The role of the altruistic unbalanced chain in exchange living donor renal transplantation: single-center experience.
BACKGROUND
The exchange donor program in renal transplantation is an efficient solution for recipients with a blood type or crossmatch-incompatible donor. However, this program has some difficulties to define unacceptable human leukocyte antigen matches, deteriorating clinical potential recipient condition, and withdrawal of donor consent. We analyzed the outcomes of exchange donor renal transplantation through the altruistic unbalanced chain.


METHODS
Among 152 cases of exchange donor renal transplantation from 1991 to 2010 in our hospital, we performed 58 procedures through altruistic unbalanced chains. We compared their outcomes with the direct and balanced chain group. We analyzed retrospectively whether this program expanded the donor pool, seeking better immunologic, size, and age matching.


RESULTS
The graft survival and acute rejection rates did not differ significantly in the two groups. Of 152 cases, 58 (38.2%) renal transplantations were performed through an unbalanced chain. Seventeen waiting list recipients were transplanted through an altruistic unbalanced chain. In blood type O recipients (n = 32), the causes of registration in the exchange program were ABO incompatibility (93.3%), and positive crossmatch (6.7%). Nine altruistic blood type O donors and 9 (28.1%) type O recipients underwent transplantations through this chain.


CONCLUSIONS
We suggest the altruistic unbalanced chain may expand the donor pool with advantages for difficult-to-match pairs. The disadvantages of type O recipients may be overcome through the use of an unbalanced chain. The altruistic unbalanced exchange transplantation program can help easy-to-match subjects, shortening the waiting periods.
Transplantation Center, Hanyang University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
B K
BK
Ahn
O J
OJ
Kwon
C M
CM
Kang
D000017:ABO Blood-Group System; D000328:Adult; D000533:Altruism; D001787:Blood Group Incompatibility / Q000276:immunology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D037921:Gift Giving; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000209:etiology; D006085:Graft Survival; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006648:Histocompatibility; D006650:Histocompatibility Testing; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000601:surgery*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology; D019520:Living Donors / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015397:Program Evaluation; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014850:Waiting Lists
D000017:ABO Blood-Group System; D006680:HLA Antigens