Clinical perspectives towards improving risk stratification strategy for renal transplantation outcomes in Indian patients

Graft loss and rejections (acute/chronic) continue to remain important concerns in long-term outcomes in kidney transplant despite newer immunosuppressive regimens and increased use of induction agents. Global guidelines identify the risk factors and suggest a framework for management of patients at different risk levels for rejection; however, these are better applicable to deceased donor transplants. Their applicability in Indian scenario (predominantly live donor program) could be a matter of debate. Therefore, a panel of experts discussed the current clinical practice and adaptability of global recommendations to Indian settings. They also took a survey to define risk factors in kidney transplants and provide direction toward evidence- and clinical experience-based risk stratification for donor/recipient and transplant-related characteristics, with a focus on living donor transplantations. Several recipient related factors (dialysis, comorbidities, and age, donor-specific antibodies [DSAs]), donor-related factors (age, body mass index, type – living or deceased) and transplantation related factors (cold ischemia time [CIT], number of transplantations) were assessed. The experts suggested that immunological conflict should be avoided by performing cytotoxic cross match, flow cross match in all patients and DSA-(single antigen bead) whenever considered clinically relevant. HLA mismatches, presence of DSA, along with donor/recipient age, CIT, etc., were associated with increased risk of rejection. Furthermore, the panel agreed that the risk of rejection in living donor transplant is not dissimilar to deceased donor recipients. The experts also suggested that induction immunosuppression could be individualized based on the risk stratification.