Although previous consensus recommendations have helped define patients who would benefit from simultaneous liver-kidney transplantation (SLK), there is a current need to reassess published guidelines for SLK because of continuing increase in proportion of liver transplant candidates with renal dysfunction and ongoing donor organ shortage. The purpose of this consensus meeting was to critically evaluate published and registry data regarding patient and renal outcomes following liver transplantation alone or SLK in liver transplant recipients with renal dysfunction. Modifications to the current guidelines for SLK and a research agenda were proposed.
The importance of antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) in ABO-compatible liver transplantation is controversial. Here we report a prospective series of liver recipients with a preoperative positive crossmatch. To establish the diagnosis of AMR in liver recipients, the criteria described for kidney allografts were adopted. In approximately 10% of 197 liver transplants, we observed a positive T and B cell flow crossmatch before transplantation. Fifteen of 19 patients converted to negative crossmatches early after transplantation and displayed normal liver function while they were on routine immunosuppression. Four patients maintained positive crossmatches. Three of the 4 met the criteria for AMR and showed evidence of graft dysfunction, the presence of donor-specific antibodies (DSAs), morphological tissue destruction with positive C4d linear staining on the graft sinusoidal endothelium, and improved function with attempts to eliminate DSAs. A persistently positive crossmatch after liver transplantation may lead to early, severe AMR and liver failure. C4d staining in the liver sinusoidal endothelium should alert one to the possibility of AMR. In our experience, patients with a positive crossmatch should have it repeated at 2 weeks and, if it is positive, again at 3 to 5 weeks. Recipients with an unknown preoperative crossmatch who develop early cholestasis of unclear etiology should be crossmatched or tested for the presence of DSAs to evaluate for AMR. Liver
Kidney and pancreas transplantation in 2005 improvedin quantity and outcome quality, despite the increasing average age of kidney graft recipients, with 56% aged 50 or older. Geography and ABO blood type contribute to the discrepancy in waiting time among the deceased donor (DD) candidates. Allocation policy changes are decreasing the median times to transplant for pediatric recipients. Overall, 6% more DD kidney transplants were performed in 2005 with slight increases in standard criteria donors (SCD) and expanded criteria donors (ECD). The largest increase (39%) was in donation after cardiac death (DCD) from non-ECD donors. These DCD, non-ECD kidneys had equivalent outcomes to SCD kidneys. 1-, 3-and 5-year unadjusted graft survival was 91%, 80% and 70% for non-ECD-DD transplants, 82%, 68% and 53% for ECD-DD grafts, and 95%, 88% and 80% for living donor kidney transplants. In
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