Priority allocation of cadaver kidneys to highly presensitized transplant recipients

Within a prospective program of priority kidney allocation to highly presensitized recipients, 100 first and second cadaver transplants were performed from April 1985 to July 1987. The patient survival rate was 93% at 1 year. Graft survival at 1 year was 71% for first transplants and 68% for second transplants. There was a statistically significant correlation of graft outcome with matching for HLA-DR (P<0.02) and for HLA-B and -DR (P<0.02). The results demonstrate that multicenter cooperation is advantageous for the transplantation of highly presensitized recipients and that acceptable success rates can be obtained.