Marked Increase in Pre-Existing Morbidity among Living Kidney Donors in the US

[Clark]

http://www.atcmeetingabstracts.com/abstract/marked-increase-in-pre-existing-morbidity-among-living-kidney-donors-in-the-united-states/

Marked Increase in Pre-Existing Morbidity among Living Kidney Donors in the United States
J. Schold, D. Goldfarb, L. Buccini, J. Rodrigue, D. Mandelbrot, E. Heaphy, R. Fatica, E. Poggio

Introduction

Research suggests long-term health of living kidney donors is comparable to the general population. However, there are limited comprehensive studies of morbidity among this population and criteria for living donor candidacy have been shown to be highly variable between US transplant centers. Our aim was to evaluate secular trends of comorbid conditions among living donors in the US.

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Discussion

Although long-term studies provide reassurance regarding the health of living donors, these data suggest continued vigilance of donor outcomes and careful ongoing consideration of donor candidacy are needed.

[Clark]

http://www.atcmeetingabstracts.com/abstract/obesity-is-a-major-barrier-to-increasing-living-kidney-donation-in-the-united-states/

Obesity Is a Major Barrier to Increasing Living Kidney Donation in the United States
Z. Stewart

Background: The number of living kidney donors has failed to increase in over a decade. There is limited data on the percentage of living kidney donor candidates who are approved for donation or the variables that impact kidney donor denial. We hypothesized that given the increasing average body mass index (BMI) in the United States, elevated BMI is a major factor for kidney donor candidate denial.

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Conclusion: Only a small fraction of potential living donor candidates proceed to donation. Elevated BMI is a major contributor to living kidney donor denial both as an absolute contraindication (BMI>35) and also by increasing the incidence of other factors that are a contraindication to donation such as hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Given the increasing obesity epidemic in the United States, it is unlikely that significant increases in the number of living kidney donors will be attainable.