Browsing by Author "Ahlmark, Amanda"

Background Delayed graft function (DGF) after kidney transplantation is common and is associated with worse graft outcomes and a higher risk for acute rejection. However, little is known about factors affecting graft survival post-DGF. We studied the association of cold ischemia time (CIT) and Kidney Donor Profile Index (KDPI) with the long-term outcomes of deceased brain-dead donor kidneys with and without DGF. Methods Consecutive brain-dead donor kidney transplantations performed in Finland between 5/2004-12/2019 were analyzed. Multivariable models were used to study the association of KDPI and CIT with the graft survival of kidneys with early graft function (EF) or DGF. To confirm the finding in a US cohort, data from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR) registry (n=79224) was used. Results A total of 2637 kidney transplantations from the Finnish cohort were included, of which 849 (32%) had DGF. DGF was an independent risk factor for graft loss in the multivariable model, HR 1.32 (95% CI 1.14-1.53), p < 0.001. CIT was not an independent risk factor for graft survival in the multivariable model HR 1.00 per CIT hour (95% CI 0.99-1.02), p= 0.84, and the association of DGF remained similar regardless of the CIT length. KDPI was an independent risk factor for graft survival in the multivariable model HR 1.01 (95% CI 1.01-1.01), p <0.001, but the association of DGF remained similar regardless of KDPI. In the US cohort, the results were similar, but the association of DGF with the risk of graft loss was stronger with higher KDPI. Conclusions DGF and KDPI, but not CIT, are independently associated with kidney graft survival. The magnitude of the association of DGF with worse kidney graft survival is similar with different CITs, but higher among high KDPI kidneys.