Combining transplant professional's psychosocial donor evaluation and donor self-report measures to optimise the prediction of HRQoL after kidney donation: an observational prospective multicentre study.

Objectives: Living donor kidney transplantation is currently the preferred treatment for patients with end-stage renal disease. The psychosocial evaluation of kidney donor candidates relies mostly on the clinical viewpoint of transplant professionals because evidence-based guidelines for psychosocial donor eligibility are currently lacking. However, the accuracy of these clinical risk judgements and the potential added value of a systematic self-reported screening procedure are as yet unknown.

The Association Between Macroscopic Arteriosclerosis of the Renal Artery, Microscopic Arteriosclerosis, Organ Discard, and Kidney Transplant Outcome.

Background: During organ retrieval, surgeons estimate the degree of arteriosclerosis and this plays an important role in decisions on organ acceptance. Our study aimed to elucidate the association between macroscopic renal artery arteriosclerosis, donor kidney discard, and transplant outcome.

Methods: We selected all transplanted and discarded kidneys in the Netherlands between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2015, from deceased donors aged 50 y and older, for which data on renal artery arteriosclerosis were available (n = 2610).

An Update on Early Urological Complications in Kidney Transplantation: A National Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND This study aimed to provide an update on the occurrence of early urological complications in living-donor and deceased-donor kidney transplantation (KTX). MATERIAL AND METHODS Data on all kidney transplant recipients in the Netherlands between January 2005 and December 2015 were retrieved from the prospectively collected Dutch National Organ Transplant Registry Database (NOTR). We assessed the incidence of major urological complications (MUCs) within 3 months after KTX, defined as urinary leakage and ureteral obstruction.

Prolonged Duration of Brain Death was Associated with Better Kidney Allograft Function and Survival: A Prospective Cohort Analysis.

BACKGROUND Brain death initiates hemodynamic, immunological, and hormonal changes that potentially compromise organ quality for transplantation. Therefore, it is generally believed that organs should be procured as soon as possible after the declaration of brain death. However, conflicting data exist regarding the impact of brain death duration on long-term graft function and survival.

Psychosocial consequences of living kidney donation: a prospective multicentre study on health-related quality of life, donor-recipient relationships and regret.

Background: Previous studies have indicated decreased health-related quality of life (HRQoL) shortly after kidney donation, returning to baseline in the longer term. However, a subgroup of donors experiences persistent HRQoL problems. To identify which HRQoL aspects are impacted most by the donation and to identify at-risk donors, more specific insight into psychosocial donation consequences is needed.

Toward a Sensible Single-antigen Bead Cutoff Based on Kidney Graft Survival.

Background: There is no consensus in the literature on the interpretation of single-antigen bead positive for a specific HLA antibody.

Methods: To inform the debate, we studied the relationship between various single-antigen bead positivity algorithms and the impact of resulting donor-specific HLA antibody (DSA) positivity on long-term kidney graft survival in 3237 deceased-donor transplants.

Results: First, we showed that the interassay variability can be greatly reduced when working with signal-to-background ratios instead of absolute median fluorescence intensities (MFIs).

Pretransplant C3d-Fixing Donor-Specific Anti-HLA Antibodies Are Not Associated with Increased Risk for Kidney Graft Failure.

Complement-fixing antibodies against donor HLA are considered a contraindication for kidney transplant. A modification of the IgG single-antigen bead (SAB) assay allows detection of anti-HLA antibodies that bind C3d. Because early humoral graft rejection is considered to be complement mediated, this SAB-based technique may provide a valuable tool in the pretransplant risk stratification of kidney transplant recipients.

Development and feasibility of a guided and tailored internet-based cognitive-behavioural intervention for kidney donors and kidney donor candidates.

Objectives: Living donor kidney transplantation is currently the preferred treatment for patients with end-stage renal disease. A subgroup of the kidney donor population experiences adjustment problems during or after the donation procedure (eg, anxiety or fatigue). There is a need for evidence-based interventions that decrease donation-related difficulties before or after donation.

Performance of an easy-to-use prediction model for renal patient survival: an external validation study using data from the ERA-EDTA Registry.

Background: An easy-to-use prediction model for long-term renal patient survival based on only four predictors [age, primary renal disease, sex and therapy at 90 days after the start of renal replacement therapy (RRT)] has been developed in The Netherlands. To assess the usability of this model for use in Europe, we externally validated the model in 10 European countries.

Methods: Data from the European Renal Association-European Dialysis and Transplant Association (ERA-EDTA) Registry were used.

Pre-donation cognitions of potential living organ donors: the development of the Donation Cognition Instrument in potential kidney donors.

Background: Cognitions surrounding living organ donation, including the motivation to donate, expectations of donation and worries about donation, are relevant themes during living donor evaluation. However, there is no reliable psychometric instrument assessing all these different cognitions. This study developed and validated a questionnaire to assess pre-donation motivations, expectations and worries regarding donation, entitled the Donation Cognition Instrument (DCI).

Epidemiology and management of hypertension in paediatric and young adult kidney transplant recipients in The Netherlands.

Introduction: Hypertension in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) is a risk factor for cardiovascular mortality and graft loss. Data on the prevalence of hypertension and uncontrolled hypertension (uHT) in paediatric and young adult KTRs are scarce. Also, it is unknown whether 'transition' (the transfer from paediatric to adult care) influences control of hypertension.

Increased risk of graft failure and mortality in Dutch recipients receiving an expanded criteria donor kidney transplant.

Survival of expanded criteria donor (ECD) kidneys and their recipients has not been thoroughly evaluated in Europe. Therefore, we compared the outcome of ECD and non-ECD kidney transplantations in a Dutch cohort, stratifying by age and diabetes. In all first Dutch kidney transplants in recipients ≥18 years between 1995 and 2005, both relative risks (hazard ratios, HR) and adjusted absolute risk differences (RD) for ECD kidney transplantation were analysed.

Improved Mortality Prediction in Dialysis Patients Using Specific Clinical and Laboratory Data.

Background: Risk prediction models can be used to inform patients undergoing renal replacement therapy about their survival chances. Easily available predictors such as registry data are most convenient, but their predictive value may be limited. We aimed to improve a simple prediction model based on registry data by incrementally adding sets of clinical and laboratory variables.

Nighttime kidney transplantation is associated with less pure technical graft failure.

Purpose: To minimize cold ischemia time, transplantations with kidneys from deceased donors are frequently performed during the night. However, sleep deprivation of those who perform the transplantation may have adverse effects on cognitive and psychomotor performance and may cause reduced cognitive flexibility. We hypothesize that renal transplantations performed during the night are associated with an increased incidence of pure technical graft failure.

Is the Reluctance for the Implantation of Right Donor Kidneys Justified?

Background: The lengths of right renal veins are shorter when compared to their left counterparts. Since the implantation of kidneys with short renal veins is considered more challenging, many surgeons prefer left kidneys for transplantation. Therefore, our hypothesis is that the implantation of right kidneys from living and deceased donors is associated with more technical graft failures as compared to left kidneys.

Calculating the Rate of Senescence From Mortality Data: An Analysis of Data From the ERA-EDTA Registry.

The rate of senescence can be inferred from the acceleration by which mortality rates increase over age. Such a senescence rate is generally estimated from parameters of a mathematical model fitted to these mortality rates. However, such models have limitations and underlying assumptions.

Incidence of renal replacement therapy for diabetic nephropathy in the Netherlands: Dutch diabetes estimates (DUDE)-3.

Objectives: Describe the incidence, prevalence and survival of patients needing renal replacement therapy (RRT) for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) due to diabetes mellitus (DM)-related glomerulosclerosis or nephropathy (diabetic nephropathy, DN) in the Netherlands.

Design: Using the national registry for RRT (RENINE-registry), data of all Dutch individuals initiating RRT for ESRD and having DN as primary diagnosis in the period 2000-2012 were obtained.

Setting: Observational study in the Netherlands.

Urinary biomarkers after donor nephrectomy.

As the beginning of living-donor kidney transplantation, physicians have expressed concern about the possibility that unilateral nephrectomy can be harmful to a healthy individual. To investigate whether the elevated intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) during laparoscopic donor nephrectomy causes early damage to the remaining kidney, we evaluated urine biomarkers after laparoscopic donor nephrectomy. We measured albumin and alpha-1-microglobulin (α-1-MGB) in urine samples collected during and after open and laparoscopic donor nephrectomy and laparoscopic cholecystectomy and colectomy.

Renal replacement therapy for rare diseases affecting the kidney: an analysis of the ERA-EDTA Registry.

Background: In recent years, increased efforts have been undertaken to address the needs of patients with rare diseases by international initiatives and consortia devoted to rare disease research and management. However, information on the overall prevalence of rare diseases within the end-stage renal disease (ESRD) population is limited. The aims of this study were (i) to identify those rare diseases within the ERA-EDTA Registry for which renal replacement therapy (RRT) is being provided and (ii) to determine the prevalence and incidence of RRT for ESRD due to rare diseases, both overall and separately for children and adults.

15-year follow-up of a multicenter, randomized, calcineurin inhibitor withdrawal study in kidney transplantation.

Background: Calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) are essential immunosuppressive drugs after renal transplantation. Because of nephrotoxicity, withdrawal has been a challenge since their introduction.

Methods: A randomized multicenter trial included 212 kidney patients transplanted between 1997 and 1999.

Survival prognosis after the start of a renal replacement therapy in the Netherlands: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: There is no single model available to predict the long term survival for patients starting renal replacement therapy (RRT). The available models either predict survival on dialysis until transplantation, survival on the transplant waiting list, or survival after transplantation. The aim of this study was to develop a model that includes dialysis survival and survival after an eventual transplantation.

Severe fatigue after kidney transplantation: a highly prevalent, disabling and multifactorial symptom.

Fatigue is a common symptom of patients with chronic kidney disease, but seldom investigated after transplantation. We determined the prevalence, impact and related factors of severe fatigue in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs). Medical records and questionnaires were used to assess kidney function, donor characteristics, fatigue (Checklist Individual Strength), functional impairments (Sickness Impact Profile), work status, body mass index (BMI), pain, depressive symptoms, social support and sleeping problems in 180 participating KTRs.

Effect of a single intraoperative high-dose ATG-Fresenius on delayed graft function in donation after cardiac-death donor renal allograft recipients: a randomized study.

Objectives: Reducing the incidence of delayed graft function after transplant with donation after cardiac death donor renal allografts would facilitate managing recipients during their first weeks after a transplant. To reduce this incidence, in most studies, induction therapy with depleting anti-T-lymphocyte antibodies is coupled with a reduction of the dosage of the calcineurin inhibitor. The separate effect of anti-T-cell therapy on the incidence and duration of delayed graft function is therefore difficult to assess.