Our aim was to determine outcomes with transplanting kidneys from deceased donors with acute kidney injury, defined as a donor with terminal serum creatinine ≥2.0 mg/dL, or a donor requiring acute renal replacement therapy. We included all patients who received deceased donor kidney transplant from June 2004 to October 2013. There were 162 AKI donor transplant recipients (21% of deceased donor transplants): 139 in the standard criteria donor (SCD) and 23 in the expanded criteria donor (ECD) cohort. 71% of the AKI donors had stage 3 (severe AKI), based on acute kidney injury network (AKIN) staging. Protocol biopsies were done at 1, 4, and 12 months posttransplant. One and four month formalin‐fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) biopsies from 48 patients (24 AKI donors, 24 non‐AKI) underwent global gene expression profiling using DNA microarrays (96 arrays). DGF was more common in the AKI group but eGFR, graft survival at 1 year and proportion with IF/TA>2 at 1 year were similar for the two groups. At 1 month, there were 898 differentially expressed genes in the AKI group (p‐value <0.005; FDR <10%), but by 4 months there were no differences. Transplanting selected kidneys from deceased donors with AKI is safe and has excellent outcomes.

Polyomavirus-associated nephropathy (PVAN) is man-

Kidney paired donation (KPD) and the new kidney allocation system (KAS) in the United States have led to improved transplantation rates for highly sensitized candidates. We aimed to assess the potential need for other approaches to improve the transplantation rate of highly sensitized candidates such as desensitization. Using the UNOS STAR file, we analyzed transplant rates in a prevalent active waiting‐list cohort as of June 1, 2016, followed for 1 year. The overall transplantation rate was 18.9% (11 129/58769). However, only 9.7% (213/2204) of candidates with a calculated panel reactive antibody ≥99.9% received a transplant, and highly sensitized candidates were less likely to receive a living donor transplant. Among candidates with a CPRA ≥ 99.5% (ie. 100%), only 2.5% of transplants were from living donors (13 total, 7 from KPD). Nearly 4 years after KAS (6/30/2018), 1791 actively wait‐listed candidates had a CPRA of ≥99.9% and 34.6% (620/1791) of these had ≥5 years of waiting time. Thus, despite KPD and KAS, many sensitized candidates have not been transplanted even with prolonged waiting time. We conclude that candidates with a CPRA ≥ 99.9% and sensitized candidates with an incompatible living donor and prolonged waiting time may benefit from desensitization to improve their ability to receive a transplant.

Donation after cardiac death (DCD) and acute kidney injury (AKI) donors have historically been considered independent risk factors for delayed graft function (DGF), allograft failure, and inferior outcomes. With growing experience, updated analyses have shown good outcomes. There continues to be limited data, however, on outcomes specific to DCD donors who have AKI. Primary outcomes for this study were post–kidney transplant patient and allograft survival comparing two donor groups: DCD AKIN stage 2‐3 and DBD AKIN stage 2‐3. In comparing these groups, there were no short‐ or long‐term differences in patient (hazard ratio [HR] 1.07, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.54‐1.93, P = .83) or allograft survival (HR 1.47, 95% CI 0.64‐2.97, P = .32). In multivariate models, the DCD/DBD status had no significant impact on the estimated GFR (eGFR) at 1 (P = .38), 2 (P = .60), and 3 years (P = .52). DGF (57.9% vs 67.9%, P = .09), rejection (12.1% vs 13.9%, P = .12), and progression of interstitial fibrosis/tubular atrophy (IFTA) on protocol biopsy (P = .16) were similar between the two groups. With careful selection, good outcomes can be achieved utilizing severe AKI DCD kidneys. Historic concerns regarding primary nonfunction, DGF resulting in interstitial fibrosis and rejection, and inferior outcomes were not observed. Given the ongoing organ shortage, increased effort should be undertaken to further utilize these donors.

OBJECTIVENew-onset diabetes after kidney transplantation (NODAT) has adverse clinical and economic implications. A risk score for NODAT could help identify research subjects for intervention studies.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSWe conducted a single-center retrospective cohort study using pretransplant clinical and laboratory measurements to construct a risk score for NODAT. NODAT was defined by hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) ≥6.5%, fasting serum glucose ≥126 mg/dL, or prescribed therapy for diabetes within 1 year posttransplant. Three multivariate logistic regression models were constructed: 1) standard model, with both continuous and discrete variables; 2) dichotomous model, with continuous variables dichotomized at clinically relevant cut points; and 3) summary score defined as the sum of the points accrued using the terms from the dichotomous model.RESULTSA total of 316 subjects had seven pretransplant variables with P < 0.10 in univariate logistic regression analyses (age, planned corticosteroid therapy posttransplant, prescription for gout medicine, BMI, fasting glucose and triglycerides, and family history of type 2 diabetes) that were selected for multivariate models. Areas under receiver operating curves for all three models were similar (0.72, 0.71, and 0.70). A simple risk score calculated as the sum of points from the seven variables performed as well as the other two models in identifying risk of NODAT.CONCLUSIONSA risk score computed from seven simple pretransplant variables can identify risk of NODAT.

Background. Kidneys from deceased donors with acute kidney injury (AKI) are more likely to be discarded because of concerns for poor outcomes after transplantation. The aim of this study was to determine the long-term outcomes of a large cohort of patients transplanted utilizing kidneys from deceased donors with AKI. Methods. All patients receiving a deceased donor kidney transplant during a recent 10-year period were included. Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN) criteria were used to classify the donors. Donor kidneys with >10% cortical necrosis or more than mild chronic changes were discarded. The primary outcome is the combined endpoint of death or graft loss. Results. The cohort included 1313 kidneys from 974 donors, AKIN stage 0 (no AKI) in 319 (24.3%), stage 1 in 370 (28.2%), stage 2 in 177 (13.5), and stage 3 in 447 (34.0%). Estimated 5-year graft survival (95% confidence interval) was 78.5% (72.5-84.5), 77.8% (72.8-82.1), 83.8% (76.8-88.9), and 84.6% (79.5-88.7) for AKIN donor stage 0 to 3, respectively (log-rank P = 0.10). After adjusting for baseline differences, the hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) for the combined endpoint for the AKIN stage 3 group (relative to AKIN 0 group) was 0.70 (0.45-1.10). Delayed graft function occurred in 44.6% and 75.4% of AKIN 2 and 3 groups, as compared to 33.9% and 33.5% in AKIN 0 and 1 (P < 0.001). Conclusion. We conclude that transplanting selected kidneys from deceased donors with AKI with preimplantation biopsy showing <10% cortical necrosis and no more than mild chronic changes have excellent long-term graft survival.

Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the predominant cause of sudden cardiac death in the general population, and sudden cardiac death is the leading cause of mortality in end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Hypothesis: QT-interval prolongation is an independent prognosticator in ESRD. Methods: We reviewed clinical, electrocardiographic, stress test, and coronary angiography data on ESRD patients evaluated for transplantation at our institution between 2000 and 2004 who underwent coronary angiography. The QT interval was corrected for heart rate and QRS duration (QTc). All-cause mortality data were prospectively collected and verified against the Social Security Death Index database. Results: During 40 ± 28 months of follow-up, 132 of the 280 (47%) patients died prior to renal transplantation. Patients with a prolonged QTc (39%) had 1-, 3-, and 5-year death-rates of 12%, 36%, and 47%, respectively, vs 8%, 24%, and 36% for those with normal QTc (log-rank P = 0.03). In a multivariate Cox regression model that adjusted for age, gender, diabetes mellitus, myocardial infarction, presence and severity of CAD on angiography, left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy, LV ejection fraction (EF), and multiple other variables, QTc remained to be an independent predictor of survival (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.008, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.001-1.014, P = 0.016). Female gender, decreasing LVEF, and decreasing severity of CAD on angiography were independent predictors of prolonged QTc. Conclusions: QTc prolongation is an independent predictor of mortality in ESRD patients being evaluated for renal transplantation. The prognostic information gained from the QTc is additive to that provided by the LVEF and the severity of CAD.

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