Expanding the donor pool: Kidney transplantation from serum HBV DNA or HBeAg-positive donors to HBsAg-negative recipients.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND & AIMS: HBsAg-positive (HBsAg[+]) donors are rarely accepted for kidney transplantation (KT), especially when the donor is also HBV DNA-positive (HBV DNA[+]) or HBeAg-positive (HBeAg[+]) serologically. This study aimed to report kidney transplant outcomes from HBsAg(+) donors to HBsAg(-) recipients. METHODS: Consecutive cases were retrospectively identified from 1 July 2017 to 31 December 2020. KTs from HBsAg(-)/HBcAb-positive (HBcAb[+]) donors to HBcAb(-) recipients were selected as the control group. The primary outcomes were de novo HBV infection (DNH), graft and patient survival. RESULTS: We identified 105 HBsAg(-) recipients who received HBsAg(+) kidneys and 516 HBcAb(-) recipients who received HBcAb(+) kidneys. A higher DNH rate was observed after receiving HBsAg(+) kidneys than after receiving HBcAb(+) kidneys after a median follow-up of 23.0 months (4/105[3.8%] vs. 2/516[0.4%], p = .009). All four infected recipients receiving HBsAg(+) kidneys had HBsAg clearance after treatment. Graft and patient survival were comparable between the groups (p = .630, p = .910). The DNH rates were 0/22(0%), 3/70(4.3%) and 1/13(7.7%) after receiving HBsAg(+), HBV DNA(+) and HBeAg(+) kidneys, respectively (p = .455). The DNH rate was lower if the donor had received antiviral treatment (4/42[9.5%] vs. 0/63[0%], p = .023). HBsAb(-) recipients had a higher DNH incidence than HBsAb(+) recipients (3/25[12.0%] vs. 1/80[1.3%], p = .041). CONCLUSIONS: The use of HBsAg(+) donors contributed to comparable graft and patient survival, but HBV DNA(+) or HBeAg(+) donors and HBsAb(-) recipients maybe associated with a higher risk of HBV infection. These findings help expand the donor pool and emphasize the role of donor antiviral treatment and recipient HBV immunity in establishing optimal prophylactic regimens.