47). The 5-year cumulative relative survival was 1.019 (95% CI, 1.014-1.021), confirming that the survival probability in living kidney donors was 2% higher relative to the general population.

Conclusions.

As expected, mortality in living kidney donors was substantially lower than the general population and is reassuring for potential donor counseling. The Living Donor Registry only captured a third of the deaths, highlighting the benefit of data linkage to national death registries in the long-term follow-up of living kidney donors.

Cardiovascular rEmodelling in living kidNey donorS with reduced glomerular filtration rate: rationale and design of the CENS study

Purpose: Until recently, it has been believed that donating a kidney not represents any risk for development of cardiovascular disease. However, a recent Norwegian epidemiological study suggests that kidney donors have an increased long-term risk of cardiovascular mortality. The pathophysiological mechanisms linking reduced kidney function to cardiovascular disease are not known. Living kidney donors are screened for cardiovascular morbidity before unilateral nephrectomy, and are left with mildly reduced glomerular filtration rate (GFR) after donation. Therefore, they represent an unique model for investigating the pathogenesis linking reduced GFR to cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular remodelling. We present the study design of Cardiovascular rEmodelling in living kidNey donorS with reduced glomerular filtration rate (CENS), which is an investigator-initiated prospective observational study on living kidney donors. The hypothesis is that living kidney donors develop cardiovascular remodelling due to a reduction of GFR.Materials and methods: 60 living kidney donors and 60 age and sex matched healthy controls will be recruited. The controls will be evaluated to fulfil the Norwegian transplantation protocol for living kidney donors. Investigations will be performed at baseline and after 1, 3, 6 and 10 years in both groups. The investigations include cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, echocardiography, bone density scan, flow mediated dilatation, laser Doppler flowmetry, nailfold capillaroscopy, office blood pressure, 24-h ambulatory blood pressure, heart rate variability and investigation of microbiota and biomarkers for inflammation, cardiovascular risk and the calcium-phosphate metabolism.Conclusions: The present study seeks to provide new insight in the pathophysiological mechanisms linking reduced kidney function to cardiovascular disease. In addition, we aim to enlighten predictors of adverse cardiovascular outcome in living kidney donors. The study is registered at Clinical-Trials.gov (identifier: NCT03729557).

Cardiorenal Syndrome Revisited

Cardiorenal syndromes have been categorized into 5 clinical subtypes based on which organ is perceived to be the primary precipitant of the vicious and interrelated cycle of declining function in both organs. This clinical classification has broadened interest in cardiorenal interactions, but it is merely descriptive, does not rely on or inform predominant pathophysiology, and has produced little change in either practice or the research agenda. In contrast, recent scientific work identifies common pathophysiological pathways for several categories of cardiorenal syndromes, suggesting a unifying pathogenesis. Fibrosis is a common consequence of inflammation- and oxidative stress-related endothelial dysfunction in aging, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obesity, ischemia, and organ injury. It is a common feature in heart failure and chronic kidney disease. Therefore, we suggest that fibrosis may be not only a marker but also the primary driver of pathophysiology in several cardiorenal syndromes. Interstitial fibrosis in the heart, large arteries, and kidneys may play a key role in the pathophysiology of the cardiorenal syndrome continuum. Focusing on fibrosis as a disease mediator might enable the identification of fibrosis-related biotargets that could potentially be modulated with renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists, or other novel antifibrotic agents in development. This conceptual approach may be an effective new strategy for the prevention and treatment of fibrosis within the cardiorenal syndrome continuum.

Investigation of Systolic Blood Pressure, Diastolic Blood Pressure, and Pulse Pressure in Living Kidney Donors After Donor Nephrectomy

Kidney transplants from living donors have increased, but few studies have examined the long-term risks of live donor nephrectomy. This is the first study to report the blood pressure (BP) changes associated with cardiovascular disease and linked to chronic kidney disease (CKD) 1 year after live donor nephrectomy. This study examined a prospective cohort of patients who underwent donor nephrectomy between March 1, 2006, and December 31, 2016, at the Severance Hospital, Seoul, South Korea. CKD was defined as a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of < 60 mL/min/1.73m². Patients with a history of hypertension or CKD or an estimated GFR < 60 mL/min/1.73m² were excluded; those examined after 1 year post-nephrectomy were included in the study population. Among 420 patients who underwent donor nephrectomy, 137 (32.6%) developed a first-time onset of a GFR < 60 mL/min/1.73m² by the first year after surgery. After propensity score-matching the age, systolic BP (P < .001) and pulse pressure (P = .006) were significantly associated with the groups with newly developed CKD. Systolic BP and pulse pressure decreased significantly at 1 year after donor nephrectomy. These differences decreased after donor nephrectomy, possibly lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease.

The multifaceted role of complement in kidney transplantation

Increasing evidence indicates an integral role for the complement system in the deleterious inflammatory reactions that occur during critical phases of the transplantation process, such as brain or cardiac death of the donor, surgical trauma, organ preservation and ischaemia-reperfusion injury, as well as in humoral and cellular immune responses to the allograft. Ischaemia is the most common cause of complement activation in kidney transplantation and in combination with reperfusion is a major cause of inflammation and graft damage. Complement also has a prominent role in antibody-mediated rejection (ABMR) owing to ABO and HLA incompatibility, which leads to devastating damage to the transplanted kidney. Emerging drugs and treatment modalities that inhibit complement activation at various stages in the complement cascade are being developed to ameliorate the damage caused by complement activation in transplantation. These promising new therapies have various potential applications at different stages in the process of transplantation, including inhibiting the destructive effects of ischaemia and/or reperfusion injury, treating ABMR, inducing accommodation and modulating the adaptive immune response.

Hand-Assisted Nephrectomy Predisposes Incisional Herniation in Obese Living Donors

BACKGROUND

Living kidney donation from donors with a body mass index (BMI) over 30 can bring risks for the donor and the recipients. In this retrospective study, we evaluated the effect of a donor's obesity on a donor's long-term surveillance and the recipient outcomes.

METHOD

We performed hand-assisted retroperitoneoscopic donor nephrectomy in 565 living kidney transplantations between February 2009 and December 2015. One hundred fifty-two donors (26.9%) had a BMI > 30 and were described as the obese group. Four hundred thirteen donors (73.1%) were described as the nonobese group and had a BMI < 30. Incision to kidney removal time, mean follow-up period, postoperative complications, weight gained after surgery, and serum creatinine level (postop day 1-end of follow-up) were recorded for the donors. Serum creatinine level (postop day 5-end of follow-up) and immediate function of transplanted kidney were recorded for the recipients.

RESULTS

The obese donors were older, and the female sex was dominant. Mean incision to kidney removal period was longer in the obese patients (P = .012). The mean follow-up period was 49.97 ± 28.40 months for the donors. There was no significant difference in donor kidney function between the groups. The incidence of herniation was significantly higher in the obese group (P = .021). There was no significant difference between the recipient early and late serum creatinine levels and slow and delayed graft functions after the transplantation.

CONCLUSION

Postoperative kidney functions concerning the outcomes of the obese and nonobese living donors were similar in our series. Donor BMI had no influence on early and late kidney functions of the recipients. There was no difference in postoperative complications, except incisional hernia, that was statistically more significant in the obese donors.

Chronic kidney disease after nephrectomy: a clinically-significant entity?

Worldwide, the kidney is the ninth and 14th most common primary site of cancer in men and women respectively. Surgical management with either radical or partial nephrectomy is the mainstay of treatment. Surgical resection of functional kidney parenchyma is associated with reductions in glomerular filtration rate, and can lead to the development of chronic kidney disease (CKD); however, there is currently debate as to whether CKD secondary to surgical removal of a kidney is of clinical significance. Here, it will be argued that CKD is of clinical significance regardless of aetiology, due to the higher cardiovascular and mortality risk which is associated with low glomerular filtration rate.

Hypertension and Cardiovascular Morbidity Following Surgery for Kidney Cancer

BACKGROUND

Despite better renal function following nephron-sparing surgery (NSS) relative to radical nephrectomy (RN), there is no consensus with respect to the long-term sequelae associated with surgery.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of surgery and the temporal pattern of two different cardiovascular event (CVe) categories after NSS versus RN.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

We collected data of 898 patients with cT1-2 N0 M0 renal mass and no history of CVe treated with NSS versus RN. CVe categories were dichotomised in (1) de novo hypertension (HT) and (2) other major cardiovascular events (MCEs).

OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

Multivariable competing regression analyses (MVAs) tested the adjusted effect of surgery type on each CVe category.

RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS

Among patients treated with RN, 38% of HT events occurred immediately after surgery. Conversely, in NSS counterparts, the onset of HT was diluted over the years after surgery (10% of HT events in the first 6 mo). When an MCE was considered, an increasing long-term time-dependent prevalence of the outcome was observed in both groups, with no statistically significantly difference between NSS and RN. At MVA, RN was associated with a higher HT risk (hazard ratio [HR] 2.89; p=0.006) than but a similar MCE risk (HR 0.85; p=0.6) to NSS.

CONCLUSIONS

Relative to RN, NSS showed an independent protective effect on HT but not on MCEs. In patients with no history of preoperative HT or MCEs, the onset of HT after RN is a very early event, due probably to the acute loss of renal parenchyma. This is not the case for the other cardiovascular morbidity, which develops in the long-term period, regardless of the type of surgery performed.

PATIENT SUMMARY

In renal cancer patients without a medical history of cardiopathy, preserving healthy kidney tissue at surgery is associated with a decreased risk of developing postoperative hypertension.

Incident Chronic Kidney Disease After Radical Nephrectomy for Renal Cell Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) after surgery for kidney cancer is common, and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to identify factors associated with incident CKD in patients managed with radical nephrectomy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

All patients diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma between January 2012 and December 2013 were ascertained from state-based cancer registries in Queensland and Victoria. Information on patient, tumor, and health service characteristics was obtained via chart review. Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate exposures associated with incident CKD (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] <60 mL per minute per 1.73 m²) at 12 months after nephrectomy.

RESULTS

Older age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] per 5-year increase, 1.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.4-1.6), male sex (aOR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.0-2.0), obese compared with not obese (aOR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.2-2.7), rural compared with urban place of residence (aOR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.1-3.0) were associated with a higher risk of incident CKD. Lower preoperative eGFR was also associated with a higher risk of incident CKD. Management in private compared with public hospitals was also associated with a higher risk of CKD (aOR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.2-2.2). Factors related to tumor size and cancer severity were also associated with worse postoperative kidney function, although it is likely this was a consequence of selection bias.

CONCLUSION

Patient characteristics have the strongest associations with incident CKD after radical nephrectomy. Potential risk factors were reasonably similar to recognized CKD risk factors for the general population. Patients who undergo nephrectomy who have CKD risk factors might benefit from ongoing postoperative screening for deterioration of kidney function.

Posttransplant Care of Kidney Transplant Recipients and Their Donors in Nigeria

OBJECTIVES

Kidney transplantation is not readily available in low-resource settings because of poor health structure, dearth of experts, and pervading poverty. Although many centers now offer kidney transplant, patients still travel outside Nigeria for this service for many reasons and many return home without a detailed medical report.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Medical records of individuals who underwent kidney transplant in Nigeria and elsewhere and who were presently receiving posttransplant care or had received such care from 2002 to 2018 at 4 Nigerian hospitals were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed.

RESULTS

Of 35 patients (30 males; 85.7%) analyzed (mean ages of 42 ± 16 and 47 ± 8 years for men and women, respectively; P = .54), common primary kidney diseases included hypertension (27.2%), glomerulonephritis (24.2%), and diabetes mellitus/hypertension (18.3%). Most patients received transplants in India (48.6%), with others in Nigeria (23.0%) and Pakistan (8.6%). Relationships to recipient were unrelated (28.5%), living related (22.9%), and unknown (48.6%). Less than 30% of recipients had care details in their hospital records. Almost all transplant patients were treated with prednisolone (81.8%); cyclosporine (40.0%), mycophenolate mofetil (31.4%), tacrolimus (20.0%), and azathioprine (9.1%) were also used. Complications were documented in 88.9%, with 57.0% due to bacterial infections/sepsis. Many (88.9%) had more than 2 complications. In follow-up, median first transplant duration was 24 months (interquartile range, 6-44). Of total patients, 25.7% were still alive, 17.1% had died, and 54.2% were lost to follow-up. Follow-up data for only 2 donors were available.

CONCLUSIONS

Lapses in follow-up care of kidney transplant recipients and donors continue in lowresource settings where transplant tourism is still rife, resulting in poor graft/patient survival. Adherence to transplant guidelines is advocated. We propose a transplant stratification model according to level of development and resources of countries or regions. This model will encourage customizing strategies for improving patient outcomes.

Living Kidney Donation Is Recipient Age Sensitive and Has a High Rate of Donor Organ Disqualifications

BACKGROUND

Living donor kidney transplantation (LDKT) is the best therapy for patients with chronic renal failure. Its advantages, compared with cadaveric transplantation, include the possibility of avoiding dialysis, the likelihood of best outcome, and donor pool expansion. Careful assessment of potential donors is important to minimize the risks and ensure success. However, the proportion of donors disqualified has been poorly investigated. The aim of this work is to describe our experience and present the main reasons for missed donation.

METHODS

This was a single-center, retrospective study of all potential donors and recipients evaluated for LDKT between January 2008 and December 2017.

RESULTS

During the period of study, 81 donor-recipient pairs were evaluated. Of these, 45.7% were disqualified and 37 LDKTs were carried out. LDKT was the first choice in 68% of cases and preemptive in 20%; 60% of transplants were among family members. Sex distribution revealed a prevalence of females in the donor group (69%) and males in the recipient group (70%). The mean living donor age was 53 ± 9.5 years; the mean recipient age was lower in recipients listed in the living transplant program than those listed for cadaver transplantation (45.8 ± 13.4 vs 54.2 ± 11.08; P < .0001). Reasons for denial included hypertension (18.9%), deceased donor transplant performed during the study period (16.2%), urologic pathology (13.5%), incompatibility (13.5%), withdrawal of consent by donor or recipient (13.5%), psychological unsuitability (8.1%), donor cancer (5.4%), and reduced renal clearance (2.7%).

CONCLUSION

LDKT is considered an option especially for younger recipients. Of the potential kidney living donors, 45.7% were disqualified during the evaluation, with medical reasons being the primary cause.

Supplementing living kidney transplantees' medical records with donor- and recipient-narratives

Norway provides total social welfare coverage for organ transplantations, including free immunosuppressive medication and prepaid life-long follow up for both recipients and donors. Despite these benefits the proportion of living kidney donors (LKD) has in recent years declined from around 40% (2011) of all kidney transplantations to 24% (2016). This study suggests harnessing patient- and donor-narratives as a tool for addressing the current fall in donation rates. The hospital records of 18 recipient/donor dyads were compared with patient and donor accounts elicited in semi-structured interviews. Narratives afford a pertinent supplement to the primarily biomedical and technical information stored in medical records. Even in condensed form, the messages embedded in narratives contribute to a 'thicker' understanding of the complexity of living kidney donation (LKD)-decisions. Narratives represent a source of education for referring-nephrologists wishing to deepen their evaluation skills and avoid making decisions based on insufficient insight into patients' and potential donors' values and life-situation. Recipients' and donors' unedited accounts of their motivations, worries, doubts and expectations afford a revealing and edifying supplement to the primarily biomedical and technical information stored in medical records. In narratives, the predicaments and dilemmas surrounding LKD become visible and debatable and can serve as support for future donors, recipients and the nephrologists responsible for evaluation-conclusions. Generating narratives raises a number of practical, epistemic and normative challenges.

Impact of Cigarette Smoking on Living Kidney Donors

BACKGROUND

Smoking is known to result in a decline in renal allograft function and survival of recipients; however, the effect of smoking on living kidney donors remains unknown. In this study we evaluated the impact of cigarette smoking on renal function of kidney donors.

METHODS

Among 1056 donors who underwent nephrectomy, 612 completed the 6-month follow-up protocol and were enrolled in the study. The association of smoking status, including pack-years smoking history, and postoperative renal function was evaluated.

RESULTS

Among donors, 68.1% had never smoked, 8% were former smokers, and 23.9% were current smokers. Donors who never smoked were older than former and current smokers (42.3 ± 11.8, 41.9 ± 11.1, and 38.3 ± 10.9 years, respectively; P < .001). There was no difference in preoperative renal function between groups; however, postoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was lower in former and current smokers than in those who never smoked (64.6 ± 13.8, 64.7 ± 12.3, and 67.8 ± 13.1 mL/min/1.73 m², respectively; P = .023). In former and current smokers, pack-years smoking history was negatively associated with pre- and postoperative eGFR (r = -0.305 and -0.435, P < .001), and correlated with postoperative percent eGFR decline (r = 0.248, P < .001). Smoking history was associated with postoperative development of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Especially in former smokers, a smoking history of more than 12 pack-years was strongly associated with development of CKD (odds ratio = 7.5, P = .003).

CONCLUSION

Even if they no longer smoke, donors with a smoking history require close observation due to increased risk of CKD development after kidney donation. A detailed pack-years smoking history should be obtained, and smoking cessation strategies should be implemented in kidney donors.

Donor Nephrectomy May Compromise the Cardiovascular System: A Retrospective, Single-Center Study

OBJECTIVES

Our goal was to determine the short-term effects of donor nephrectomy on the cardiovascular system and to gain a better understanding of the recently recognized long-term increased risk of end-stage renal disease and cardiovascular mortality.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Living kidney donors who underwent donor nephrectomy between January 2010 and January 2015 at the Hacettepe University Transplantation Unit were retrospectively screened. Echocardiographic parameters, kidney volumes, and renal functions before nephrectomy were compared with measurements after nephrectomy. Flow-mediated dilatation values of living kidney donors were compared with healthy individuals.

RESULTS

The study included 73 female and 31 male living kidney donors with a mean age of 46.1 ± 10.8 years. In the comparative analysis of donors versus 35 healthy individuals, the changes in flow-mediated dilatation were 12.3 ± 5.7% and 15.4 ± 6.3%, respectively (P = .016). In the comparative analysis of preoperative versus the last visit transthoracic echocardiographic results, left ventricular end-systolic and end-diastolic diameters decreased and left ventricular posterior wall thickness and septum thickness increased (P = .025, P = .002, P = .026, and P = .019, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Nephrectomy may cause several hemodynamic changes in living kidney donors, which may exacerbate cardiovascular risks in this population.

Impact of Preoperative Abdominal Visceral Adipose Tissue Area and Nutritional Status on Renal Function After Donor Nephrectomy in Japanese Living Donors for Renal Transplantation

BACKGROUND Living kidney donors face the risk of renal dysfunction, resulting in end-stage renal disease, cardiovascular disease, or cerebrovascular disease, after donor nephrectomy. Reducing this risk is important to increasing survival of living donors. In this study, we investigated the effect of preoperative distribution of abdominal adipose tissue and nutritional status on postoperative renal function in living donors. MATERIAL AND METHODS Seventy-five living donors were enrolled in this retrospective study. Preoperative unenhanced computed tomography images were used to measure abdominal adipose tissue parameters. Prognostic nutritional index (PNI) was used to assess preoperative nutritional status. Donors were divided into 2 groups according to abdominal visceral adipose tissue (VAT) area at the level of the fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae (<80 or ≥80 cm²). Postoperative renal function was compared in the 2 groups, and prognostic factors for development of chronic kidney disease (CKD) G3b were identified using multivariate analysis. RESULTS Donors with a VAT area ≥80 significantly more often had hypertension preoperatively. Although there was no significant difference in preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) between the 2 groups, postoperative renal function was significantly decreased in donors with a VAT area ≥80 compared to those with a VAT area <80. In multivariate analysis, VAT area ≥80 and PNI <54 were independent factors predicting the development of CKD G3b after 12 months. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that preoperative VAT and PNI affect postoperative renal function. Further research is required to establish appropriate exercise protocols and nutritional interventions during follow-up to improve outcomes in living donors.