Delayed graft function is correlated with graft loss in recipients of expanded-criteria rather than standard-criteria donor kidneys:a retrospective,multicenter,observation cohort study

Background:Although the use of expanded-criteria donors(ECDs)alleviates the problem of organ shortage,it significantly increases the incidence of delayed graft function(DGF).DGF is a common complication after kidney transplantation;however,the effect of DGF on graft loss is uncertain based on the published literature.Hence,the aim of this study was to determine the relationship between DGF and allograft survival.Methods:We conducted a retrospective,multicenter,observation cohort study.A total of 284 deceased donors and 541 recipients between February 2012 and March 2017 were included.We used logistic regression analysis to verify the association between clinical parameters and DGF,and Cox proportional hazards models were applied to quantify the hazard ratios of DGF for kidney graft loss.Results:Among the 284 deceased donors,65(22.8%)donors were ECD.Of the 541 recipients,107(19.8%)recipients developed DGF,and this rate was higher with ECD kidneys than with standard-criteria donor(SCD)kidneys(29.2%vs.17.1%;P=0.003).The 5-year graft survival rate was not significantly different between SCD kidney recipients with and without DGF(95.8%vs.95.4%;P=0.580).However,there was a significant difference between ECD kidney recipients with and without DGF(71.4%vs.97.6%;P=0.001),and the adjusted hazard ratio(HR)for graft loss for recipients with DGF was 1.885(95%confidence interval[CI]=1.305–7.630;P=0.024).Results showed that induction therapy with anti-thymocyte globulin was protective against DGF(odds ratio=0.359;95%CI=0.197–0.652;P=0.001)with all donor kidneys and a protective factor for graft survival(HR=0.308;95%CI=0.130–0.728;P=0.007)with ECD kidneys.Conclusion:DGF is an independent risk factor for graft survival in recipients with ECD kidneys,but not SCD kidneys.

Renal transplantation with expanded criteria donors: Which is the optimal immunosuppression?

The growing gap between demand and supply for kidney transplants has led to renewed interest in the use of expanded criteria donor(ECD) kidneys in an effort to increase the donor pool. Although most studies of ECD kidney transplantation confirm lowerallograft survival rates and, generally, worse outcomes than standard criteria donor kidneys, recipients of ECD kidneys generally have improved survival compared with wait-listed dialysis patients, thus encouraging the pursuit of this type of kidney transplantation. The relative benefits of transplantation using kidneys from ECDs are dependent on patient characteristics and the waiting time on dialysis. Because of the increased risk of poor graft function, calcineurin inhibitor(CNI)-induced nephrotoxicity, increased incidence of infections, cardiovascular risk, and malignancies, elderly recipients of an ECD kidney transplant are a special population that requires a tailored immunosuppressive regimen. Recipients of ECD kidneys often are excluded from transplant trials and, therefore, the optimal induction and maintenance immunosuppressive regimen for them is not known. Approaches are largely center specific and based upon expert opinion. Some data suggest that antithymocyte globulin might be the preferred induction agent for elderly recipients of ECD kidneys. Maintenance regimens that spare CNIs have been advocated, especially for older recipients of ECD kidneys. CNI-free regimens are not universally accepted due to occasionally high rejection rates. However, reduced CNI exposure and CNI-free regimens based on mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors have shown acceptable outcomes in appropriately selected ECD transplant recipients.