Re-evaluating Cut-off Points for the Expansion of Deceased Donor Criteria for Kidney Transplantation in Japan.

BACKGROUND: A shortage of donors poses a serious problem for organ transplantation around the world. In response, the concept of the expanded criteria donor (ECD) has been defined to include donors with traditionally less favorable characteristics. That definition has now been accepted and is being applied in kidney transplantation in the United States and Europe. However, the ECD has not yet been defined for deceased donor kidney transplantation in Japan.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: We analyzed data on graft survival and relevant risk factors in patients who received deceased donor kidney transplants through the East Japan Branch of the Japan Organ Transplant network (n = 1051). Recipients were divided into two groups: the standard-function group (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] ≥20 mL/min/1.73 m(2); n = 906) and the poor-function group (eGFR <20 mL/min/1.73 m(2); n = 145; Cox proportional hazards regression analysis; P < .0001).

RESULTS: The 10-year survival rate was significantly lower in the poor-function group than in the standard-function group (85.5% vs 22.5%; P < .0001). The two groups differed significantly in recipient and donor risk for graft failure. Recipient risk factors were length of time on dialysis before renal transplantation and incidence of acute rejection after transplantation. Donor risk factors were donor category (heart death), age, history of hypertension, presence of cerebrovascular disease, mean urine output, and donor creatinine level immediately before donor nephrectomy, total ischemic time, and warm ischemic time.

CONCLUSION: Data from deceased donor transplantation should be analyzed in depth to determine which factors influence renal function after transplantation. In addition, ECD standards should be reconsidered for use in a Japanese context.