A GPS for finding the route to transplantation for the sensitized patient.
OBJECTIVE
To identify factors that affect the choice of route to renal transplantation for the sensitized patient. The evolution of protocols for transplanting sensitized patients has been desensitization (DES), paired donation, and most recently, paired donation combined with DES. Use of these protocols has revealed various factors that influence which route is the most likely to work for a given patient.


RESULTS
The data indicate that patient blood type and HLA sensitization have the dominant influence on what route is best for a patient but numerous other factors, particularly the number, HLA type, and ABO type of donors a patient brings to a program will also affect the likelihood of transplantation. The distribution of these factors among patients transplanted or unable to find a compatible donor can be used to calculate the probability of transplantation via paired donation.


CONCLUSIONS
Kidney paired donation with or without DES provides benefits that cannot be achieved with DES alone. However, DES may provide the fastest route to transplantation.
Department of Medicine, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA. ajackson@jhmi.edu
Annette M
AM
Jackson
Mary S
MS
Leffell
Robert A
RA
Montgomery
Andrea A
AA
Zachary
D000017:ABO Blood-Group System; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D003888:Desensitization, Immunologic / Q000379:methods; D033001:Directed Tissue Donation; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000276:immunology; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006650:Histocompatibility Testing; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000276:immunology; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000276:immunology; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement
D000017:ABO Blood-Group System; D006680:HLA Antigens