Successful transplantation of kidneys from a donor with myoglobinuric acute renal failure

Donor rhabdomyolysis, acute kidney injury and kidney transplant outcomes

BACKGROUND

Donor rhabdomyolysis may constrain kidney utilization due to anticipated unfavorable graft outcomes-especially in combination with acute kidney injury (AKI). There is a paucity of empiric data to inform organ acceptance decision-making.

METHODS

A single-center retrospective cohort study of adult transplant recipients of deceased-donor kidneys with reported donor creatine phosphokinase (CPK) levels was conducted between 2014 and 2020. Recipients of CPK ≥ 1000 U/L kidneys were propensity matched to CPK < 1000 recipients according to outcome-predictive baseline covariates, except AKI.

RESULTS

A total of 254 kidney transplants were propensity matched into CPK ≥ 1000 (n = 90) vs CPK<1000 (n = 90) groups. Transplant outcomes with high versus low CPK kidneys were similar in terms of delayed graft function (p = 0.64), 1-year estimated glomerular filtration rate <25^th percentile (p = 0.69) and mean (p = 0.58), and time to all-cause graft failure (p = 0.58). There was no interaction between AKI and high CPK for these outcomes. Extreme CPK thresholds as high as >8672 U/L were not associated with overall graft survival in the unmatched sample (p = 0.81).

CONCLUSIONS

In a single center study, donor rhabdomyolysis was not associated with short-term kidney transplant graft outcomes, nor was there an additive effect of AKI. However, studies with greater CPK and AKI severity and longer follow-up are warranted. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Kidney Transplants From a Deceased Donor After 11 Days of Venovenous Hemodialysis

There have been several studies exploring the viability of kidneys procured from extended criteria donors with acute kidney injury. Previous publications have evaluated the long-term outcomes of kidneys after acute kidney injury. We describe the case of 2 transplants from a donor with acute renal failure after a motor vehicle accident. The donor required 11 days of venovenous hemodialysis before procurement. There have not been any previous reports of donations following such a prolonged period of dialysis. The kidneys were shared across organ procurement organization service areas and had cold ischemia times of 32 hours and 26 hours. Both recipients had delayed graft function. One recipient had several complications that required multiple readmission for treatment. At last follow-up, both transplanted organs were functioning adequately and producing urine. This case report presents a novel opportunity to understand the extent of possible kidney transplant after acute kidney injury.

Long-Term Function of Kidneys From an Acute Renal Failure Donor on Continuous Venovenous Hemofiltration: A Case Report

The organ shortage has induced many transplant centers to use suboptimal grafts, such as those from expanded criteria donors and donors after cardiac death. Acute renal failure donors, sometimes present in intensive therapy units, have been used in a very low number of cases due to the fear of primary nonfunction of this type of graft. There are few published studies about the utilization of donors with severe acute renal failure and there is no general consensus identifying unequivocal criteria for their use by different transplant centers. We transplanted 2 kidneys from a 67-year-old donor who suffered from acute renal failure as a consequence of extracorporeal circulation in cardiac surgery and died of a massive cerebral edema with cistern obliteration. The kidneys were discarded by other transplant centers due to the patient's acute renal failure, treated by continuous venovenous hemofiltration. Both transplants were successful and both grafts showed very good renal function after 6 months. One recipient suffered from delayed graft function and renal drug toxicity, which resolved 1 month post transplant. The long-term graft function at 10 years is acceptable, with very low proteinuria. As a growing gap between the inadequate supply and constantly high demand for kidney transplantation has led doctors to explore novel policies to increase the number of available organs over the last 2 decades, acute renal failure treated by continuous venovenous hemofiltration does not seem to be a contraindication for the utilization of grafts.

Myoglobin cast nephropathy in a kidney transplant patient with normal creatine kinase

Delayed graft function in kidney transplant recipients is a known complication associated with increased risk of acute rejection and reduced transplant survival after 1 year. There are multiple risk factors, including prolonged cold ischemia time, donor age, and cause of donor's death. Major causes of delayed graft function are acute kidney injury in the donor, often from prolonged terminal ischemia, reflected by acute tubular injury in the recipient. However, the differential diagnosis of delayed graft function includes acute rejection, recurrence of the primary glomerular diseases, and other less commonly encountered conditions. A transplant kidney biopsy usually is required to elucidate the correct cause and initiate the right treatment, which is crucial for transplant survival. We report a case of a transplant recipient who developed delayed graft function due to an uncommon cause. After correct diagnosis, the patient's transplant function improved.

Evolving experience using kidneys from deceased donors with terminal acute kidney injury

BACKGROUND

Kidney transplantation from deceased donors with terminal acute kidney injury (AKI) is not widely accepted.

STUDY DESIGN

Acute kidney injury donor kidneys were defined by a doubling of the donor's admission serum creatinine (SCr) level and a terminal SCr level >2.0 mg/dL before organ recovery.

RESULTS

Over 5.5 years, we transplanted 84 AKI donor kidneys, including 64 kidneys from standard criteria donors (SCD), 11 from expanded criteria donors (ECD), and 9 from donation after cardiac death (DCD) donors. Mean donor age was 36 years (range 15 to 68 years); mean admission and terminal donor SCr levels were 1.25 mg/dL and 3.2 mg/dL, respectively (mean terminal estimated glomerular filtration rate 25.5 mL/minute). With a mean follow-up of 35 months (range 6 to 70 months), actual patient and graft survival rates are 98% and 89%, respectively, which are numerically, but not statistically, higher than concurrent kidney transplants from brain-dead (non-AKI) SCDs at our center. Delayed graft function (DGF) occurred in 34 patients (40%). Mean 1-, 12-, and 24-month SCr levels were 1.8, 1.6, and 1.7 mg/dL, respectively. Delayed graft function was associated with lower 3-year graft survival for non-AKI SCD transplants (68% vs 90%, with and without DGF), but there was no impact of DGF on graft survival for AKI donor kidneys (89% vs 91%).

CONCLUSIONS

Although AKI donor kidneys more commonly have DGF, the higher rate of DGF does not worsen graft outcomes. Kidneys from deceased donors with terminal AKI transplanted into appropriately selected patients have excellent medium-term outcomes and represent a method to safely expand the donor pool.

Deceased donor kidney transplantation from donors with acute renal failure due to rhabdomyolysis

With the current shortage of solid organs for transplant, the transplant community continues to look for ways to increase the number of organ donors, including extending the criteria for donation. In rhabdomyolysis, the byproducts of skeletal muscle breakdown leak into the circulation resulting in acute renal failure in up to 30% of patients. In nonbrain dead patients, this condition is reversible and most patients recover full renal function. Seven potential donors had rhabdomyolysis with acute renal failure as evidenced by the presence of urine hemoglobin, plasma creatinine kinase levels of greater than five times the normal and elevated creatinine. One donor required dialysis. At our institution, 10 kidneys were transplanted from the seven donors. Two grafts had immediate function, five grafts experienced slow graft function and three grafts had delayed graft function requiring hemodialysis. At a mean of 8.7 months posttransplant (2.4-25.2 months), all patients have good graft function, are off dialysis and have a mean creatinine of 1.3 (0.7-1.8). In conclusion, our experience suggests that rhabdomyolysis with acute renal failure should not be a contraindication for donation, although recipients may experience slow or delayed graft function.