How...websites of...US centers address the risks of living kidney donation

[Clark]

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/ctr.15054?campaign=wolearlyview

How the websites of high-volume US centers address the risks of living kidney donation

Clinical Transplantation
Early View
Online Version of Record before inclusion in an issue
Robert W. Steiner, Walter Glannon
First published: 03 July 2023 https://doi.org/10.1111/ctr.15054

Abstract
Background
The websites of US transplant centers may be a source of information about the renal risks of potential living kidney donors.
Methods
To include only likely best practices, we surveyed websites of centers that performed at least 50 living donor kidney transplants per year. We tabulated how risks were conveyed regarding loss of eGFR at donation, the adequacy of long-term ESRD risk data, long-term donor mortality, minority donor ESRD risk, concerns about hyperfiltration injury versus the risk of end-stage kidney diseases, comparisons of ESRD risks in donors to population risks, the increased risks of younger donors, an effect of the donation itself to increase risk, quantifying risks over specific intervals, and a lengthening list of small post-donation medical risks and metabolic changes of uncertain significance.
Results
While websites had no formal obligation to address donor risks, many offered abundant information. Some conveyed OPTN-mandated requirements for counseling individual donor candidates. While actual wording often varied, there was general agreement on many issues. We occasionally noted clear-cut differences among websites in risk characterization and other outliers.
Conclusions
The websites of the most active US centers offer insights into how transplant professionals view living kidney donor risk. Website content may merit further study.