Outcomes of High Kidney Donor Profile Index Hepatitis C Nucleic Acid Testing Positive Kidneys are Equivalent to Matched Hepatitis C Nucleic Acid Testing Negative Kidneys

Background. A recent Organ Procurement and Transplant Network policy change removes hepatitis C virus (HCV) status and race from the Kidney Donor Profile Index (KDPI) calculation, thereby lowering the KDPI of HCV nucleic acid testing positive (NAT+) kidneys and increasing their allocation priority....

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Main Authors: Shengliang He, MD, Christie P. Thomas, MD, Alan E. Gunderson, MD, Patrick Ten Eyck, PhD, Alan I. Reed, MD, MBA
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer 2025-07-01
Series:Transplantation Direct
Online Access:http://journals.lww.com/transplantationdirect/fulltext/10.1097/TXD.0000000000001827
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author Shengliang He, MD
Christie P. Thomas, MD
Alan E. Gunderson, MD
Patrick Ten Eyck, PhD
Alan I. Reed, MD, MBA
author_facet Shengliang He, MD
Christie P. Thomas, MD
Alan E. Gunderson, MD
Patrick Ten Eyck, PhD
Alan I. Reed, MD, MBA
author_sort Shengliang He, MD
collection DOAJ
description Background. A recent Organ Procurement and Transplant Network policy change removes hepatitis C virus (HCV) status and race from the Kidney Donor Profile Index (KDPI) calculation, thereby lowering the KDPI of HCV nucleic acid testing positive (NAT+) kidneys and increasing their allocation priority. However, even in the era of direct-acting antivirals, high KDPI HCV NAT+ kidneys exhibited higher discard rates compared with their HCV NAT– counterparts, and outcome data for this “high-risk” group remain limited. This study aims to address this knowledge gap by providing comprehensive outcome data to better inform organ allocation and selection decisions under the new KDPI framework. Methods. Using national transplant data from 2015 to 2023, we analyzed adult deceased donor kidney transplants stratified by KDPI and HCV NAT status. An exact matching model was used to identify the matched HCV NAT– group. Results. No significant differences were observed in delayed graft function, rejection, or patient and graft survival between high KDPI HCV NAT+ and matched HCV NAT– recipients. High KDPI HCV NAT+ kidneys were more often allocated regionally or nationally, with 67.6% occurring in 4 regions. Their recipients were more likely to have a high school education and shorter wait times. After the policy change, >90% of prior high KDPI HCV NAT+ kidneys will no longer be classified as high KDPI. Conclusions. Our findings support the safe utilization of previously high KDPI HCV NAT+ kidneys after a policy change. Although the revised KDPI may assist clinicians in identifying higher-quality organs, its impact on existing sociodemographic disparities and overall organ utilization rate remains uncertain.
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spelling doaj-art-fb81d4ffd58b44209a5168217ea9de452025-08-20T03:35:36ZengWolters KluwerTransplantation Direct2373-87312025-07-01117e182710.1097/TXD.0000000000001827202507000-00014Outcomes of High Kidney Donor Profile Index Hepatitis C Nucleic Acid Testing Positive Kidneys are Equivalent to Matched Hepatitis C Nucleic Acid Testing Negative KidneysShengliang He, MD0Christie P. Thomas, MD1Alan E. Gunderson, MD2Patrick Ten Eyck, PhD3Alan I. Reed, MD, MBA41 Division of Transplant and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Department of Surgery, Organ Transplant Center, University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics, Iowa City, IA.2 Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA.4 Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics, Iowa City, IA.5 Institute for Clinical and Translational Science, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA.1 Division of Transplant and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Department of Surgery, Organ Transplant Center, University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics, Iowa City, IA.Background. A recent Organ Procurement and Transplant Network policy change removes hepatitis C virus (HCV) status and race from the Kidney Donor Profile Index (KDPI) calculation, thereby lowering the KDPI of HCV nucleic acid testing positive (NAT+) kidneys and increasing their allocation priority. However, even in the era of direct-acting antivirals, high KDPI HCV NAT+ kidneys exhibited higher discard rates compared with their HCV NAT– counterparts, and outcome data for this “high-risk” group remain limited. This study aims to address this knowledge gap by providing comprehensive outcome data to better inform organ allocation and selection decisions under the new KDPI framework. Methods. Using national transplant data from 2015 to 2023, we analyzed adult deceased donor kidney transplants stratified by KDPI and HCV NAT status. An exact matching model was used to identify the matched HCV NAT– group. Results. No significant differences were observed in delayed graft function, rejection, or patient and graft survival between high KDPI HCV NAT+ and matched HCV NAT– recipients. High KDPI HCV NAT+ kidneys were more often allocated regionally or nationally, with 67.6% occurring in 4 regions. Their recipients were more likely to have a high school education and shorter wait times. After the policy change, >90% of prior high KDPI HCV NAT+ kidneys will no longer be classified as high KDPI. Conclusions. Our findings support the safe utilization of previously high KDPI HCV NAT+ kidneys after a policy change. Although the revised KDPI may assist clinicians in identifying higher-quality organs, its impact on existing sociodemographic disparities and overall organ utilization rate remains uncertain.http://journals.lww.com/transplantationdirect/fulltext/10.1097/TXD.0000000000001827
spellingShingle Shengliang He, MD
Christie P. Thomas, MD
Alan E. Gunderson, MD
Patrick Ten Eyck, PhD
Alan I. Reed, MD, MBA
Outcomes of High Kidney Donor Profile Index Hepatitis C Nucleic Acid Testing Positive Kidneys are Equivalent to Matched Hepatitis C Nucleic Acid Testing Negative Kidneys
Transplantation Direct
title Outcomes of High Kidney Donor Profile Index Hepatitis C Nucleic Acid Testing Positive Kidneys are Equivalent to Matched Hepatitis C Nucleic Acid Testing Negative Kidneys
title_full Outcomes of High Kidney Donor Profile Index Hepatitis C Nucleic Acid Testing Positive Kidneys are Equivalent to Matched Hepatitis C Nucleic Acid Testing Negative Kidneys
title_fullStr Outcomes of High Kidney Donor Profile Index Hepatitis C Nucleic Acid Testing Positive Kidneys are Equivalent to Matched Hepatitis C Nucleic Acid Testing Negative Kidneys
title_full_unstemmed Outcomes of High Kidney Donor Profile Index Hepatitis C Nucleic Acid Testing Positive Kidneys are Equivalent to Matched Hepatitis C Nucleic Acid Testing Negative Kidneys
title_short Outcomes of High Kidney Donor Profile Index Hepatitis C Nucleic Acid Testing Positive Kidneys are Equivalent to Matched Hepatitis C Nucleic Acid Testing Negative Kidneys
title_sort outcomes of high kidney donor profile index hepatitis c nucleic acid testing positive kidneys are equivalent to matched hepatitis c nucleic acid testing negative kidneys
url http://journals.lww.com/transplantationdirect/fulltext/10.1097/TXD.0000000000001827
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