Mary Killackey

Laparoscopic Procurement of Single Versus Multiple Artery Kidney Allografts: Is Long-Term Graft Survival Affected?

Background. Living donor kidneys with multiple arteries (MA) are increasingly procured laparoscopically for transplant. Methods. We compare long-term graft function and survival of kidneys with single arteries (SA) and MA over a 10-year period. Results. There were a total of 218 grafts with SA and 60 grafts with MA. The MA group had longer operative and ischemic times than SA group. There was a small increase in ureteral complication (8.3% vs. 2.3% P=0.06) and a significantly higher incidence of rejection (23.3% vs. 10.1%, P=0.01) in MA group than in SA group. Graft function was lower in MA group than SA group. The 5-year graft survival by Kaplan Meier analysis was better in SA group than in MA group (P=0.023). The estimated graft survivals at 1, 3, and 5 year were 94.4%, 90.6%, and 86% for SA group and 89.6%, 83.2%, and 71.8% for MA group. There was a higher percentage of graft loss from chronic allograft nephropathy in MA group than in SA group (16.7% vs. 5.5%, P=0.01). The presence of MA (vs. SA) was an independent risk for acute rejection (OR 3.60, 95% CI 1.59–8.14, P=0.002) and for graft loss (HR 2.31, 95% CI 1.05–5.09, P=0.038). Conclusion. Laparoscopic procurement of living donor kidneys with SA may be associated with a lower risk of rejection, better function, and superior long-term survival when compared with kidneys with MA.

Challenges of abdominal organ transplant in obesity.

Obesity is a worldwide epidemic and public health crisis associated with severe comorbidity leading to end organ dysfunction and poorer transplant outcome. Large population studies show decreased patient and graft survival in obese kidney transplant patients. Despite the poorer outcomes, kidney transplant is considered because of the survival benefit as compared to the wait-listed dialysis patients. In liver transplantation, the benefit of transplant as compared to remaining on the list is obvious because there is no viable liver dialysis at this time. Obesity in potential organ donors impacts both medical and surgical issues. Obesity-related kidney disease affects both the remaining and transplanted kidney. Pancreas donor organs are associated with decreased early graft survival. Liver donor organs with significant steatosis lead to an increased risk for delayed function or nonfunction of the organ. Immunosuppressive drugs with variable lipophilicity and altered volume of distribution can greatly affect the therapeutic usefulness of these drugs. Transplant candidates benefit from a multidisciplinary team approach to their care. As the epidemic progresses and less invasive treatments for metabolic surgery evolve, we are likely to see more patients lose weight before transplant as we continue to strive for improved outcomes.

Success with plasmapheresis treatment for recurrent focal segmental glomerulosclerosis in pediatric renal transplant recipients

FSGS recurs in approximately 30% of transplanted kidneys and may lead to graft loss. We retrospectively examined the efficacy of early and intensive PP without additional IS in pediatric kidney transplant patients with recurrent FSGS at our center. Seven of 24 patients (29%) had nephrotic proteinuria and histologic evidence of FSGS recurrence within 1–5 days post‐transplantation. PP was initiated early after transplantation and initially performed daily until sustained decline in proteinuria. PP frequency was then individually tapered according to proteinuria. Recurrent FSGS in all seven patients responded to a four‐ to 32‐wk course of PP. Two of seven patients had a second recurrence of FSGS, and both recurrences remitted after an additional 3–6 wk of PP. Median observation period was 4.5 yr (0.8–16.3 yr). Complete remission of recurrent FSGS has been sustained in all seven patients, and all patients have stable graft function with recent plasma creatinine <1.5 mg/dL in six of seven patients. Most recent urine protein/creatinine is 0.13–0.61 mg/mg in six of seven patients. One patient has heavy proteinuria secondary to chronic allograft nephropathy 16 yr post‐transplant. Intensive and prolonged PP, when initiated early in the post‐operative period, is effective in treating recurrent FSGS and preventing graft loss without the use of additional immunosuppressants.

Kidney transplantation alone in ESRD patients with hepatitis C cirrhosis.

Background Kidney transplantation (KTx) alone in patients with cirrhosis and renal failure (end-stage renal disease [ESRD]) infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is controversial. The aim of this study was to compare outcomes of HCV+ patients with ESRD and cirrhosis (C group) versus HCV+ patients with ESRD but with no cirrhosis (NC group) listed for KTx. Methods Ninety HCV+ patients with ESRD were evaluated for KTx between 2003 and 2010. Listed patients underwent transjugular liver biopsy with hepatic portal venous gradient (HPVG) measurements. Only patients with HPVG less than 10 mm Hg were considered for KTx alone. We analyzed patient demographics, waitlist/liver disease characteristics, and posttransplant outcomes between groups. Results Sixty-four patients listed for KTx alone were studied. Twelve patients (18.75%) showed biopsy-proven cirrhosis. Thirty-seven patients underwent KTx alone (9 from C and 28 from NC). No patients developed decompensation of their liver disease, although one patient for NC group developed metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma 16 months after transplantation. One- and three-year graft survival rates were 75% and 75% versus 92.1% and 75.1% for groups C and NC, respectively (P=0.72). One- and three-year patient survival rates were 88.9% and 88.9% versus 96.3% and 77.9% for groups C and NC, respectively (P=0.76). Only increasing recipient age and decreasing albumin levels were significantly associated with worse graft and patient survival. Conclusions Our study suggests that KTx alone may be safe in patients with compensated HCV, cirrhosis, and ESRD with HPVG less than 10 mm Hg. A simultaneous liver-kidney transplantation may be an unnecessary use of a liver allograft in these patients.

The effect of HLA mismatch on highly sensitized renal allograft recipients

Paramesh AS, Zhang R, Baber J, Yau CL, Slakey DP, Killackey MT, Ren Q, Sullivan K, Heneghan J, Florman SS. The effect of HLA mismatch on highly sensitized renal allograft recipients. 
Clin Transplant 2010: 24: E247–E252.

Living donor kidney transplantation: medical, legal, and ethical considerations.

The use of living donor kidneys has dramatically increased the number and success of kidney transplants across the world. But questions remain regarding the subjection of a healthy individual to surgery for the benefit of another. Donors do have medical and financial risks. The stigma of organ brokering remains today, with evidence of commercial transplantation in other countries. Here in the US, we are exposed to advertising for donors using the media. In the hope of increasing living donations, we run the risk of stretching altruism too far. In this manuscript, we highlight and discuss some of the current controversies surrounding living donor kidney transplantation across the world.

The long-term survival of simultaneous pancreas and kidney transplant with basiliximab induction therapy

Abstract:  Interleukin‐2 receptor (IL2R) antibody has emerged as an attractive induction therapy for organ transplant. However, the long‐term outcome of basiliximab induction in simultaneous pancreas and kidney (SPK) transplant remains speculative. We retrospectively analyzed the long‐term survivals of 91 consecutive SPK recipients with basiliximab as induction, combination of steroid, tacrolimus (TAC) and mycophenolate acid (MFA) – either mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) or sodium mycophenolate (myfortic) as maintenance. At one, three, five, and seven‐yr, the actual patient survival rate were 91.2%, 90.3%, 88.1%, and 88.2%, respectively; kidney graft survivals were 90.1%, 84.7%, 78.6%, and 70.6%, respectively; and pancreas graft survivals were 86.8%, 80.6%, 71.4%, and 58.8% respectively. There was a low incidence of rejection and CMV infection. Basiliximab induction with TAC, MFA, and steroid maintenance therapy can provide excellent long‐term outcome for SPK recipients.

A Comparison of Long‐Term Survivals of Simultaneous Pancreas–Kidney Transplant between African American and Caucasian Recipients with Basiliximab Induction Therapy

African Americans (AA) have traditionally been thought to have higher immunologic risk than Caucasians (CA) for rejection and allograft loss. The impact of ethnicity on the outcome of simultaneous pancreas–kidney (SPK) transplant with basiliximab induction has not been reported. In this study, we retrospectively analyze the long‐term results of 36 AA and 55 CA recipients of primary SPK. The actual patient survival rates of AA and CA groups were 91.7% vs. 90.1% at 1 year, 93.3% vs. 88.1% at 3 years, and 94.4% vs. 83.3% at 5 years. The actual kidney survival of AA and CA were 91.7% vs. 89.1% at 1 year, 90% vs. 81% at 3 years, and 83.3% vs. 75% at 5 years. The actual pancreas survival of AA and CA were 88.9% vs. 85.5% at 1 year, 83.3% vs. 78.6% at 3 years and 72.2% vs. 70.8% at 5 years. Death‐censored analyses also found no difference in pancreas and kidney graft survival rates over 5 years. Higher rejection rate, but the same low CMV infection, and comparable quality of graft function were noted in AA group. AA may not have worse long‐term outcomes than CA recipients of SPK with basiliximab induction and tacrolimus (TAC), mycophenolate acid (MFA) and steroid maintenance immunotherapy.

Long-term outcome of highly sensitized African American patients transplanted with deceased donor kidneys

Undertaking transplantation in highly sensitized African American (AA) patients as transplant recipients represents a unique challenge. We retrospectively compared the outcomes of AA with non‐African American (NAA) patients who had panel reactive antibody >80% and received deceased donor (DD) kidneys by virtual crossmatch. Immunosuppressive regimen included basiliximab induction and tacrolimus, mycophenolate acid and steroids maintenance. Among 835 consecutive transplants from 1998 to 2007, 142 (17%) were sensitized patients including 89 (16.6%) AA and 53 (17.7%) NAA patients. The AA group had similar 5‐year incidence of acute rejection as NAA group (21.4% vs. 26.4%, P = 0.25). Kaplan–Meier estimated graft survival at 1, 3 and 5 years were 91%, 85% and 82% in AA group, and 94%, 79% and 71% in NAA group (P = 0.08). The death‐censored graft survival at 1, 3, and 5 years were 93%, 86% and 84% in AA group, and 96%, 83% and 78% in NAA group (P = 0.11). The 1, 3, and 5 years patient survivals were 93%, 88% and 85% in AA group, and 96%, 96% and 94% in NAA group (P = 0.17). Highly sensitized AA patients could be transplanted with DD kidneys at a similar rate as NAA patients, and they may not have a higher incidence of rejection or an inferior graft survival than NAA patients.

The Effects of Body Mass Index on Graft Survival in Adult Recipients Transplanted with Single Pediatric Kidneys

Background: There is insufficient data on the impact of recipient body mass index (BMI) on the long-term graft survival of adult patients transplanted with single pediatric kidneys. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of adult patients transplanted with single pediatric kidneys at our center. The recipients were classified into 2 groups: group 1 (BMI ≥30) and group 2 (BMI <30). Donor/recipient demographics, postoperative outcomes and survival rates were compared between the 2 groups. Results: There was no significant difference in donor/recipient demographics between the 2 groups. In group 1, the death-censored graft survival (DCGS) at 1, 3 and 5 years was 90% at all 3 time points, and in group 2 it was 86, 68 and 60%, respectively (p = 0.05). The mean glomerular filtration rate (with standard deviation in parentheses) at 1, 3 and 5 years was, respectively, 55 (15), 59 (19) and 55 (28) ml/min for group 1, compared to 65 (28), 69 (23) and 67 (20) ml/min in group 2 (p = NS). Multivariate analysis revealed a hazard ratio of 5.12 (95% confidence interval 1.06–24.7; p = 0.04) for graft loss in nonobese patients when compared to obese patients. Obese patients had an increased risk for acute rejections within the first month of transplant (p = 0.02). Conclusion: Patients with a BMI ≥30 transplanted with single pediatric kidneys have better DCGS rates when compared to nonobese patients.