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Introduction: Simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation (SPK) is the preferred treatment for individuals with type-1 diabetes and end-stage renal disease. However, a limited supply of "Ideal Pancreas Donors" contributed to a growing disparity between available organs and recipients. Even though SPK outcomes from pediatric donors match those from adult donors, unclear guidelines on minimum age and weight criteria for extra small pediatric pancreas donors lead to hesitancy among several transplant centers to utilize these grafts due to concerns about inadequate islet mass, technical challenges, and increased risk of allograft thrombosis., Methods: This report details the successful outcomes of SPK transplantations performed at the study center between December 2021 and January 2024, using four extra small pediatric brain-dead donors (ESPDs). Each donor was aged ≤5 years and weighed <20 kg., Results: All SPK recipients achieved immediate posttransplant euglycemia without requiring insulin. None of the recipients experienced graft pancreatitis, graft thrombosis, allograft rejection, or required re-exploration. During a 5-27-month follow-up period, all ESPD recipients maintained optimal graft function, as evidenced by normal glucose tolerance tests and HbA1c (4.9%-5.2%), with 100% graft and patient survival., Conclusion: This report examines the usage of ESPDs in SPK transplantation, highlighting their potential to expand the donor pool and reduce wait times in areas with scarce deceased organ donations, thereby increasing the number of available organs for transplantation with acceptable outcomes. Revising donor selection guidelines to reflect the diverse risk-benefit profiles of waitlisted individuals is crucial to addressing geographical disparities and reducing organ discard rates., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Living donor kidney transplantation is the optimal treatment for end-stage kidney disease; however, few living donor candidates (LDCs) who begin evaluation actually donate. While some LDCs are deemed medically ineligible, others discontinue for potentially modifiable reasons., Methods: At five transplant centers, we conducted a prospective cohort study measuring LDCs' clinical and psychosocial characteristics, educational preparation, readiness to donate, and social determinants of health. We followed LDCs for 12 months after evaluation to determine whether they donated a kidney, opted to discontinue, had modifiable reasons for discontinuing, were medically ineligible, or had other recipient-related reasons for discontinuing., Results: Among 2184 LDCs, 18.6% donated, 38.2% opted to or had modifiable reasons for discontinuing, and 43.2% were deemed ineligible due to medical or recipient-related reasons. Multivariable analyses comparing successful LDCs with those who did not complete donation for modifiable reasons (N = 1241) found that LDCs who discussed donation with the recipient before evaluation (OR, 2.31; 95% CI, 1.54-3.46), had completed high school (OR, 2.01; 95% CI, 1.21-3.35), or were a "close relation" to their recipient (OR, 1.89; 95% CI, 1.33-2.69) were more likely to donate. Conversely, LDCs who reported religion as important (OR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.38-0.80), were Non-White (OR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.49-1.00), or had overall higher anxiety scores (OR, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.86-0.99) were less likely to donate., Conclusion: With fewer than a fifth of LDCs donating, developing programs to provide greater emotional support and facilitate open discussions between LDCs and recipients earlier may increase living donation rates., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Brazil has a large public transplant program, but it remains unclear if the kidney waitlist criteria effectively allocate organs. This study aimed to investigate whether gender, ethnicity, clinical characteristics, and Brazilian regions affect the chance of deceased donor kidney transplant (DDKT)., Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the National Transplant System/Brazil database, which included all patients on the kidney transplant waitlist from January 2012 to December 2022, followed until May 2023. The primary outcome assessed was the chance of DDKT, measured using subdistribution hazard and cause-specific hazard models (subdistribution hazard ratio [sHR])., Results: We analyzed 118 617 waitlisted patients over a 10-year study period. Male patients had an sHR of 1.07 ([95% CI: 1.05-1.10], p < 0.001), indicating a higher chance of DDTK. Patients of mixed race and Yellow/Indigenous ethnicity had lower rates of receiving a transplant compared to Caucasian patients, with sHR of 0.97 (95% CI: 0.95-1) and 0.89 (95% CI: 0.95-1), respectively. Patients from the South region had the highest chance of DDKT, followed by those from the Midwest and Northeast, compared to patients from the Southeast, with sHR of 2.53 (95% CI: 2.47-2.61), 1.21 (95% CI: 1.16-1.27), and 1.10 (95% CI: 1.07-1.13), respectively. The North region had the lowest chance of DDTK, sHR of 0.29 (95% CI: 0.27-0.31)., Conclusion: We found that women and racial minorities faced disadvantages in kidney transplantation. Additionally, we observed regional disparities, with the North region having the lowest chance of DDKT and longer times on dialysis before being waitlisted. In contrast, patients in the South regions had a chance of DDKT and shorter times on dialysis before being waitlisted. It is urgent to implement approaches to enhance transplant capacity in the North region and address race and gender disparities in transplantation., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background and Objectives: Kidney transplantation with minimal or no dialysis exposure provides optimal outcomes for children with end-stage kidney disease. We sought to understand disparities in timely access to transplant waitlisting., Methods: We conducted a retrospective, registry-based cohort study of candidates ages 3 to 17 added to the US kidney transplant waitlist 2015 to 2019. We defined "preemptive waitlisting" as waitlist addition before receiving dialysis and compared demographics of candidates based on preemptive status. We used competing risk regression to determine the association between preemptive waitlisting and transplantation. We then identified waitlist additions age >18 who initiated dialysis as children, thereby missing pediatric allocation prioritization, and evaluated the association between waitlisting with pediatric prioritization and transplantation., Results: Among 4506 pediatric candidates, 48% were waitlisted preemptively. Female sex, Hispanic ethnicity, Black race, and public insurance were associated with lower adjusted relative risk of preemptive waitlisting. Preemptive listing was not associated with time from waitlist activation to transplantation (adjusted hazard ratio 0.94, 95% confidence interval 0.87-1.02). Among transplant recipients waitlisted preemptively, 68% had no pretransplant dialysis, whereas recipients listed nonpreemptively had median 1.6 years of dialysis at transplant. Among 415 candidates initiating dialysis as children but waitlisted as adults, transplant rate was lower versus nonpreemptive pediatric candidates after waitlist activation (adjusted hazard ratio 0.54, 95% confidence interval 0.44-0.66)., Conclusions: Disparities in timely waitlisting are associated with differences in pretransplant dialysis exposure despite no difference in time to transplant after waitlist activation. Young adults who experience delays may miss pediatric prioritization, highlighting an area for policy intervention., (Copyright © 2024 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.)

Background: Permanent hypoparathyroidism is a significant complication after total thyroidectomy. This study aimed to evaluate the long-term impact of postoperative permanent hypoparathyroidism on kidney outcomes., Methods: Data of patients undergoing total thyroidectomy from 1999 to 2014 were retrieved. The estimated glomerular filtration rate was determined from serum creatinine results. Permanent hypoparathyroidism was defined as requiring oral calcium and vitamin D supplements postoperatively for at least 6 months. The primary outcome was a sustained decline in the estimated glomerular filtration rate from baseline by ≥50%. Secondary outcomes were end-stage kidney disease (a composite of sustained estimated glomerular filtration rate <15 mL/min/1.73 m 2 , need for dialysis, and kidney transplantation) and rate of estimated glomerular filtration rate decline. Patients with and without permanent hypoparathyroidism were compared. Multivariable Cox regression analysis was performed to identify independent risk factors for sustained estimated glomerular filtration rate decline by ≥50%., Results: In total, 3,245 patients were eligible for analysis; 418 patients (12.9%) had permanent hypoparathyroidism. Upon median follow-up of 11.6 years, more patients with permanent hypoparathyroidism had a sustained decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate from baseline by ≥50% compared to those without (15.6% vs 6.9%, P < .001). Similar findings were obtained on Kaplan-Meier analysis (P < .001). Permanent hypoparathyroidism was an independent risk factor for sustained estimated glomerular filtration rate decline by ≥50% (adjusted hazard ratio 2.77, P < .001). Other risk factors included age, preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min/1.73m 2 , and diabetes mellitus. Patients with permanent hypoparathyroidism had a more rapid estimated glomerular filtration rate decline (-1.60 vs -0.70 mL/min/1.73 m 2 /year, difference -0.91 mL/min/1.73m 2 /year, P < .001)., Conclusion: Patients with postsurgical permanent hypoparathyroidism were at greater risk of renal impairment. Further research is warranted to improve the identification and preservation of parathyroid glands during thyroidectomy to minimize patient morbidity., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Racial disparities in pediatric kidney transplantation have been well described over the last two decades and include disparities in preemptive transplantation, waitlisting, time from activation to transplantation, living donation, and graft outcomes. Changes to the organ allocation system including the institution of Share 35 in 2005 and the Kidney Allocation System (KAS) of 2014 have resulted in resolution of some, but not all racial-ethnic disparities. Despite overall improvements in time from waitlist activation to transplant, disparities remain in preemptive transplantation, time to waitlisting, and living donor transplantation. Although improving under the KAS, racial disparities remain in graft survival as well. Racial disparity in kidney transplant access and graft survival is an international problem within pediatric nephrology. Although the racial group affected may differ, various minoritized pediatric groups across the world are affected by transplant disparities. Social determinants of health including financial access, language barriers, and the presence of a healthy living donor play a role in mediating these disparities. Further investigation is needed to better understand and intervene upon modifiable social, biological, and cultural factors driving the remaining disparity in transplant outcomes., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to International Pediatric Nephrology Association.)

Background: End stage renal disease (ESRD) occurs when the kidneys are unable to filter the waste products and excessive fluids from the blood that results into the accumulation of toxins and fluid in the body. Tacrolimus is commonly used immunosuppressant while sirolimus and cyclosporin are rarely used drugs to stop solid organ transplant rejection. The host's immunological response following transplantation produces interleukin-10 (IL-10), which influences the varied CYP3A-dependent drug disposition of tacrolimus. The aim of this study was to determine the genetic polymorphisms of IL-10 (rs1800871, rs1800872 and rs1800896) gene associated with tacrolimus metabolism in kidney transplant patients from Lahore Punjab, Pakistan., Methods: The study collected blood samples of 103 healthy individuals and 137 kidney transplant patients as control and treatment groups, respectively. We employed Tetra ARMS PCR for the genotype analysis of extracted DNA. The alleles were called on 2% agarose gel. Moreover, the study utilized SPSS software to analyze statistical significance of polymorphism., Results: It was found that genotypic frequencies of IL-10 (rs1800871), IL-10 (rs1800872), and IL-10 (rs1800896) were (TT: 66.4%; TC: 31.4%; CC: 2.2%), (AA: 27.7%; AC: 54%; CC: 18.2%), (AA: 64.2%; GA: 17.5%; GG: 18.3%), respectively among kidney transplant patients. All parameters show significant association at different points after transplantation. Genetic analysis showed that TC and CC genotypes in rs1800871 (OR (95%CI) = 5.721 (3.231-10.131), P < 0.001; OR (95%CI) = 3.370 (0.642-17.672), P = 0.150), AC and CC genotypes in rs1800872 (OR (95%CI) = 1.294 (0.695-2.410), P = 0.415; OR (95%CI) = 1.453 (0.671-3.147), P = 0.342), GA and GG genotypes in rs1800896 (OR (95%CI) = 42.952 (17.566-105.021), P = 0.001; OR (95%CI) = 7.040 (2.563-19.333), P = 0.342) was associated with risk of renal rejection in kidney transplant patients. Besides, genetic models showed that TT in rs1800871, AA genotypes in rs1800872 and rs1800892 were associated with risk of renal rejection under dominant model when compared to controls (OR (95%CI) = 5.721 (3.231-10.131), P < 0.001; OR (95%CI) = 1.335 (0.735-9.290), P < 0.341; OR (95%CI) = 24.629 (10.599-57.230), P < 0.001), respectively., Conclusion: From the results, it is concluded that genetic polymorphism of IL-10 (rs1800871, rs1800872 and rs1800896) has a highly significant association with risk of renal rejection in Pakistani kidney transplant patients., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Chronic viral infections caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C (HCV), and hepatitis B (HBV) are common among patients with end-stage renal disease (ESKD). These infections were once considered contraindications to kidney transplantation due to potential risks associated with long-term immunosuppression. Improved management and antiviral therapies have changed the prognosis and survival of this group of patients, along with an increased experience in transplanting people with these viral infections. We report the first successful kidney transplant in an ESKD patient on hemodialysis with a history of concomitant HIV, HCV and HBV infection in Mexico., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Hemodialysis remains the main kidney replacement therapy for end-stage renal disease patients worldwide. When superficial veins are exhausted or arteriovenous fistula cannot be established, arteriovenous graft fistula should be selected as the permanent dialysis access. The article elaborates on the process of arteriovenous graft fistula construction, including many technical aspects, such as preoperative evaluation, surgical plan, graft selection, preoperative preparation, and surgical procedure, which are related to surgical outcomes, complications, and long-term patency rate.

BACKGROUND End-stage renal disease is a major issue in the management of patients undergoing lung transplantation. Combined kidney-lung transplantation (CKLT) and kidney after lung transplantation (KALT) are the 2 preferred solutions to manage this situation. To evaluate these strategies, we describe kidney and lung graft outcomes and patient survival in patients managed with CKLT and KALT. MATERIAL AND METHODS We conducted a retrospective single-center cohort study. Patients who underwent a CKLT or a KALT were included in this study. Retrospective extraction of data from medical records was performed. RESULTS Seventeen patients underwent CKLT and 9 underwent KALT. Most of the patients had cystic fibrosis and presented renal failure related to anti-calcineurin toxicity. The 30-day and 1-year survival of CKLT recipients were both 75.6%. No patients with KALT died during the follow-up. Kidney graft prognosis was almost exclusively influenced by patient survival in relation to postoperative lung transplant complications. The rate of severe surgical complications was close to 60% for CKLT compared with 30% for KALT. The kidney graft function (estimated kidney graft function) did not differ according to the transplantation strategy. CONCLUSIONS KALT is a safe option, with postoperative morbidity and renal graft function identical to those of kidney transplantation in non-lung-transplanted patients. The results of CKLT depend mainly on the morbidity associated with lung transplantation but remain an attractive option for patients with respiratory failure associated with end-stage renal disease. The choice of transplant strategy must also take into account the most ethical and efficient allocation of kidney grafts.

Renal transplantation is a life-saving treatment for patients with end-stage renal disease. However, the challenge of transplant rejection and the complications associated with immunosuppressants necessitates a deeper understanding of the underlying immune mechanisms. T cell exhaustion, a state characterized by impaired effector functions and sustained expression of inhibitory receptors, plays a dual role in renal transplantation. While moderate T cell exhaustion can aid in graft acceptance by regulating alloreactive T cell responses, excessive exhaustion may impair the recipient's ability to control viral infections and tumors, posing significant health risks. Moreover, drugs targeting T cell exhaustion to promote graft tolerance and using immune checkpoint inhibitors for cancer treatment in transplant recipients are areas deserving of further attention and research. This review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the changes in T cell exhaustion levels after renal transplantation and their implications for graft survival and patient outcomes. We discuss the molecular mechanisms underlying T cell exhaustion, the role of specific exhaustion markers, the potential impact of immunosuppressive therapies, and the pharmaceutical intervention on T cell exhaustion levels. Additionally, we demonstrate the potential to modulate T cell exhaustion favorably, enhancing graft survival. Future research should focus on the distinctions of T cell exhaustion across different immune states and subsets, as well as the interactions between exhausted T cells and other immune cells. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for optimizing transplant outcomes and ensuring long-term graft survival while maintaining immune competence., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Wang, Zhang, Zhong and Wei.)

Objectives: Obesogenic medications are a putative contributor to the obesity epidemic. While 20% of adults take ≥1 obesogenic medication, the proportion in the end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) population-a group enriched for cardiometabolic complications-is unknown. Obesogenic medications may contribute to obesity and hamper weight loss efforts to achieve transplant listing., Methods: Using 2017-2020 USRDS and Medicare claims, patients were identified as taking obesogenic medications if prescribed anticonvulsants, antidepressants, antidiabetics, anti-inflammatories, antipsychotics, and/or antihypertensives known to cause weight gain for ≥30 days in their first hemodialysis year. Ordinal logistic and Cox regression with inverse probability of treatment weighting were used to quantify obesogenic medications' association with body mass index (BMI) and listing, respectively., Results: Among 271 401 hemodialysis initiates, 63.5% took ≥1 obesogenic medication. For those in underweight, normal weight, overweight, and class I, II, and III categories, 54.3%, 58.4%, 63.1%, 66.5%, 68.6%, and 68.8% took ≥1, respectively. Number of obesogenic medications was associated with increased BMI; use of one was associated with 13% increased odds of higher BMI (aOR [adjusted odds ratio] 1.14; 95%CI: 1.13-1.16; p < 0.001), use of three was associated with a 55% increase (aOR 1.55; 95%CI: 1.53-1.57; p < 0.001). Any use was associated with 6% lower odds of transplant listing (aHR [adjusted hazard ratio] 0.94; 95%CI: 0.92-0.96; p < 0.001). Within each BMI category, obesogenic medication use was associated with lower listing likelihood., Conclusions: Obesogenic medication use is common in ESKD patients-particularly those with obesity-and is associated with lower listing likelihood. Whenever possible, non-obesogenic alternatives should be chosen for ESKD patients attempting weight loss to achieve transplant listing., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Introduction: Angiotensin II (ATII) maintains blood pressure via RAAS with a beneficial adverse effect profile versus catecholamines and phenylephrine. Head-to-head data comparing ATII to phenylephrine are lacking regarding renal allograft function, hemodynamic efficacy, and safety within the perioperative period of kidney transplantation., Methods: This single-center, retrospective study included adult kidney transplant recipients who received continuous infusions of ATII or phenylephrine within a 24-h perioperative period as a first-line vasopressor according to an institutional algorithm. The primary endpoint was allograft function. Secondary endpoints were hemodynamic efficacy and adverse effects., Results: Among 105 patients, there was no significant difference in IGF (p = 0.545), SGF (p = 0.557), or DGF (p = 0.878) between patient cohorts. In the 34 patients with cold ischemia time (CIT) > 14-h, IGF was higher (p = 0.013) and DGF (p = 0.045) was lower in the ATII cohort versus phenylephrine. In all patients, ATII was associated with a decreased need for additional vasopressor agents (p < 0.001). Adverse effect profiles were similar between cohorts (p > 0.05)., Conclusion: Among kidney transplant recipients, ATII may be a suitable first-line alternative compared with phenylephrine in the perioperative period for hypotension management with a reduced need for additional vasopressor support. Allograft benefits were observed in patients with prolonged CIT., (© 2024 The Author(s). Clinical Transplantation published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: Efforts to address the shortage of donor organs include increasing the use of renal allografts from donors after circulatory death (DCD). While warm ischemia time (WIT) is thought to be an important factor in DCD kidney evaluation, few studies have compared the relationship between WIT and DCD kidney outcomes, and WIT acceptance practices remain variable., Methods: We conducted a single-center retrospective review of all adult patients who underwent deceased donor kidney transplantation from 2000 to 2021. We evaluated the impact of varied functional warm ischemia time (fWIT) in controlled DCD donors by comparing donor and recipient characteristics and posttransplant outcomes between high fWIT (>60 min), low fWIT (≤60 min), and kidneys transplanted from donors after brain death (DBD)., Results: Two thousand eight hundred eleven patients were identified, 638 received low fWIT DCD, 93 received high fWIT DCD, and 2080 received DBD kidneys. There was no significant difference in 5-year graft survival between the DCD low fWIT, high fWIT, and DBD groups, with 84%, 83%, and 83% of grafts functioning, respectively. Five-year patient survival was 91% in the low fWIT group, 92% in the high fWIT group, and 90% in the DBD group. An increase in kidney donor risk index (KDRI) (HR 3.37, 95% CI = 2.1-5.7) and high CIT compared to low CIT (HR 2.12, 95% CI = 1.4-3.1) have higher hazard ratios for 1-year graft failure., Conclusions: Increased acceptance of kidneys from selected DCD donors with prolonged fWIT may present an opportunity to increase kidney utilization while preserving outcomes. Our group specifically prioritizes the use of kidneys from younger donors, with lower KDPI, and without acute kidney injury, or risk factors for underlying chronic kidney disease., (© 2024 The Author(s). Clinical Transplantation published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: Delayed graft function (DGF) after kidney transplantation is associated with adverse patients and allograft outcomes. A longer duration of DGF is predictive of worse graft outcomes compared to a shorter duration. Posttransplant serum β2-microglobulin (B2M) is associated with long-term graft outcomes, but its relationship with DGF recovery is unknown., Methods: We included all kidney-only transplant recipients with DGF enrolled in the E-DGF trial. Duration of DGF was defined as the interval between the transplant and the last dialysis session. We analyzed the association of standardized serum creatinine (Scr) and B2M on postoperative Days (POD) 1-7 during the subsequent days of DGF with the recovery of DGF., Results: A total of 97 recipients with DGF were included. The mean duration of DGF was 11.0 ± 11.2 days. Higher Scr was not associated with the duration of DGF in unadjusted or adjusted models. Higher standardized B2M, in contrast, was associated with a prolonged duration of DGF. This association remained in models adjusting for baseline characteristics from POD 2 (3.19 days longer, 95% CI: 0.46-5.93; p = 0.02) through Day 6 of DGF (4.97 days longer, 95% CI: 0.75-9.20; p = 0.02). There was minimal change in mean Scr (0.01 ± 0. 10 mg/dL per day; p = 0.32), while B2M significantly decreased as the time to recovery approached (-0.14 ± 0.05 mg/L per day; p = 0.006), among recipients with DGF., Conclusion: B2M is more strongly associated with DGF recovery than Scr. Posttransplant B2M may be an important biomarker to monitor during DGF., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03864926., (© 2024 The Author(s). Clinical Transplantation published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Performance-based measures of frailty are associated with healthcare utilization after kidney transplantation (KT) but require in-person assessment. A promising alternative is self-reported frailty. The goal of this study was to examine the ability of performance-based and self-reported frailty measures to predict 30-day rehospitalizations after KT. We conducted a prospective, observational cohort study involving 272 adults undergoing KT at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, Florida, or Arizona. We simultaneously measured frailty before KT using the physical frailty phenotype (PFP), the short physical performance battery (SPPB), and self-report (the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System [PROMIS] 4-item physical function short form v2.0). Both the PFP and self-reported frailty were independently associated with more than a 2-fold greater odds of 30-day rehospitalizations, while the SPPB was not. To our knowledge, this is the first study to assess the prognostic value of all three of the above frailty measures in patients undergoing KT. The PFP is more prognostic than the SPPB when assessing the risk of 30-day rehospitalizations; self-reported frailty can complement the PFP but not replace it. However, the 4-item survey assessing self-reported frailty represents a simple way to identify patients undergoing KT surgery who would benefit from interventions to lower the risk of rehospitalizations., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a herpesvirus linked to nine different human tumors and lymphoproliferative disorders. Immunosuppression promotes EBV-driven malignancies. The most frequent EBV-induced malignancies are lymphomas and nasopharyngeal carcinoma. By promoting smooth muscle proliferation, EBV can induce EBV-associated smooth muscle tumors (EBV-SMT). EBV-SMT is a rare oncological entity for which no current guideline for diagnosis or management exists. Data on posttransplant EBV-SMT (PT-SMT) are scarce in kidney transplant recipients., Methods: We conducted a national multicentric retrospective study and collected cases among transplantation centers in France. Kidney transplant recipients experiencing histologically proven PT-SMT were included. We collected data on demographic characteristics of patient, history of kidney transplantation, history of PT-SMT, evolution of graft function, and patient survival., Results: Eight patients were included. The median age at PT-SMT diagnosis was 31 years (range 6.5-40). PT-SMT occurred after a median delay of 37.8 months after transplantation (range 6-175). PT-SMT management consisted in immunosuppressive regimen minimization in all patients. Introduction of mTOR inhibitors was performed in two patients. Four patients (50%) needed chemotherapy. Surgical resection was performed in four patients. At last follow-up after PT-SMT diagnosis (median 33 months (range 17-132)), five patients were considered in complete remission, and two patients had died. Two patients experienced graft rejection; two resumed dialysis (25%). All patients with available data presented with impaired graft function at last follow-up., Conclusion: PT-SMT is a subacute and progressive disease during kidney transplantation. Even if the risk of developing PT-SMT is low in kidney transplant recipients (0.07% in our cohort), PT-SMT is associated with significant graft loss, possibly due to reduced immunosuppression. Developing guidelines could help transplantation teams better manage these patients., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Introduction: The study purpose was to review retrospectively our single-center experience transplanting kidneys from deceased donors (DD) with acute kidney injury (AKI) according to terminal serum creatinine (tSCr) level., Methods: AKI kidneys were defined by a doubling of the DD's admission SCr and a tSCr ≥ 2.0 mg/dL., Results: From 1/07 to 11/21, we transplanted 236 AKI DD kidneys, including 100 with a tSCr ≥ 3.0 mg/dL (high SCr AKI group, mean tSCr 4.2 mg/dL), and the remaining 136 from DDs with a tSCr of 2.0-2.99 mg/dL (lower SCr AKI group, mean tSCr 2.4 mg/dL). These two AKI groups were compared to 996 concurrent control patients receiving DD kidneys with a tSCr < 1.0 mg/dL. Mean follow-up was 69 months. Delayed graft function (DGF) rates were 51% versus 46% versus 29% (p < 0.0001), and 5-year patient and death-censored kidney graft survival rates were 96.8% versus 83.5% versus 82.2% (p = 0.002) and 86.7% versus 77.8% versus 78.8% (p = 0.18) in the high tSCr AKI versus lower tSCr AKI versus control groups, respectively., Conclusions: Despite a higher incidence of DGF, patients receiving kidneys from DDs with tSCr levels ≥3.0 mg/dL have acceptable medium-term outcomes compared to either AKI DDs with a lower tSCr or DDs with a tSCr < 1.0 mg/dL., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD) are at high risk of developing upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). Due to high recurrence rate of UTUC in contralateral kidney and ureter, and high risk of complications related to surgery and anesthesia, whether it's necessary to remove both kineys and ureters at one time remains in debate. We utilized Taiwanese UTUC Registry Database to valuate the difference of oncological outcomes and perioperative complications between patients with ESRD with unilateral and bilateral UTUC receiving surgical resection. Patients with ESRD and UTUC were divided into three groups, unilateral UTUC, previous history of unilateral UTUC with metachronous contralateral UTUC, and concurrent bilatetral UTUC. Oncological outcomes, perioperative complications, and length of hospital stays were investiaged. We found that there is no diffence of oncological outcomes including overall survival, cancer specific survival, disease free survival and bladder recurrence free survival between these three groups. Complication rate and length of hospital stay are similar. Adverse oncological features such as advanced tumor stage, lymph node involvement, lymphovascular invasion, and positive surgical margin would negatively affect oncological outcomes., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is a common cause of end-stage kidney disease and frequently recurs after kidney transplantation. Recurrent FSGS (rFSGS) is associated with poor allograft and patient outcomes. Bleselumab, a fully human immunoglobulin G4 anti-CD40 antagonistic monoclonal antibody, disrupts CD40-related processes in FSGS, potentially preventing rFSGS., Methods: A phase 2a, randomized, multicenter, open-label study of adult recipients (aged ≥18 y) of a living or deceased donor kidney transplant with a history of biopsy-proven primary FSGS. The study assessed the efficacy of bleselumab combined with tacrolimus and corticosteroids as maintenance immunosuppression in the prevention of rFSGS >12 mo posttransplantation, versus standard of care (SOC) comprising tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and corticosteroids. All patients received basiliximab induction. The primary endpoint was rFSGS, defined as proteinuria (protein-creatinine ratio ≥3.0 g/g) with death, graft loss, or loss to follow-up imputed as rFSGS, through 3 mo posttransplant., Results: Sixty-three patients were followed for 12 mo posttransplantation. Relative decrease in rFSGS occurrence through 3 mo with bleselumab versus SOC was 40.7% (95% confidence interval, -89.8 to 26.8; P = 0.37; absolute decrease 12.7% [95% confidence interval, -34.5 to 9.0]). Central-blinded biopsy review found relative (absolute) decreases in rFSGS of 10.9% (3.9%), 17.0% (6.2%), and 20.5% (7.5%) at 3, 6, and 12 mo posttransplant, respectively; these differences were not statistically significant. Adverse events were similar for both treatments. No deaths occurred during the study., Conclusions: In at-risk kidney transplant recipients, bleselumab numerically reduced proteinuria occurrence versus SOC, but no notable difference in occurrence of biopsy-proven rFSGS was observed., Competing Interests: W.C.G. is a clinical advisor for Quell Therapeutics. J.R.W. received payment or honoraria from Veloxis and Sanofi. S.S.C. received grants from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. K.S. received grants from CTI Clinical Trial Services and BMS and had leadership or fiduciary roles in the Banff Foundation for Allograft Pathology and Renal Pathology Society. V.S., T.J.L., and X.W. are employees of Astellas Pharma Global Development Inc. M.T. was an employee of Astellas Pharma Global Development Inc at the time of the study and is currently an employee of Astellas Pharma Inc, Tokyo, Japan. J.S., P.N.C., and O.J. have no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Background: For patients with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), kidney transplantation stands as the superior alternative to dialysis, exhibiting enhancements in both quality of life and survival rates. The objective of this study is to ascertain the prevalence of infections and associated risk factors within the initial two years post-renal transplant., Method: A retrospective study of all renal transplant recipients who underwent renal transplantation at king Abdullah medical city in Makkah, Saudi Arabia from January 1st, 2018, till end of December 2021 followed up for two years., Results: A total of 43 patients were included in the study, The participants who experienced infectious episodes had a higher mean age, averaging 45.26 ± 14, in contrast to those who did not, averaging 38.75 ± 12. Most of the patients included in the study were male, 70 % of the total population. However, most infectious complications occurred in women (77 % vs. 30 %, respectively, p-value 0.004). Regarding the mode of dialysis before the transplantation, most of the patients were maintained on hemodialysis (76.7 %), and the mean duration of dialysis was longer on those presented with infections within two years post-transplant compared to those without it (3.26 ± 1.6 vs. 2 ± 1.14 years respectively). The incidence of the infections was 44.2 % (19 individuals). The most common presented infections in the patients within two years post renal transplant were urinary tract infections (20.9 %), with a high recurrence rate reaching 11.6 %. This was followed by Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and Cytomegalovirus (CMV)., Conclusion: This study sheds light on the prevalence of infectious complications following renal transplantation and highlights specific risk factors associated with these infections. Understanding these patterns can aid in the development of preventive strategies and optimized care for transplant recipients during the early post-transplant period., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Background: Kidney transplantation is the treatment of choice for pediatric end-stage renal disease. Transplant recipients often have better neurocognitive, academic, and health-related outcomes. While there is some evidence that health-related quality of life (HRQOL) improves following kidney transplant, other studies have found adolescent transplant recipients report lower overall HRQOL than healthy peers. Current research has focused on individual-level factors affecting adjustment to organ transplant, warranting examination of HRQOL from a systems perspective. Family environment and social support contribute to a system of proximal relationships that are crucial in adolescents' development, making them important factors to study in relation to HRQOL post-transplant., Methods: The current study utilized archival data of adolescent renal transplant patients who completed surveys about their family environment, social support, and HRQOL during routine transplant clinic visits., Results: Family cohesion, as well as social support from parents, classmates, and people in school, were positively correlated with HRQOL. Social support from people in school uniquely predicted variance in HRQOL, beyond the contribution of overall family environment after controlling for demographic factors. Relative to comparable adolescent samples, transplant recipients reported more optimal overall family environment, greater social support from teachers, and lower social support from close friends., Conclusion: Psychosocial interventions for adolescent kidney transplant recipients may be enhanced by collaborating with school professionals and further bolstering strengths in the family environment. Kidney transplant recipients may benefit from long-term intervention, as decreased HRQOL appears to persist years post-transplant., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) often arises from kidney disease and is characterized by elevated parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels. The reported optimal PTH level to balance the compensatory physiologic response in SHPT with the pathologic morbidity and mortality has changed over time with our evolving understanding. Parathyroidectomy for kidney-related hyperparathyroidism requires consideration of the patient's dialysis status, potential for kidney transplantation, and medical history. Extent of parathyroidectomy and intraoperative decision-making requires consideration to maximize cure with the risk of permanent hypoparathyroidism. Parathyroidectomy for kidney-related hyperparathyroidism can provide a reduction in morbidity, mortality, and improved kidney allograft function and survival., Competing Interests: Disclosure The authors have nothing to disclose., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Ensuring a safe reservoir for pediatric renal transplantation into a defunctionalized bladder is a challenge faced by urologists. We present three patients with defunctionalized bladders who initiated bladder cycling utilizing overnight continuous saline infusion via enteral feeding pump for bladder salvage and subsequent transplantation., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest These authors have no conflicts of interest and no pertinent disclosures with this subject matter., (Copyright © 2024 Journal of Pediatric Urology Company. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Growth retardation and short final height is a common complication of chronic kidney disease (CKD) beginning in childhood, with profound deleterious effects on quality of life, mental health, and social achievement. Despite optimal treatments of causative factors for growth retardation in children with CKD, more than 50% of patients reach end-stage renal failure with a height >2 SD below the mean, and most do not demonstrate "catch-up" growth after receiving a kidney transplant. Four decades ago, recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) treatment was introduced after studies showed increased growth velocity and improved height SDS in uremic subjects. Since then, an abundance of published data showed significant improvements in health-related quality of life, and most studies revealed no significant adverse effects. Clinical practice guidelines recommended rhGH treatment in CKD Stages 3-5D and after transplantation. Despite these guidelines, this therapy remained underutilized. Most commonly cited barriers to the implementation of rhGH treatment were the need for daily injections, financial challenges, physicians' unfamiliarity with guidelines, and fear of adverse events., Conclusions: rhGH has been shown to improve growth and final height in short children with CKD, with minimal adverse effects. Despite data of its successful use generated over 3 decades, this treatment is underutilized. More judicious utilization of the treatment should emphasize educating patients, their care givers, and members of the multidisciplinary treating team. Additional studies are needed to assess the longer-term rhGH treatment in larger cohorts of patients, leading to additional supportive data and clearer recommendations., (© 2024 The Author(s). Pediatric Transplantation published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: Approximately 2500 pediatric patients are awaiting kidney transplantation in the United States, with <5% comprising those ≤15 kg. Transplant in this cohort is often delayed by center-based growth parameters, often necessitating transplantation after the initiation of dialysis. Furthermore, prognostication remains somewhat ambiguous. In this report, we scrutinize the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) data from 2001 to 2021 to help better understand specific variables impacting graft and patient outcomes in these children., Methods: The OPTN kidney transplant dataset from 2001 to 2021 was analyzed. Inclusion criteria included age <18 years, weight ≤15 kg, and recipient of primary living donor kidney transplantation (LDKT) or deceased donor kidney transplantation (DDKT). Patient and graft survival probabilities were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to calculate hazard ratio (HR) and identify variables significantly associated with patient and graft survival., Results: Two thousand one hundred sixty-eight pediatric transplant recipients met inclusion criteria. Patient survival at 1 and 3 years was 98% and 97%, respectively. Graft survival at 1 and 3 years was 95% and 92%, respectively. Dialysis was the sole significant variable impacting both patient and graft survival. Graft survival was further impacted by transplant era, recipient gender and ethnicity, and donor type. Infants transplanted at Age 1 had better graft survival compared with older children, and nephrotic syndrome was likewise associated with a better prognosis., Conclusion: Pediatric kidney transplantation is highly successful. The balance between preemptive transplantation, medical optimization, and satisfactory technical parameters seems to suggest a "Goldilocks zone" for many children, favoring transplantation between 1 and 2 years of age., (© 2024 The Author(s). Pediatric Transplantation published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

The environmental impact of healthcare is an issue currently examined with increased scrutiny and on a global scale with multiple stakeholders seeking to identify the appropriate interventions to reduce it. Interestingly, a significant portion of healthcare's environmental impact stems from intensive modalities of treatment for chronic disease. There is no better example than End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), where dialysis or transplantation are the modalities of treatment offered to the vast majority of these patients. Kidney transplantation (KTx) offers a longer life expectancy and improved quality of life in comparison to dialysis. Cost-effectiveness analyses have proven its financial superiority, as well. PubMed and EMBASE literature search using keywords "kidney transplantation", "carbon footprint", "sustainability" showed that there is no published work in the field of environmental sustainability in kidney transplantation. Relevant literature was identified for surgical services and applied to transplantation. Assuming its environmental superiority to dialysis, maximising KTx rate would be an important action towards "green" renal care services. That could be achieved through living organ donation, systematic use of machine perfusion for extended criteria deceased donors and individualised immune risk stratification techniques. All these measures aim towards implementing enhanced recovery protocols and two vital steps can be taken towards assessing their value. The first step is a detailed audit of the environmental impact of these novel techniques and secondly their impact in reducing the length of hospital stay and its subsequent environmental impact. Another key element is delivering appropriate post-operative care, substituting allograft biopsy with non-invasive techniques and reducing physical outpatient follow-up, using telemedicine. The gap in quantifying KTx services environmental impact needs to be addressed urgently, with development of strategies within the multidisciplinary transplant team. Introducing novel technologies can lead to donor pool expansion and improved organ utilisation rates, transforming transplant services in "green" hubs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (Scottish charity number SC005317) and Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Quality indicators in kidney transplants are needed to identify care gaps and improve access to transplants. We used linked administrative health care databases to examine multiple ways of defining pre-emptive living donor kidney transplants, including different patient cohorts and censoring definitions. We included adults from Ontario, Canada with advanced chronic kidney disease between January 1, 2013, to December 31, 2018. We created 4 unique incident patient cohorts, varying the eligibility by the risk of progression to kidney failure and whether individuals had a recorded contraindication to kidney transplant (eg, home oxygen use). We explored the effect of 4 censoring event definitions. Across the 4 cohorts, size varied substantially from 20 663 to 9598 patients, with the largest reduction (a 43% reduction) occurring when we excluded patients with ≥1 recorded contraindication to kidney transplantation. The incidence rate (per 100 person-years) of pre-emptive living donor kidney transplant varied across cohorts from 1.02 (95% CI: 0.91-1.14) for our most inclusive cohort to 2.21 (95% CI: 1.96-2.49) for the most restrictive cohort. Our methods can serve as a framework for developing other quality indicators in kidney transplantation and monitoring and improving access to pre-emptive living donor kidney transplants in health care systems., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors of this manuscript have conflicts of interest to disclose as described by the American Journal of Transplantation. Amit Garg received an investigator-initiated grant from Astellas which featured as partnership funds in CIHR-funded research. The other authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 American Society of Transplantation & American Society of Transplant Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Over one thousand pediatric kidney transplant candidates are added to the waitlist annually, yet the prospective time spent waiting is unknown for many. Our study fills this gap by identifying variables that impact waitlist time and by creating an index to predict the likelihood of a pediatric candidate receiving a transplant within 1 year of listing. This index could be used to guide patient management by giving clinicians a potential timeline for each candidate's listing based on a unique combination of risk factors., Methods: A retrospective analysis of 3757 pediatric kidney transplant candidates from the 2014 to 2020 OPTN/UNOS database was performed. The data was randomly divided into a training set, comprising two-thirds of the data, and a testing set, comprising one-third of the data. From the training set, univariable and multivariable logistic regressions were used to identify significant predictive factors affecting wait times. A predictive index was created using variables significant in the multivariable analysis. The index's ability to predict likelihood of transplantation within 1 year of listing was validated using ROC analysis on the training set. Validation of the index using ROC analysis was repeated on the testing set., Results: A total of 10 variables were found to be significant. The five most significant variables include the following: blood group, B (OR 0.65); dialysis status (OR 3.67); kidney disease etiology, SLE (OR 0.38); and OPTN region, 5 (OR 0.54) and 6 (OR 0.46). ROC analysis of the index on the training set yielded a c-statistic of 0.71. ROC analysis of the index on the testing set yielded a c-statistic of 0.68., Conclusions: This index is a modest prognostic model to assess time to pediatric kidney transplantation. It is intended as a supplementary tool to guide patient management by providing clinicians with an individualized prospective timeline for each candidate. Early identification of candidates with potential for prolonged waiting times may help encourage more living donation including paired donation chains., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The extent to which tissue-resident memory T (T RM ) cells in transplanted organs possess alloreactivity is uncertain. This study investigates the alloreactive potential of T RM cells in kidney explants from 4 patients who experienced severe acute rejection leading to graft loss. Alloreactive T cell receptor (TCR) clones were identified in pretransplant blood samples through mixed lymphocyte reactions, followed by single-cell RNA and TCR sequencing of the proliferated recipient T cells. Subsequently, these TCR clones were traced in the T RM cells of kidney explants, which were also subjected to single-cell RNA and TCR sequencing. The proportion of recipient-derived T RM cells expressing an alloreactive TCR in the 4 kidney explants varied from 0% to 9%. Notably, these alloreactive TCRs were predominantly found among CD4+ and CD8+ T RM cells with an effector phenotype. Intriguingly, these clones were present not only in recipient-derived T RM cells but also in donor-derived T RM cells, constituting up to 4% of the donor population, suggesting the presence of self-reactive T RM cells. Overall, our study demonstrates that T cells with alloreactive potential present in the peripheral blood prior to transplantation can infiltrate the kidney transplant and adopt a T RM phenotype., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) poses a significant concern in Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-negative patients transplanted from EBV-positive donors (EBV R-/D+). Previous studies investigating the association between different induction agents and PTLD in these patients have yielded conflicting results. Using the Organ Procurement and Transplant Network database, we identified EBV R-/D+ patients >18 years of age who underwent kidney-alone transplants between 2016 and 2022 and compared the risk of PTLD with rabbit antithymocyte globulin (ATG), basiliximab, and alemtuzumab inductions. Among the 6620 patients included, 64.0% received ATG, 23.4% received basiliximab, and 12.6% received alemtuzumab. The overall incidence of PTLD was 2.5% over a median follow-up period of 2.9 years. Multivariable analysis demonstrated that the risk of PTLD was significantly higher with ATG and alemtuzumab compared with basiliximab (adjusted subdistribution hazard ratio [aSHR] = 1.98, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.29-3.04, P = .002 for ATG and aSHR = 1.80, 95% CI 1.04-3.11, P = .04 for alemtuzumab). However, PTLD risk was comparable between ATG and alemtuzumab inductions (aSHR = 1.13, 95% CI 0.72-1.77, P = .61). Therefore, the risk of PTLD must be taken into consideration when selecting the most appropriate induction therapy for this patient population., (Copyright © 2024 American Society of Transplantation & American Society of Transplant Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Organ shortage greatly limits treatment of patients with end-stage chronic kidney. Maastricht type 2 donation after circulatory death (DCD) has been shown to have similar results in long term outcomes in kidney transplantation, when compared with brain dead donation. Our main goal was to assess Maastricht type 2 DCD and evaluate factors that impact on early graft function., Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in an ECMO Referral Centre. All patients who received a kidney transplant from Maastricht type 2 DCD were included in study. Early graft function and short term outcomes were assessed., Results: From October 2017 to December 2022, 47 renal grafts were collected from 24 uDCD donors. Median warm ischemia time was 106 min (94-115), cannulation time was 10 min (8; 20) and duration of extracorporeal reperfusion (ANOR) was 180 min (126-214). Regarding early graft function, 25% had immediate graft function, 63.6% had delayed graft function and 11.4% had primary non-function (PNF). There was a correlation between cannulation time (p = 0.006) and ANOR with PNF (p = 0.016)., Conclusions: Cannulation time and ANOR were the main factors that correlated with PNF. Better understanding of underlying mechanisms should be sought in future studies to reduce the incidence of PNF., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. This article did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Kidney transplantation has a survival benefit for people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and end-stage kidney disease, however increased rates of rejection remain an issue. Questions remain regarding the impact of induction immunosuppression therapy and antiretroviral (ARV) choice on long-term outcomes., Methods: We performed a multicenter retrospective analysis of outcomes in recipients with HIV who received kidneys from donors without HIV transplanted between 2004 and 2019. The association between induction and ARV regimens and long-term outcomes including rejection, graft, and recipient survival over 5 years was investigated using Cox regression modeling., Results: Seventy-eight kidney transplants (KT) performed in 77 recipients at five US transplant centers were included, with median follow up of 7.1 (4.3-10.7) years. Overall recipient and graft survival were 83% and 67%, respectively. Rejection occurred in 37% (29/78). Recipients with rejection were more likely to be younger, recipients of deceased donor organs, and Black. Receipt of rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin (rATG) induction without protease-inhibitor (PI)-based ARVs was associated with 83% lower risk of rejection (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 0.17 (95% CI 0.05-0.63), p =.007) and a non-statistically significantly lower risk of graft failure (aHR 0.18 (0.03-1.16), p =.07) when compared to those who received other induction and ARV combinations., Conclusions: In this multicenter retrospective study, we found a trend toward lower rejection and improved graft survival among those who received both rATG for induction and PI-sparing ARVs., (© 2024 Takeda Development Center Americas, Inc. Transplant Infectious Disease published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) experience more fatigue, anxiety, and depressive symptoms and lower concentration and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) compared with the general population. Anemia is a potential cause that is well-recognized and treated. Iron deficiency, however, is often unrecognized, despite its potential detrimental effects related to and unrelated to anemia. We investigated the interplay of anemia, iron deficiency, and patient-reported outcomes in 814 outpatient KTRs (62% male, age 56 ± 13 years) enrolled in the TransplantLines Biobank and Cohort Study (Groningen, The Netherlands). In total, 28% had iron deficiency (ie, transferrin saturation < 20% and ferritin < 100 μg/L), and 29% had anemia (World Health Organization criteria). In linear regression analyses, iron deficiency, but not anemia, was associated with more fatigue, worse concentration, lower wellbeing, more anxiety, more depressive symptoms, and lower HRQoL, independent of age, sex, estimated glomerular filtration rate, anemia, and other potential confounders. In the fully adjusted logistic regression models, iron deficiency was associated with an estimated 53% higher risk of severe fatigue, a 100% higher risk of major depressive symptoms, and a 51% higher chance of being at risk for sick leave/work disability. Clinical trials are needed to investigate the effect of iron deficiency correction on patient-reported outcomes and HRQoL in KTRs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors of this manuscript have conflicts of interest to disclose as described by the American Journal of Transplantation. M.F. Eisenga has declared receiving consultant fees from Vifor Pharma and Cablon Medical; serving on the Advisory Board for Cablon Medical and GlaxoSmithKline; and receiving speaker fees from Vifor Pharma, Pharmacosmos, and Astellas. All other authors of this manuscript have no conflicts of interest to disclose as described by the American Journal of Transplantation., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Living donor kidney transplantation (LDKT) is one of the most effective treatment options for people with end-stage renal disease. Traditionally, LDKT can be either "directed" or "nondirected," based on whether the recipient is specified by the donor. Recently, there has been an increase in conditional and semidirected live kidney donation among strangers, where the donor specifies the characteristics of the recipient whom they wish to donate to. This practice has both gained popularity and sparked controversy in the state of Israel through the nonprofit organization Matnat Chaim. We analyze the ethical implications of this practice by applying traditional principles of medical ethics to conditional LDKT. Although semidirected and conditional LDKT presents some ethical challenges, overall, its practice effectively aligns with core ethical principles. The donors' right to make stipulations respects the donor's autonomy, the practice avoids harm and benefits both donor and recipient, and justice and utility are upheld as the practice specifically benefits marginalized patients and optimizes resource utilization. Finally, we present data from our institution demonstrating how conditional LDKT increased transplantation for all ethnic groups; Jewish recipients of LDKT increased by 151.32% (P = .034) Arab recipients of LDKT increased by 111.11% (P = .036)., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors of this manuscript have no conflicts of interest to disclose as described by the American Journal of Transplantation., (Copyright © 2024 American Society of Transplantation & American Society of Transplant Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background and Intention: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is an underappreciated clinical condition in men. This study aims to compare the dynamic changes in the distribution of ED among male kidney transplant recipients (mKTRs) in four epochs: end-stage renal disease period (ESRDp), early post-transplant period (EPTP), pre-COVID-19, and post-COVID-19., Methods: General information was gathered through interviews, follow-ups, and medical records. The International Index of Erectile Function Questionnaire-5 was used to assess erectile function. The Mann-Whitney U test and chi-square test were used to analyze differences in ED strength. Univariate and logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify risk factors for ED., Results: The database contains 230 mKTRs. In the ESRDp, 17.0% had normal erectile function, 53.5% had mild ED, 18.3% had moderate ED, and 11.3% had severe ED. In the EPTP, the distribution was 38.2% normal, 42.6% mild, 10.8% moderate, and 8.2% severe. In the pre-COVID-19 period, it was 34.3%, 47.3%, 10.4%, and 7.8%, and in the post-COVID-19 period, it was 23.0%, 45.6%, 21.3%, and 10.0%. Overall, erectile function improved after kidney transplant (KT). However, post-COVID-19, the proportion of erectile function significantly decreased compared to EPTP and pre-COVID-19 periods. Risk factors for post-pandemic ED included degree, Generalized Anxiexy Disorder-7, kidney donor type, postoperative time, hypertension and hemoglobin concentration., Conclusion: KT improves erectile function in mKTRs within 5 years, but post-SARS-CoV-2 viral infection, ED worsens due to altered risk factors. These findings inform future research for comprehensive ED prevention and management strategies in this population., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objectives: To quantify the survival benefit of kidney transplantation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people waitlisted for deceased donor kidney transplantation in Australia., Study Design: Retrospective cohort study; analysis of linked data from the Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant (ANZDATA) registry, the Australia and New Zealand Organ Donation (ANZOD) registry, and OrganMatch (Australian Red Cross)., Setting, Participants: All adult Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (18 years or older) who commenced dialysis in Australia during 1 July 2006 - 31 December 2020 and were included in the kidney-only deceased donor transplant waiting list., Main Outcome Measures: Survival benefit of deceased donor kidney transplantation relative to remaining on dialysis., Results: Of the 4082 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who commenced dialysis, 450 were waitlisted for kidney transplants (11%), of whom 323 received deceased donor transplants. Transplantation was associated with a significant survival benefit compared with remaining on dialysis after the first 12 months (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 0.38; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.20-0.73). This benefit was similar to that for waitlisted non-Indigenous people who received deceased donor kidney transplants (adjusted HR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.40-0.57; Indigenous status interaction: P = 0.22)., Conclusions: From twelve months post-transplantation, deceased donor transplantation provides a survival benefit for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Our findings provide evidence that supports efforts to promote the waitlisting of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are otherwise eligible for transplantation., (© 2024 The Author(s). Medical Journal of Australia published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of AMPCo Pty Ltd.)

Objectives: Living donor kidney transplant is the preferred method of renal transplant in Pakistan as deceased donor transplant has not yet been estab-lished. However, many patients who are dialysis-dependent, particularly younger patients, lack suitable living related donors. We aimed to determine factors contributing to nonselection of donors for living related renal transplant in Pakistan., Materials and Methods: For this cross-sectional study, we included patients seen at the Sindh Institute of Urology & Transplantation Karachi, Pakistan) from March to November 2019. Potential donors were adult family members who accompanied patients with end-stage kidney disease to the clinic. Demographic and clinical information were recorded on predesigned proforma. After workup and baseline investigations had been completed, potential living related donors were selected. Factors leading to nonselection of donors were noted for those who did not qualify for donation. We used SPSS version 20 for analysis., Results: During the study period, 253 potential donors (151 males, 102 females) with mean age of 35.68 ± 6.14 years were found to be ineligible for kidney donation. ABO incompatibility was the most common factor leading to nonselection (n = 101; 39.92%), followed by diabetes mellitus (n = 71; 28.06%), hypertension (n= 50; 19.76%), renal disease (n = 15; 5.92%), liver disease (n = 8; 3.16%), crossmatch positive (n = 5; 1.97%), and ischemic heart disease (n = 3; 1.18%). No differences were shown between potential male and female donors regarding factors leading to nonselection; diabetes was significantly more prevalent among those <40 years of age (P = .025)., Conclusions: ABO incompatibility, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension were the most common factors leading to nonselection of potential donors in living related kidney transplant. More efforts are needed to expand the donor pool by considering second- or third-degree relatives to tackle the scarcity of organs for transplantation.

Background: The incidence of end-stage renal disease has increased dramatically over the past two decades. Kidney transplantation is the best treatment option for individuals with end-stage renal disease, and living donor kidney transplantation has significant advantages over deceased donor kidney transplantation. Although there are criteria for assessing living kidney donors, different medical centers handle certain medical problems differently. The aim of this study is to investigate how kidney donation affects renal biochemical indicators, blood pressure measurements, and glucose control in healthy young female adults without diabetes compared to a pre-diabetic group., Methods: A prospective cohort study recruited 142 female kidney donors, who were divided into two cohorts based on their diabetic history (pre-diabetic and non-diabetic). The participants were monitored for seven years after kidney donation. Key clinical and biochemical markers were measured before and after donation., Results: The pre-diabetic group had higher mean values for blood pressure readings, body mass indices, Oral Glucose Tolerance Test, HbA1c (DCCT) (%), serum creatinine levels, proteinuria, and lower e-GFR compared to those in the non-diabetic group. All these findings were statistically significant., Conclusions: Pre-diabetic donors are at an increased risk for many adverse clinical and biochemical outcomes, including hypertension, glucose tolerance, and worsening kidney function tests and should be advised that their condition may worsen over time and can result in end-organ complications. If the donors decide to proceed, they should be closely and frequently monitored during both the short- and long-term periods., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: With the rising prevalence of end-stage kidney disease, the use of expanded criteria donor allografts, seen as essential for meeting organ demand, still proves challenging due to their higher risk of graft loss, delayed function, and rejection. Machine perfusion, a technique in preserving allografts, offers improved allograft outcomes compared to static cold storage while allowing for the noninvasive measurement of kidney injury biomarkers in the perfusate solution. This offers an objective method to assess graft function at various preservation stages., Materials and Methods: We conducted a narrative review of the databases PubMed and Scopus, including studies written in the English language and published after 2010., Results: In this narrative review, we identified biomarkers, like 4-hydroxyproline, taurine, and glutathione transferase, as predictive markers of delayed graft function. Additionally, biomarkers, like extracellular histone h3, vascular cell adhesion protein, and matrix metalloprotease protein, have shown correlation with decreased graft function, although their predictive ability remains inconclusive., Discussion: The review outlines various suggestions for potential areas of research focus to enhance future expanded criteria donor allograft utilization. However, limitations exist, including the absence of a singular reliable biomarker and the challenges of validating biomarker effectiveness across diverse outcomes., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All the authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: As the incidence of urological malignancies after renal transplantation (RT) is observed to be greater than in the general population, a better understanding of them is important. We present our experience with urological tumors in RT recipients at our transplant center, and analyze their incidence, management and outcomes., Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis of 2177 RT recipients on follow-up at our center between 1990 and 2022 was conducted for de novo genitourinary malignancy. Patients diagnosed with malignancy before transplantation were excluded. Clinicopathological data at diagnosis and follow-up were collected and analyzed. Kaplan-Meier estimates were used to evaluate overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS). Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS v.24 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA)., Results: The overall incidence of Urological malignancies was 3.9%, with 89 cancers diagnosed in 85 patients. Renal cell carcinoma was most common (n = 61, 68.5%), followed by prostate cancer (n = 10, 11.2%), urothelial carcinoma (n = 10, 11.2%), squamous cell carcinoma of the penis/scrotum (n = 7, 7.9%), and testicular cancer (n = 1, 1.1%). Mean duration between transplantation and diagnosis of malignancy was 9.9 (0.4-20.7) years. At a median follow-up of 4.6 (018.2) years, 27 deaths were seen; 7(25.9%) were due to urological malignancy. CSS rates were 86% and 78% at five and ten years, respectively, after diagnosis., Conclusion: We present one of the largest series of de novo urological malignancies observed over an extended 30-year follow-up of RT recipients, demonstrating an elevated risk in line with other studies. Regular surveillance for malignancies is advised, in order to ensure early diagnosis and management., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Introduction: Outcomes of deceased donor kidney transplant (DDKT) recipients from the same donor with donor-recipient sex discordance have been studied with inconsistent results., Methods: Adult DDKT where both kidneys from the same donor occurred at our center in two different recipients of different sexes were included. Outcomes were analyzed separately for male and female donors, based on the concordance or discordance between donor-recipient sex: Male-male (M-m) versus Male to female (M-f) or vice versa, F-f versus F-m. Acute rejection (AR) and uncensored graft failure were primary outcomes of interest. The univariate and multivariate risks for AR and graft failure were conducted using the Cox proportional hazards model and log-rank tests., Results: A total of 130 donors, 84 male and 46 female fulfilled our selection criteria and were transplanted in 260 recipients. With respect to the concordant groups (M-m or F-f), sex discordance was not significantly associated with the risk of rejection in multivariate analysis (M-f vs. M-m HR 1.15 [0.53-2.53, P = 0.72]; F-m vs. F-f HR 1.77 [0.71-4.39, P = 0.23]). Sex discordance was also not significantly associated with graft failure in multivariate analysis. Interestingly, risk factors for AR differed among male donors and female donors. The higher calculated panel reactive antibodies (cPRA) and nonwhite recipients were at increased risk for AR in F-m, but not in M-f., Conclusions: Donor-recipient sex discordance was not significantly associated with AR or graft failure. Risk factors for AR may differ across male and female donors., (© 2024 The Author(s). Clinical Transplantation published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Introduction: It is unclear whether kidney/pancreas (KP) transplantation will prevent the progression of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in patients with insulin dependent diabetes (IDDM) and end-stage renal disease. We sought to determine the pre- and posttransplant prevalence of symptomatic PAD and changes in carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) in KP recipients., Methods: In this single center study, outcomes were compared between KP recipients with and without a history of PAD. A subset of recipients underwent pre- and posttransplant IMT measurements., Results: Among the study group (N = 107), 18 (17%) recipients admitted to a pretransplant history of symptomatic PAD, comprised 11 foot infections and 7 amputations (5 minor and 2 major). Baseline characteristics of age, gender, race, years of diabetes, dialysis history, smoking history, years of hypertension, and history of coronary artery disease (CAD) were equivalent between PAD and non-PAD cohorts. At a median follow-up of 60 months (IQR: 28, 110), 16 (15%) KP recipients had suffered a PAD event. In multivariate analysis, a pretransplant history of PAD (hazard ratio [HR] 9.66, p < 0.001) and CAD (HR 3.33, p = 0.04) were independent predictors of posttransplant PAD events. Among a subset of 20 recipients (3 with PAD), mean IMT measurements pretransplant and at a median of 24 (range 18-24) months posttransplant, showed no evidence of disease progression., Conclusion: Based on IMT measurements and clinical results, KP transplantation stabilized PAD in most patients, but did not alter outcomes of symptomatic PAD recipients. A pretransplant history of PAD and CAD was an independent predictor of posttransplant PAD events., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Medical distrust may hinder kidney transplantation (KT) access. Among KT candidates evaluated for waitlisting, we identified factors associated with high distrust levels and quantified their association with waitlisting., Methods: Among 812 candidates (2018-2023), we assessed distrust using the Revised Health Care System Distrust Scale across composite, competence, and values subscales. We used linear regression to quantify the associations between candidate and neighborhood-level factors and distrust scores. We used Cox models to quantify the associations between distrust scores and waitlisting., Results: At KT evaluation, candidates who were aged 35-49 years (difference = 1.97, 95% CI: 0.78-3.16), female (difference = 1.10, 95% CI: 0.23-1.97), and Black (difference = 1.47, 95% CI: 0.47-2.47) were more likely to report higher composite distrust score. For subscales, candidates aged 35-49 were more likely to have higher competence distrust score (difference = 1.14, 95% CI: 0.59-1.68) and values distrust score (difference = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.05-1.61). Race/ethnicity (Black, difference = 1.42, 95% CI: 0.76-2.07; Hispanic, difference = 1.52, 95% CI: 0.35-2.69) was only associated with higher values distrust scores. Female candidates reporting higher rescaled values distrust scores (each one point) had a lower chance of waitlisting (aHR = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.63-0.98), whereas this association was not observed among males. Similarly, among non-White candidates, each 1-point increase in both rescaled composite (aHR = 0.87, 95% CI: 0.77-0.99) and values (aHR = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.68-0.99) distrust scores was associated with a lower chance of waitlisting, while there was no association among White candidates., Conclusion: Female, younger, and non-White candidates reported higher distrust scores. Values distrust may contribute to the long-standing racial/ethnic and gender disparities in access to KT. Implementing tailored strategies to reduce distrust in transplant care may improve KT access for groups that experience persistent disparities., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)