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Comparable Early Outcomes in Brain versus Circulatory Death Kidney Transplants After Delayed Graft Function
Introduction While delayed graft function (DGF) is less common after donation after brain death (DBD) than after circulatory death (DCD) in kidney transplantation (KT), this study investigated whether risk factors for DGF and post-transplant outcomes differ by donor type. Methods We analyzed all adult deceased donor kidney transplant recipients (DDKTR) at our center between 2005-2019, stratified by donor type (DBD vs. DCD). We assessed risk factors for DGF, acute rejection (AR), uncensored graft failure (UCGF), and death-censored graft failure (DCGF), within first year of transplant.
Results Among 2543 DDKTs, 804 (31%) were DCD. In both DBD and DCD recipients, older donor age, higher recipient BMI, and depleting induction agent increased the risk for DGF, while female recipient and preemptive transplant were protective. Additional risk factors in DBD but not in DCD recipients included higher terminal serum creatinine, higher KDPI, right donor kidney, and prolonged cold ischemia time (CIT). Female donors were protected against DGF in DCD only. DGF was linked to higher AR and UCGF risk, with no significant differences between DBD and DCD groups (AR: aHR 2.22 vs 2.37, p-interaction=0.65; UCGF: 3.04 vs 2.56; p-interaction=0.47). No adjusted DCGF data were available.
Conclusion DBD-KTs had more risk factors for DGF than DCD-KTs, including higher terminal creatinine, higher KDPI, right renal graft, and prolonged CIT. Female donors offered added protection against DGF in DCD-KTs. Despite higher DGF rates in DCD-KTs, the risk of adverse early outcomes after DGF development was similar between deceased donor types, suggesting DCD grafts remain a viable option despite DGF concerns.