Development and implementation of an enhanced recovery after surgery protocol for renal transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Successful implementation of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) in kidney transplantation requires multidisciplinary consultation, education and attention to protocol. This study discusses the process implementation pathway of the ERAS protocol and its outcome. METHODS: A standardized ERAS protocol was designed for the renal transplant recipient and implemented in July 2017. Data collected prospectively of recipients transplanted from July 2017 to December 2018 were compared to prospectively collected data of recipients who were transplanted prior to ERAS implementation from January 2016 to July 2017 from our renal database. The parameters of interest included length of stay, incidence of delayed graft function and readmission rate. RESULTS: There was no difference in the demographics and the incidence of delayed graft function across both groups, although subgroup analysis suggested a significantly lower incidence of delayed graft function with kidneys donated after circulatory death in the cohort that were managed by the ERAS protocol. The median length of stay for patients on the ERAS protocol was 5 days (range 3-16 days). This was 2 days shorter than the median length of stay for patients not on the ERAS protocol (7 days; range 5-14, P < 0.001). This statistically significant difference in length of stay was consistent across all donor subgroups (living donor, donor after cardiac death and donation after brainstem death). Seventy-nine percent of the patients on the ERAS protocol were discharged on post-operative day 4. CONCLUSION: An ERAS protocol for renal transplant patients is feasible. Our data show that successful implementation of ERAS in kidney transplantation is possible and results in significant cost savings due to shorter length of stay.

Modeling the economic benefit of targeted mild hypothermia in deceased donor kidney transplantation.

Delayed graft function (DGF) in kidney transplant significantly increases inpatient and outpatient cost. Targeted, mild hypothermia in organ donors after neurologic determination of death significantly reduced the rate of DGF in a recent randomized controlled clinical trial. To assess the potential economic benefit of national implementation of donor hypothermia, rates of reduction DGF were combined with estimates of the impact of DGF on hospital cost and total health expenditure for standard and extended criteria donor organs (SCD and ECD). DGF increases the cost of the transplant episode by $9487 for ECD transplant and $10 342 for SCD transplant. Medicare recipients with DGF incur an additional $18 513 spending for ECD and $14 948 in SCD transplants over the first year. An absolute reduction in DGF rate after kidney transplantation consistent with trial results (ECD 25%, SCD 7%) has the potential to lower annual hospital cost for kidney transplant by $13 178 746 and annual Medicare spending by $20 970 706 compared to standard donor management practice using static cold storage. Targeted mild hypothermia improves care of renal transplant patients by safely reducing DGF rates in both ECD and SCD transplant. Broader application of this safe, effective, and low-cost intervention could reduce healthcare expenditures for providers and insurers.

Long-term effects of delayed graft function duration on function and survival of deceased donor kidney transplants / Efeitos de longo prazo da duração da função tardia do enxerto sobre a função e sobrevida de transplantes renais com doadores falecidos

Abstract Introduction: Delayed graft function (DGF) is a frequent complication after deceased donor kidney transplantation with an impact on the prognosis of the transplant. Despite this, long-term impact of DGF on graft function after deceased donor kidney transplantation has not been properly evaluated. Objective: The main objective of this study was to evaluate risk factors for DGF and the impact of its occurrence and length on graft survival and function. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed in 517 kidney transplant recipients who received a deceased donor organ between January 2008 and December 2013. Results: The incidence of DGF was 69.3% and it was independently associated with donor's final serum creatinine and age, cold ischemia time, use of antibody induction therapy and recipient's diabetes mellitus. The occurrence of DGF was also associated with a higher incidence of Banff ≥ 1A grade acute rejection (P = 0.017), lower graft function up to six years after transplantation and lower death-censored graft survival at 1 and 5 years (P < 0.05). DGF period longer than 14 days was associated with higher incidence of death-censored graft loss (P = 0.038) and poorer graft function (P < 0.001). No differences were found in patient survival. Conclusions: The occurrence of DGF has a long-lasting detrimental impact on graft function and survival and this impact is even more pronounced when DGF lasts longer than two weeks.

Resumo Introdução: A função tardia do enxerto (FTE) é uma complicação frequente após transplantes renais com doadores falecidos com repercussões sobre o prognóstico do transplante. Contudo, o impacto a longo prazo da FTE sobre a função do enxerto após transplante renal com doador falecido não foi avaliado adequadamente. Objetivo: O principal objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar os fatores de risco para FTE e o impacto de sua ocorrência e duração na sobrevida e função do enxerto. Métodos: O presente estudo observacional retrospectivo incluiu 517 receptores de transplante renal que receberam órgãos de doadores falecidos entre janeiro de 2008 e dezembro de 2013. Resultados: A incidência de FTE foi de 69,3%. Foi identificada associação independente entre FTE e creatinina sérica final e idade do doador, tempo de isquemia fria, uso de terapia de indução com anticorpos e diabetes mellitus do receptor. A ocorrência de FTE também foi associada a incidência mais elevada de rejeição aguda com classificação de Banff ≥ 1 A (P = 0,017), função reduzida do enxerto até seis anos após o transplante e menor sobrevida do enxerto censurada para óbito em 1 e 5 anos (P <0,05). Períodos de FTE superiores a 14 dias foram associados a maior incidência de perda do enxerto censurada para óbito (P = 0,038) e pior função do enxerto (P <0,001). Não foram identificadas diferenças de sobrevida nos pacientes. Conclusões: A ocorrência de FTE traz prejuízos de longa duração à função e sobrevida do enxerto. Tal impacto é ainda mais pronunciado quando a FTE persiste por mais de duas semanas.

Long-term effects of delayed graft function duration on function and survival of deceased donor kidney transplants.

INTRODUCTION: Delayed graft function (DGF) is a frequent complication after deceased donor kidney transplantation with an impact on the prognosis of the transplant. Despite this, long-term impact of DGF on graft function after deceased donor kidney transplantation has not been properly evaluated. OBJECTIVE: The main objective of this study was to evaluate risk factors for DGF and the impact of its occurrence and length on graft survival and function. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was performed in 517 kidney transplant recipients who received a deceased donor organ between January 2008 and December 2013. RESULTS: The incidence of DGF was 69.3% and it was independently associated with donor's final serum creatinine and age, cold ischemia time, use of antibody induction therapy and recipient's diabetes mellitus. The occurrence of DGF was also associated with a higher incidence of Banff ≥ 1A grade acute rejection (P = 0.017), lower graft function up to six years after transplantation and lower death-censored graft survival at 1 and 5 years (P < 0.05). DGF period longer than 14 days was associated with higher incidence of death-censored graft loss (P = 0.038) and poorer graft function (P < 0.001). No differences were found in patient survival. CONCLUSIONS: The occurrence of DGF has a long-lasting detrimental impact on graft function and survival and this impact is even more pronounced when DGF lasts longer than two weeks.

A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Organ Preservation Methods for Deceased Donor Kidneys at High Risk for Delayed Graft Function in Brazil.

The clinical benefit of machine perfusion (MP) was recently assessed in a 1-year Brazilian multicenter prospective randomized trial, that showed that the use of MP was associated with a reduced incidence of delayed graft function (DGF) compared to static cold storage (SCS) in kidney transplant recipients (45% vs 61%). The objective of the present analysis is to consider the cost-effectiveness of MP relative to SCS based on clinical data from this Brazilian cohort. A decision tree model was constructed to simulate a population of 1000 kidney transplant recipients based on data derived from this Brazilian multicenter clinical trial. The model accounts for different health state utilities to estimate the cost-effectiveness of deceased donor kidney transplantation in Brazil comparing 2 kidney preservation methods: MP and SCS. The model accounts for 3 possible graft outcomes at 1 year post-transplantation: success (an immediate functioning kidney), failure (primary nonfunction requiring a return to dialysis), or DGF 1 year post-transplant. MP provided 612 total quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) (0.61 QALYs per patient) as compared to SCS (553 total QALYs, 0.55 QALYs per patient). MP was cost effective relative to SCS (US$22,117/QALY, R$70,606/QALY). The use of MP also resulted in more functioning grafts than SCS (821 vs 787), leading to a cost per functioning graft of US$38,033 (R$121,417). In conclusion, this analysis indicates that, despite the initial added cost associated with MP, the use of MP results in more functioning grafts (821 vs 787) and higher patient quality of life relative to SCS in Brazil.

More donors or more delayed graft function? A cost-effectiveness analysis of DCD kidney transplantation.

Expansion of the donor pool with expanded criteria donors and donation after cardiac death (DCD) donors is essential. DCD grafts result in increased rates of primary non-function (PNF) and delayed graft function (DGF). However, long-term patient and graft survival is similar between donation after brain death (DBD) donors and DCD donors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the use of DCD donors. A Markov-based decision analytic model was created to simulate outcomes for two wait list strategies: (i) wait list composed of only DBD organs and (ii) wait list combining DBD and DCD organs. Baseline values and ranges were determined from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR) database and literature review. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to test model strength and parameter variability. The wait list strategy consisting of DBD donors only provided recipients 5.4 Quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) at $65 000/QALY, whereas a wait list strategy combining DBD + DCD donors provided recipients 6.0 QALYs at a cost of $56 000/QALY. Wait lists with DCD donors provide adequate long-term survival despite more DGF. This equates to an improvement in quality of life and decreased cost when compared to remaining on dialysis for any period of time.