Combined liver-kidney transplantation--S. Orsola experience: nephrological aspects

Combined liver kidney transplantation (LKT) has the potential to provide a complete recovery of liver and kidney failure; the literature reports an increase in LKT in the last few years and an improvement in patient and graft survival. In our experience 15 patients underwent LKT from 1997 to 2005. The mean age was 50 +/- 9 years (range 34 to 63). The patients were affected by viral (n = 9), alcoholic (n = 1), polycystic (n = 2), cholangitis (n = 1), cholestatic (n = 1), or amyloidotic (n = 1) chronic hepatopathy. Chronic renal failure (CRF) was due to polycystic kidney disease (n = 4), IgA (n = 2), interstitial nephropathy (n = 2), glomerulonephritis (n = 4), amyloidosis (n = 1), vascular nephropathy (n = 1), of unknown end-stage renal disease (n = 1). Twelve of 15 patients were on renal dialysis treatment, three patients had moderate/severe CRF. Two patients had previously been transplanted (kidney). All patients were selected based upon blood group identity and negative cross-match before kidney transplant. Histocompatibility matching (HLA) was not included in the selection criteria. We did not observe delayed graft function. After a mean follow-up was 23 +/- 32 months (range 5 to 99), 12 subjects show, normal hepatic and renal function. At the beginning of our experience two patients in bad clinical condition died within 3 months because of sepsis, and one died because of a malignancy after 7 years. Both organs were functioning well in the deceased patients. Survival analysis confirms LKT efficacy: at 5 years follow-up patient survival is 86%, graft survival censored for death 100%. Only two subjects had an acute rejection episode in the first year; the kidney rejection incidence was lower than that reported for an isolated kidney transplant (13% vs 21%).     

接受同一供体肝肾联合移植与肾移植的临床研究

目的探讨肝肾联合移植肝脏对肾脏的保护作用。方法我院移植中心2002年5月至2006年9月间共进行8例肝肾联合移植手术，对此8例患者及接受同一供体对侧供肾8例肾移植患者及移植物存活率、排斥反应发生率进行分析。结果肝肾联合移植患者及移植物存活率为100％，无可证实排斥反应发生。术后8例患者移植肝功能迅速恢复正常，7例移植肾功能迅速恢复正常，1例移植肾发生急性肾小管坏死，于术后第52天肾功能恢复正常。对应8例单纯肾移植患者，发生急性排斥反应1例，予甲基强的松龙冲击治疗及应用抗人T淋巴细胞免疫球蛋白（anti-thymocyte globulin，ATG）后，于术后50d移植肾功能恢复正常，余7例患者恢复良好，至末次随访肾功能均正常。结论肝肾联合移植肝脏对肾脏有一定的保护作用。     

肝肾联合移植15例报道

目的探讨肝肾联合移植的适应证和疗效。方法对2001年2月至2003年12月施行肝肾联合移植术的15例患者进行了随访。15例中,乙型肝炎后肝硬化合并肝肾综合征8例、合并尿毒症2例、合并糖尿病肾病1例;多囊肝和多囊肾2例;Caroli病合并多囊肾1例;酒精性肝硬化合并尿毒症1例。对肝肾联合移植患者的手术方式,围手术期并发症,术后急、慢性排斥反应和乙型肝炎复发情况及随访结果进行了分析。结果15例肝肾联合移植术后移植物功能均恢复良好,6个月和1年生存率为100%。1例术前有严重营养不良者,术后给与48d的呼吸机支持后康复。术后创面出血和消化道出血各1例,经非手术治疗后治愈。胆道吻合口狭窄1例,用内镜下球囊扩张术治愈。1例术后2周发生急性移植肝排斥反应,给予激素冲击治疗后得到控制。1例术后30个月时因停用拉米夫定后乙型肝炎复发死于移植肝功能丧失。结论肝肾联合移植是终末期肝病合并慢性肾功能衰竭或肾功能损害的安全有效方法。对乙型肝炎患者术后尽早应用拉米夫定和乙型肝炎病毒免疫球蛋白预防肝炎复发。     

Liver-kidney recipients with chronic viral hepatitis C treated with interferon-alpha

Antiviral therapy with interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) and pegylated IFN-alpha (PEG-IFN-alpha) for chronic hepatitis C (HCV)-infected kidney recipients remains controversial. IFN-alpha is not recommended in most cases because it induces severe acute graft rejection. However, IFN-alpha, as PEG-IFN-alpha, is associated with a more pronounced immune response, and is well tolerated in HCV-infected liver recipients without causing graft rejection. In combined liver-kidney transplant (LKT) recipients, IFN-alpha has been occasionally used and appears to be well tolerated. All LKT recipients with a functioning kidney and liver having a HCV replication and who needed IFN-alpha therapy have been included in the study. The occurrence of liver and/or renal acute rejection as well as the HCV replication has been collected. A total of 12 LKT patients treated with PEG-IFN-alpha plus ribavirin have been studied. No acute rejection was observed. Renal function remained stable during and after discontinuing treatment, without any graft dysfunction. Two patients had a partial viral response and four had a sustained viral response. All patients, whatever their viral response, had decreased liver-enzyme levels. Response to PEG-IFN-alpha therapy was correlated with steroid dose and transaminase level when PEG-IFN-alpha was started. These data suggest that the combination therapy of PEG-IFN-alpha plus ribavirin did not have a higher risk of acute kidney-graft rejection after liver-kidney transplantation.     

Analysis of the United Network for Organ Sharing database comparing renal allografts and patient survival in combined liver-kidney transplantation with the contralateral allografts in kidney alone or kidney-pancreas transplantation

BACKGROUND: Combined liver-kidney transplantation (LKT) is the accepted treatment for patients with liver failure and irreversible renal insufficiency. Controversy exists as to whether simultaneous LKT with organs from the same donor confers immunologic and graft survival benefit to the kidney allograft. This study compares the outcomes of simultaneous LKT with the contralateral kidneys used for kidney alone transplantation (KAT) or combined pancreas-kidney transplantation (PKT) to understand the factors that account for the differences in survival. METHODS: From October 1987 to October 2001, LKTs with organs from 899 cadaver donors were reported to the United Network for Organ Sharing; 800 contralateral kidneys from these donors were used in 628 KAT and 172 PKT recipients. These 800 paired control patients were the basis of this analysis. RESULTS: Graft and patient survival rates were lower among LKT recipients compared with KAT (P<0.001) and PKT recipients (P<0.001), because of a higher patient mortality rate during the first 3 months posttransplant. Among human leukocyte antigen-mismatched transplants, LKT recipients demonstrated the highest 1-year rejection-free survival rate (LKT 70%, KAT 61%, and PKT 57% ) (P=0.005 vs. KAT, P=0.005 vs. PKT). There was a lower incidence of renal graft loss resulting from chronic rejection among LKT recipients (LKT 2% vs. KAT 8% vs. PKT 6%, P<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Patients undergoing LKT exhibit a higher rate of mortality during the first year posttransplant compared with patients undergoing KAT and KPT. Analysis of the data indicates an allograft-enhancing effect of liver transplantation on the renal allograft.     

Combined liver kidney transplantation: critical analysis of a single-center experience

Combined liver kidney transplantation (LKT) can be successfully performed on patients with liver and renal failure; however, outcomes are inferior to liver transplantation alone (OLT). Our aim was to determine the indications for and outcome of LKT and whether patients with longer wait times required more frequent LKT versus OLT alone.We included 18/93 adults who underwent LKT from August 2007 to August 2010 for hepatitis C virus (HCV, n = 7), alcohol (n = 5), nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (n = 2), primary biliary sclerosis, polycystic kidney disease with liver involvement, hepatic adenomatosis, and ischemic hepatitis. Eleven were originally listed for LKT and 7 required listing for-kidney transplantation while awaiting OLT. Eight were on dialysis when first listed and 10 had a low glomerular filtration rate or known kidney disease.The mean calculated Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score for LKT was 31.2 ± 3.54. Seven had hepatocellular carcinoma in explants. Two patients had acute cellular kidney rejection that responded to treatment. Recurrence of HCV was documented in 5 patients within 6 months of LKT; 2/5 received HCV therapy (interferon and ribavirin) without renal allograft rejection. One-year liver graft/patient survival was 94% after LKT. One patient died at 6 months post LKT due to severe HCV recurrence. Last mean serum creatinine level was 1.35 ± 0.28 mg/dL for LKT patients.LKT is a safe procedure with favorable outcomes even in patients with a high MELD score. Transplantation of patients with a high MELD score due to regional variations in organ allocation results in additional use of kidneys by OLT patients. Improved organ allocation algorithms in OLT would help to reduce combined transplants, sparing more kidneys.     

Nephrological indications in combined liver-kidney transplantation

In isolated liver transplantation pretransplant renal failure is a major mortality risk, there are no guidelines at the moment to establish the indications for a combined liver-kidney transplantation (LKT). In irreversible chronic renal failure (CRF) not on dialysis, nephrological evaluation is required to assess the need for a simultaneous kidney transplantation. There are no experiences about the functional contribution of native kidneys post-LKT. Herein we have reported the case of two patients who underwent LKT in 2004 due to CRF, not yet on dialysis. At the moment of LKT, the first patient (polycystic kidney disease) had a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) = 29 mL/min, and the second recipient (vascular nephropathy and diabetes), a GFR = 33 mL/min. In both cases we did not observe delayed graft function. At discharge the serum creatinine was 1.1 and 1.0 mg/dL, respectively, which was maintained during follow-up. In both cases renal scintigraphy with Tc-99 DMSA was performed to evaluate the functional contributions of transplanted versus native kidneys. In the first case scintigraphy at 9 months after LKT demonstrated an 81% contribution from the transplanted kidney, 9% from the right and 10% from the left native kidneys. In the second case, at 3 months after LKT, the functional contributions were 76%, 10%, and 14%, respectively. The transplanted kidney nephron mass may avoid the need for hemodialysis in the early posttransplant period; in the midterm it may help to maintain residual renal function. As in other combined transplant programs (heart-kidney, kidney-pancreas) with irreversible CRF, a GFR < or = 30 to 35 mL/min may be an indication for LKT, but we need more experience.     

Combined liver-kidney transplantation for primary hyperoxaluria type 1 in young children.

BACKGROUND: Primary hyperoxaluria type 1 (PH1) is a rare condition in which deficiency of the liver enzyme alanine:glyoxylate aminotransferase leads to renal failure and systemic oxalosis. Combined liver-kidney transplantation (LKT) is recommended for end-stage renal failure (ESRF) in adults, but management of infants and young children is controversial. We retrospectively reviewed six children who underwent LKT for PH1. METHODS: The median age at diagnosis was 1.8 years (range 3 weeks to 7 years). Two children presented with severe infantile oxalosis at 3 and 9 weeks, five patients had ESRF with nephrocalcinosis and systemic oxalosis, (median duration of dialysis 1.3 years), and one had progressive chronic renal failure. Four children underwent combined LKT, one child staged liver then kidney, and one infant had an isolated liver transplant. The median age at transplantation was 8.9 years (range 1.7-15 years). RESULTS: Overall patient survival was four out of six. The two infants with PH1 and severe systemic oxalosis died (2 and 3 weeks post-transplant) due to cardiovascular oxalosis and sepsis. The other four children are well at median follow-up of 10 months (range 6 months to 7.4 years). No child developed hepatic rejection and all have normal liver function. Renal rejection occurred in three patients. Despite maximal medical management, oxalate deposits recurred in all renal grafts, contributing to graft loss in one (one of the infants who died), and significant dysfunction requiring haemodialysis post-transplant for 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: LKT is effective therapy for primary oxalosis with ESRF but has a high morbidity and mortality rate in children who present in infancy with nephrocalcinosis and systemic oxalosis. We feel that earlier LKT, or pre-emptive liver transplantation, may be a better therapeutic strategy to improve the outlook for these patients.     

Chronic Kidney Disease After Liver Transplantation for Acute Liver Failure Is Not Associated With Perioperative Renal Dysfunction

Renal dysfunction of acute liver failure (ALF) may have distinct pathophysiological mechanisms to hepatorenal syndrome of cirrhosis. Yet, the impact of perioperative renal function on posttransplant renal outcomes in ALF patients specifically has not been established. The aims of this study were ( 1 ) to describe the incidence and risk factors for chronic renal dysfunction following liver transplantation for ALF and ( 2 ) to compare renal outcomes with age–sex‐matched patients transplanted for chronic liver disease. This was a single‐center study of 101 patients transplanted for ALF. Fifty‐three‐and‐a‐half percent had pretransplant acute kidney injury and 64.9% required perioperative renal replacement therapy. After transplantation the 5‐year cumulative incidence of chronic kidney disease (eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m²) was 41.5%. There was no association between perioperative acute kidney injury (p = 0.288) or renal replacement therapy (p = 0.134) and chronic kidney disease. Instead, the independent predictors of chronic kidney disease were older age (p = 0.019), female gender (p = 0.049), hypertension (p = 0.031), cyclosporine (p = 0.027) and nonacetaminophen‐induced ALF (p = 0.039). Despite marked differences in the perioperative clinical condition and survival of patients transplanted for ALF and chronic liver disease, renal outcomes were the same. In conclusion, in patients transplanted for ALF the severity of perioperative renal injury does not predict posttransplant chronic renal dysfunction.     

Long-term results of living kidney transplantation from HLA-identical sibling donors under calcineurin inhibitor immunosuppression

BACKGROUND: Recently, it has been revealed that alloantigen-independent causes are important factors for late graft loss in kidney transplantation. We compared the results of living kidney transplantation from HLA-identical siblings with those from HLA-non-identical siblings to analyse the impact of alloantigen-independent factors on long-term graft survival. METHODS: Two hundred and sixty-six recipients who were grafted from their siblings between 1983 and 2002 were subdivided into those transplanted from HLA-identical donors (n=86) and those from HLA-non-identical donors (n=180). RESULTS: The incidence of acute rejection was significantly lower in the HLA-identical group than in the HLA-non-identical group (9.3% vs 53.9%, respectively; P<0.0001). Graft survival was significantly higher in the HLA-identical group than in the HLA-non-identical group (91.3% vs 79.2% at 5 years, 80.3% vs 66.8% at 10 years and 59.1% vs 51.7% at 15 years, respectively; P=0.0372). Although acute rejection was not seen as a cause of graft loss in the HLA-identical group, death with functioning graft, recurrence of the original disease or chronic allograft nephropathy were observed as the major causes of graft loss in the late period of the HLA-identical group. CONCLUSION: We concluded that alloantigen-independent causes constitute a crucial factor for graft loss in the late period of HLA-identical kidney transplantation.     

Liver transplantation for fulminant hepatic failure: importance of renal failure

Abstract One hundred eighty-one consecutive patients with fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) presenting in a 2-year period were reviewed. In this cohort we examined the impact of pretransplant renal failure on mortality and morbidity following orthotopic liver transplantation (OLTx). Twenty-seven patients (18 female, 9 male) with a median age of 43.5 years (range 19–65 years) underwent OLTx. FHF was due to idiosyncratic drug reaction ( n = 4), paracetamol overdose ( n = 3), seronegative hepatitis ( n = 17), hepatitis B ( n = 1), veno-occlusive disease ( n = 1), and Wilson's disease ( n = 1). Renal failure was present in 14 patients, 7 of whom died (whereas there was 100 % survival in patients without renal failure). Pretransplant renal failure was associated with prolonged mechanical ventilation (13 days vs 6 days, P = 0.05), prolonged intensive care stay (17 days vs 8 days, P - 0.01) and prolonged hospital stay (27 vs 21 days, P = NS). Pretransplant renal failure did not predict renal dysfunction at 1 year after OLTx. We conclude that the survival of patients transplanted for FHF is inferior to that of patients transplanted for chronic liver disease (67 % vs 88 % 1-year survival in Birmingham). For patients with FHF undergoing transplantation, pretransplant renal failure strongly predicts poor outcome with significantly greater consumption of resources.     

Hepatitis C: indication for anti-viral therapy?

Abstract  Hepatitis C infection is a frequent indication for liver transplantation. In general, recurrent graft hepatitis is assumed to be mild, but may be the cause of lethal postoperative complications in a small patient population. Out of 500 transplants in 458 patients, 123 patients were transplanted due to hepatitis C infection (26.7 %) between September 1988 and April 1994. Cumulative 1– to 6-year patient survival was similar for patients transplanted due to hepatitis C (87.0 %) and those transplanted for other indications (86.0 %). In patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV), death, in 50 % of the cases, was related to HCV recurrence and chronic rejection. Four patients (25.0 %) died because of severe infection and multiple organ failure syndrome unrelated to HCV recurrence and chronic rejection. The incidence of retransplantation was similar in HCV (9.8 %) and other patients (8.4 %). In HCV patients, 6 of 12 retransplantations (50.0 %) were performed due to HCV recurrence and chronic rejection. Of 123 HCV patients, 45 experienced histo-logically proven recurrent graft hepatitis between 2 weeks and 5.5 years after transplantation. The incidence of acute rejection was similar in both groups. The incidence of steroid-resistant rejection was, however, higher in HCV patients (29.3 %) than in those transplanted for other indications (14.5 %; P ≤ 0.05). Furthermore, there was a significant association between acute rejection and the development of recurrent graft hepatitis. In conclusion, patients with hepatitis C may be transplanted with as good patient and graft survival rates as patients transplanted for other indications. However, the combination of recurrent graft hepatitis and chronic rejection remains the most limiting factor for some of these patients, which strengthens the necces-sity for a specific anti-viral therapy.     

Results of kidney transplantation in 25 pediatric patients

Outcome, long-term prognosis, growth activity and rehabilitation after kidney transplantation were studied in 25 pediatric patients transplanted with a kidney graft from one-haplotype identical parent. Excellent patient and graft survival with low incidences of acute rejection or serious complications could be achieved in this population, as compared with the results of adult recipients. Growth retardations in height and weight were observed in these patients before transplantation, and were significantly correlated with the duration of low or no kidney function. In 12 recipients who were transplanted at ages of younger than 15 years and followed up over two years, a dramatic increase in weight appeared within one year after transplantation and a greater increase in height was exhibited in the second and third year than in the first. Increase in height was significantly greater in those children transplanted at ages of younger than 10 years than in those transplanted at ages of older than 11 years. Catch-up growth was observed in one-third of these children. Retrospectively, there was no difference in the doses of prednisolone given between the two groups of patients with, and without catch-up growth, but the incidence of acute rejection was higher in the group without catch-up growth. Currently, 18 recipients have functioning grafts and 16 (88.9 per cent) of them are in full-time school or working. From these results it is concluded that kidney transplantation is the first feasible manoeuvre for those children with chronic renal failure and it should be performed as soon an possible in order to preserve their growth activity. This paper was presented at the 86th Annual Meeting of Japan Surgical Society.     

Effect of histological damage on long-term kidney transplant outcome

BACKGROUND: Chronic renal allograft failure remains a major challenge to overcome. Factors such as donor quality, delayed graft function (DGF), acute rejection, and immunosuppression are known to affect long-term outcome, but their relationship to histological damage to graft outcome is unclear. METHODS: Protocol kidney biopsies (n=112) obtained at 3 months after transplantation yielded 102 with adequate tissue. Histology was scored by the Banff schema, and compared with implantation biopsies (n=91), repeat 12-month histology (n=39), decline in serum creatinine and serial isotopic glomerular filtration rate, onset of chronic allograft nephropathy (CAN), and actuarial graft survival censored for death with a functioning graft. RESULTS: At a median follow-up of 9.3 years, 20 patients had graft failure and 26 died with a functioning graft. Banff chronic nephropathy was present in 24% of 3-month biopsies, and was predicted by microvascular disease in the donor, cold ischemia, DGF, and acute vascular rejection (P<0.001). Acute glomerulitis at 3 months correlated with segmental glomerulosclerosis at 12 months, subsequent recurrent glomerulonephritis, and graft failure (P<0.01). Subclinical rejection at 3 months occurred in 29% of biopsies, correlated with prior acute rejection and HLA mismatch, and led to chronic histological damage by 12 months (r=0.25-0.67, P<0.05-0.001). Subclinical rejection, arteriolar hyalinosis, and tubulitis present at 3 months had resolved by 12 months. The 10-year survival rates for Banff chronic nephropathy were 90.4% for grade 0, 81.0% grade 1, and 57.9% for grades 2 or greater (P<0.01). Early tubulointerstitial damage at 3 months profoundly influenced graft survival beyond 10 years. CAN was predicted by kidney ischemia, 3-month chronic intimal vascular thickening, tubular injury, proteinuria, and late rejection. Chronic fibrointimal thickening of the small arteries and chronic interstitial fibrosis at 3 months independently predicted graft loss and decline in renal function (P<0.05-0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Early transplant damage occurs in the tubulointerstitial compartment from preexisting donor kidney injury and discrete events such as vascular rejection and DGF. Subsequent chronic damage and graft failure reflect accumulated previous injury and chronic interstitial fibrosis, vascular impairment, subclinical rejection, and injury from late rejection. CAN may be conceptualized as the sequelae of incremental and cumulative damage to the transplanted kidney. The duration of graft survival is dependent and predicted by the quality of the transplanted donor kidney combined with the intensity, frequency, and irreversibility of these damaging insults.     

Comparison of renal allograft outcomes in combined liver-kidney transplantation versus subsequent kidney transplantation in liver transplant recipients: Analysis of UNOS Database

BACKGROUND: There may be an allograft-enhancing effect by the liver on the renal allograft in the setting of simultaneous combined liver-kidney transplantation (CLKT) from the same donor. This study was performed to investigate whether an existing liver allograft could protect a kidney allograft from immunologic injury due to histoincompatibility in liver transplant recipients who received sequential kidney transplantation (KALT). METHODS: Using the United Network for Organ Sharing database covering January 1996 to December 2003, outcomes of 352 KALT were compared to 1,136 CLKT. Incidence of acute and chronic rejection and rejection-free renal graft survival was compared between two groups. RESULTS: Renal half-life of KALT allografts was shorter than CLKT group (6.6+/-0.9 vs. 11.7+/-1.3 years, P < 0.001). Incidence of chronic rejection in KALT group was higher than CLKT group (4.6 vs. 1.2%, P < 0.001). One and three-year rejection-free renal graft survival of KALT and CLKT groups were different (77% and 67% KALT vs. 85% and 78% CLKT, respectively; P < 0.001). Among human leukocyte antigen mismatched and sensitized patients, rejection-free renal graft survival of KALT group was inferior to the CLKT group (75% at 1 year and 61% 3 years vs. 86% at 1 year and 79% 3 years, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Liver allograft provided renal graft immunoprotection if both organs are transplanted simultaneously (immunogenetic identity), but not for kidneys transplanted subsequently.     

Apparent recurrence of hemolytic uremic syndrome in azathioprine-treated allograft recipients

The present study describes 3 adult patients with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) leading to chronic renal failure. Following renal transplantation, the 3 patients developed microangiopathic hemolytic anemia associated with acute rejection crises and graft failure. In 2 patients the renal histology of the transplanted kidney was consistent with HUS. It is concluded that, in adult patients, HUS may recur after renal transplantation and contribute to renal graft failure.     

Identification of patients best suited for combined liver[ndash ]kidney transplantation: Part II

Liver-kidney transplantation (LKT) should be reserved for those recipients with primary disease affecting both organs. However, increasing transplant list waiting times have increased the development and duration of acute renal failure before liver transplantation. Furthermore, the need for posttransplant calcineurin inhibitors can render healing from acute renal failure difficult. Because of the increasing requests for and controversy over the topic of a kidney with a liver transplant (OLT) when complete failure of the kidney is not known, the following article will review the impact of renal failure on liver transplant outcome, treatment of peri-OLT renal failure, rejection rates after LKT, survival after LKT, and information on renal histology and progression of disease into the beginnings of an algorithm for making a decision about combined LKT. (Liver Transpl 2002;8:193-211.)     

Successful Combined Partial Auxiliary Liver and Kidney Transplantation in Highly Sensitized Cross-Match Positive Recipients

Combined liver and renal transplantations can be performed against a positive cross-match, indicating that the liver protects the kidney from the harmful HLA antibodies. This led us to the hypothesis that a partial auxiliary liver graft may have a similar protective effect when performed together with the kidney in highly sensitized patients. Seven patients, with broadly reacting HLA antibodies and positive crossmatches, were transplanted with a partial liver and a kidney from the same donor. In one of the cases a living donor was used. We performed lymphocytotoxic and flow cross-matches before and after the transplantation. Cross-matches turned negative after grafting in five of seven cases. The kidney function was excellent, without rejections, during the follow-up (24-60 months) in these patients. In two cases the cross-match remained positive after transplantation, one with a never-functioning renal graft and the other with an early graft failure, probably due to humoral rejection. A simultaneous transplantation of a partial auxiliary liver graft from the same donor, with the sole purpose of protecting the kidney from harmful lymphocytotoxic antibodies, can be performed successfully despite a positive cross-match and may thus be a new option of treatment for highly sensitized patients waiting for a kidney transplant.     

再次肾移植受者和移植肾长期预后影响因素分析

目的探究再次肾移植受者和移植肾存活情况及长期预后影响因素。 方法回顾性分析1991年1月1日至2017年12月31日于浙江大学医学院附属第一医院肾脏病中心接受肾移植受者临床资料。共纳入再次肾移植受者37例,首次肾移植受者5 374例。根据再次肾移植受者移植肾存活时间长短,将其分为长期存活组(19例,>5年)和短期存活组(18例,≤5年)。采用成组t检验比较长期和短期存活组供受者年龄、首次与再次肾移植间隔时间、HLA错配数和再次移植供肾冷/热缺血时间。采用卡方检验比较长期和短期存活组受者性别、再次移植供肾类型、再次移植前后群体反应性抗体阳性比例、首次移植失功移植肾切除比例、再次移植前免疫诱导比例及再次移植后移植肾功能延迟恢复(DGF)和急性排斥反应发生比例。采用Kaplan-Meier法分析再次和首次肾移植受者/移植肾1、5和10年存活率。采用Cox比例风险模型分析影响再次肾移植术后移植肾长期存活影响因素。P<0.05为差异有统计学意义。 结果截至2018年3月1日,37例再次肾移植受者中位随访时间为152个月(11～323个月),2例死亡,18例发生移植肾失功,17例移植肾功能稳定。5 374例首次肾移植受者中位随访时间为108.9个月(0.1～350.0个月),459例死亡,1 343例发生移植肾失功。再次移植组受者/移植肾1、5和10年存活率分别为86%/81%、86%/62%和82%/36%,首次移植组受者/移植肾1、5和10年存活率分别为99%/98%、93%/89%和88%/80%。再次移植组移植肾1、5和10年存活率均低于首次移植组(χ²＝60.816、25.110和43.900,P均<0.05);再次移植组受者1年存活率低于首次移植组,差异有统计学意义(χ²＝40.409,P<0.05)。长期和短期存活组受者再次移植后移植肾DGF和急性排斥反应发生比例差异均有统计学意义(χ²＝4.039和4.748,P均<0.05)。Cox回归分析结果示DGF和急性排斥反应是影响再次肾移植受者移植肾长期存活的独立危险因素,差异有统计学意义(RR＝4.317和4.571,P均<0.05)。 结论再次肾移植受者移植肾存活率低于首次肾移植受者,DGF和急性排斥反应是影响再次移植受者移植肾存活的独立危险因素。     

Renal Graft Outcome in Simultaneous Kidney Transplantation Combined With Other Organs: Experience of a Single Center

Aim

We report the renal graft outcomes among a series of patients who underwent simultaneous combined liver-kidney transplantations (CLKT) or heart-kidney transplantations (CHKT) at a single center.

Methods

From 1975 to December 31, 2007, we performed 1524 kidney transplantations, 427 liver transplantations, and 483 heart transplantations, including 7 simultaneous CLKT and 2 CHKT. We analysed the main patient characteristics, renal graft outcomes, and patient survivals.

Results

CLKT indications were as follows: alcoholic cirrhosis (n = 5) and hepatitis C virus (n = 2) with chronic glomerulonephritis (n = 5), hypertensive nephropathy (n = 1), and polycystic disease (n = 1). Cold renal ischemia time was 6.9 hours (range, 6-9). In 5 patients there were no kidney rejection episodes; 3 of these patients are alive with creatinine levels between 1.4 and 1.7 mg/dL with an average follow-up of 6.9 years (range, 10 months-8 years). One patient died of esophageal cancer at 13 years after transplantation with a serum creatinine level of 1.16 mg/dL and another died of breast cancer at 7 years after transplantation with a creatinine level of 1.1 mg/dL. One patient lost his renal graft just after the kidney transplantation due to renal vein thrombosis. The last patient suffered 1 episode of acute rejection and lost his kidney 5 years later due to chronic rejection. CHKT indications were as follow: dilated myocardiopathy (n = 2) and chronic glomerulonephritis (n = 1) or interstitial nephropathy (n = 1). The cold renal ischemia time was 4 hours. There were no acute rejection episodes. One patient is alive with a creatinine level of 2.05 mg/dL at 6 years after the transplantation; the other patient lost his kidney due to chronic rejection at 270 days after simultaneous CHKT, and 2 years later received a second kidney that is functioning normally.

Conclusions

Simultaneous CLKT and CHKT in selected cases provided satisfactory long-term outcomes in both graft function and patient survival with lesser number of acute rejection episodes than nonsimultaneous transplantations. They are worthy options for patients with liver or heart failure associated with renal failure.