The relationship between blood transfusion following kidney transplantation (KT) and the development of de novo donor-specific antibodies (dnDSA) is controversial. This was investigated by conducting a meta-analysis of studies on patients who underwent KT with or without blood transfusion, and by evaluating the effect of post-KT blood transfusion on clinical outcomes of kidney transplant recipients. Relevant studies in the PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases were identified from inception to July 1, 2022. Two reviewers independently extracted data from the selected articles and estimated study quality. A fixed effects or random effects model was used to pool data according to the heterogeneity among studies. Data included in the meta-analysis were derived from 11 studies with a total of 19,543 patients including 6191 with and 13,352 without blood transfusion post-KT. We assessed the pooled associations between blood transfusion and occurrence of dnDSA and clinical outcomes of transplant recipients. Blood transfusion was strongly correlated with the development of dnDSA (relative risk [RR] = 1.40, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.17-1.67; P < 0.05). Patients with blood transfusion had a higher risk of developing anti-human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I dnDSA than non-transfused patients (RR = 1.75, 95% CI: 1.14-2.69; P < 0.05) as well as significantly higher rates of antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) (RR = 1.41, 95% CI: 1.21-2.35; P < 0.05) and graft loss (RR = 1.75, 95% CI: 1.30-2.35; P < 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in the development of anti-HLA antibodies, anti-HLA class II dnDSA, and anti-HLA class I and II dnDSA; delayed graft function; T cell-mediated rejection; acute rejection; borderline rejection; or patient death. Our results suggest that blood transfusion was associated with dnDSA development in KT recipients. The findings of this systematic review also suggest that post-KT blood transfusion recipients have a higher risk of AMR, and graft loss compared with non-transfused patients. Evidence from this meta-analysis indicates that the use of blood transfusion post-KT is associated with a significantly higher risk of immunological sensitization. More and higher quality results from large randomized controlled trials are still needed to inform clinical practice.

Complement-binding donor-specific human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibodies in kidney recipients have been associated with a higher risk of allograft rejection and loss. The objective of this meta-analysis was to investigate the correlation between C1q-binding donor-specific antibodies (DSAs) and clinical outcomes in kidney transplantation (KT) recipients.
We conducted systematic searches in the PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library databases to identify all studies since inception to August 2021 that compared clinical outcomes between C1q + DSA and C1q-DSA patients who underwent KT. Data were independently extracted by two reviewers who assessed the risk of bias. Data were summarized with fixed effects or random effects models according to heterogeneity. We assessed clinical outcomes including graft loss, rejection, delayed graft function (DGF), and all-cause patient death.
Twenty-six studies with a total of 1337 patients were included: 485 with C1q-binding DSAs, and 850 without C1q-binding DSAs. Compared with the C1q-DSA group, the C1q + DSA group had significant increases in antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) (relative risk [RR] = 2.09, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.53-2.86; P < 0.00001), graft loss (RR = 2.40, 95% CI, 1.66-3.47; P < 0.00001), and death (RR = 3.13, 95% CI, 1.06-9.23; P = 0.04). The C1q + DSA and C1q-DSA groups did not show significant differences in T-cell-mediated rejection, acute rejection, acute cellular rejection, mixed rejection, or DGF.
The findings of this systematic review suggest that C1q + DSA KT have a higher risk of AMR, graft loss, and death compared with C1q-DSA patients. Monitoring C1q-binding DSAs allows risk stratification of recipients and guides physician management.

The adverse impact of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on kidney function has been reported since the global pandemic. The burden of COVID-19 on kidney transplant recipients, however, has not been systematically analyzed. A systematic review and meta-analysis with a random-effect model was conducted to explore the rate of mortality, intensive care unit admission, invasive mechanical ventilation, acute kidney injury, kidney replacement therapy and graft loss in the adult kidney transplant population with COVID-19. Sensitivity analysis, subgroup analysis and meta-regression were also performed. Results: we demonstrated a pooled mortality rate of 21% (95% CI: 19-23%), an intensive care unit admission rate of 26% (95% CI: 22-31%), an invasive ventilation rate among those who required intensive care unit care of 72% (95% CI: 62-81%), an acute kidney injury rate of 44% (95% CI: 39-49%), a kidney replacement therapy rate of 12% (95% CI: 9-15%), and a graft loss rate of 8% (95% CI: 5-15%) in kidney transplant recipients with COVID-19. The meta-regression indicated that advancing age is associated with higher mortality; every increase in age by 10 years was associated with an increased mortality rate of 3.7%. Regional differences in outcome were also detected. Further studies focused on treatments and risk factor identification are needed.

Renal allograft compartment syndrome (RACS) is the result of extrinsic compression resulting in graft dysfunction and loss due to ischaemia. A literature review was performed by computerized searches from the following data sources Medline, EMBASE, PubMed and Cochrane Library databases. Risk factors include size mismatch between graft and recipient. Intraoperative suspicion should be exercised if there is poor tissue turgor, cyanosis and loss of urine output upon fascial closure. Doppler ultrasound is the modality of choice amongst the literature to aid in diagnosis of RACS. From our study, the accepted form of treatment is early detection and appropriate surgical intervention. Nevertheless, it is clear from the paucity of literature that further investigation into this area of transplantation is necessary.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (VDD) and its impact on clinical outcomes after kidney transplant (KT) remain poorly defined.
OBJECTIVE: We conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the impact of early VDD on clinical outcomes after KT.
METHODS: Electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and The Cochrane Library) were systematically searched for eligible publications up to April 30, 2020.
METHODS: Relative risk was presented as hazard ratios (HRs) or odds ratios (ORs) and 95%CIs for dichotomous outcomes. Mean difference (MD) and 95%CIs were presented for continuous outcomes.
RESULTS: A total of 28 studies (13 prospective and 15 retrospective) were included. VDD was common early after KT, with a prevalence of 52% (95%CI: 41%-64%) at transplant, 34% (95%CI: 17%-51%) at 3 months, and 23% (95%CI: 10%-35%) at 6 months. Early VDD was associated with higher mortality rate after KT (HR, 1.56; 95%CI: 1.32-1.84; P < 0.001). In addition, early VDD led to higher risk of bacterial infection (OR, 1.82; 95%CI: 1.40-2.36; P < 0.001), BK polyomavirus infection (OR, 2.11, 95%CI: 1.23-3.61; P = 0.006), and cytomegalovirus infection (OR, 1.69; 95%CI: 1.24-2.31; P = 0.001). Early VDD increased the risk of acute rejection as well (HR, 2.28; 95%CI: 1.57-3.30; P < 0.001). Recipients with early VDD had lower estimated glomerular filtration rates (mean difference: -5.06; 95%CI: -7.28 to 2.83 mL/min; P < 0.001). Sensitivity analyses showed good stability of the pooled results.
CONCLUSIONS: VDD was common early after KT and associated with higher risk of death and adverse outcomes.

Obesity might be associated with mortality and clinical outcomes following transplantation; however, the direction of this relationship has not been well-recognized in youth. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate the association of obesity with post-transplant mortality and clinical outcomes in children and adolescents. Following a systematic search of observational studies published by December 2018 in PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Cochrane library, 15 articles with total sample size of 50,498 patients were included in the meta-analysis. The main outcome was mortality and secondary outcomes included acute graft versus host disease (GVHD), acute rejection, and overall graft loss. The pooled data analyses showed significantly higher odds of long term mortality (OR 1.30, 95% CI 1.15-1.48, P < 0.001, I2 = 50.3%), short term mortality (OR 1.79, 95% CI 1.19-2.70, P = 0.005, I2 = 59.6%), and acute GVHD (OR 2.13, 95% CI 1.5-3.02, P < 0.001, I2 = 1.7%) in children with obesity. There were no significant differences between patients with and without obesity in terms of acute rejection (OR 1.07, 95% CI 0.98-1.16, P = 0.132, I2 = 7.5%) or overall graft loss (OR 1.04, 95% CI 0.84-1.28, P = 0.740, I2 = 51.6%). This systematic review and meta-analysis has stated higher post-transplant risk of short and long term mortality and higher risk of acute GVHD in children with obesity compared to those without obesity. Future clinical trials are required to investigate the effect of pre-transplant weight management on post-transplant outcomes to provide insights into the clinical application of these findings. This may in turn lead to establish guidelines for the management of childhood obesity in transplantations.

We herein report the case of a kidney transplant patient with recurrence of obstructive nephropathy that was not diagnosed as adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (APRT) deficiency until gene testing identified a pathogenic homozygous variant three years after renal transplantation. Subsequently, the patient was treated with allopurinol, and the allograft function increased progressively to normal. In addition, 20 cases of APRT deficiency in renal transplant recipients were also reviewed. We hope this case increases awareness of APRT deficiency in repeated obstructive nephropathy post-transplantation, which is a treatable disease for which the misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis should be avoided.

Simultaneous pancreas-kidney (SPK) transplantation remains the most effective treatment for providing consistent and long-term euglycemia in patients having type 1 diabetes with renal failure. Thrombosis of the pancreatic vasculature continues to contribute significantly to early graft failure and loss. We compared the rate of thrombosis to graft loss and systematically reviewed risk factors impacting early thrombosis of the pancreas allograft following SPK transplantation. We searched the MEDLINE, EMBASE, The Cochrane Library, and PREMEDLINE databases for studies reporting thrombosis following pancreas transplantation. Identified publications were screened for inclusion and synthesized into a data extraction sheet. Sixty-three studies satisfied eligibility criteria: 39 cohort studies, 22 conference abstracts, and 2 meta-analyses. Newcastle-Ottawa Scale appraisal of included studies demonstrated cohort studies of low bias risk; 1127 thrombi were identified in 15 936 deceased donor, whole pancreas transplants, conferring a 7.07% overall thrombosis rate. Thrombosis resulted in pancreatic allograft loss in 83.3% of reported cases. This review has established significant associations between donor and recipient characteristics, procurement and preservation methodology, transplantation technique, postoperative management, and increased risk of early thrombosis in the pancreas allograft. Further studies examining the type of organ preservation fluid, prophylactic heparin protocol, and exocrine drainage method and early thrombosis should also be performed.

There exists neither a consensus definition of burn \"graft loss\" nor a scale with which to grade severity. We introduced an institutional scale in 2014 for quality improvement.
We reviewed all burned patients with graft loss on departmental Morbidity and Mortality reports between July 2014 and July 2016. Graft loss grades were assigned during the course of clinical care per institutional scale. Chronic nonhealing wounds and nonburn wounds were excluded. Data abstracted included demographics, medical history, injury details, surgical procedures, graft loss, and lengths of stay (LOS). Photos of affected areas were graded by two blinded surgeons, and a linear weighted κ was calculated to assess interrater agreement.
Graft loss was noted in 50 patients, with 43 remaining after exclusions. Mean age was 50.1 y. The majority were male (58.1%) and African American (41.9%). Smoking (30.2%) and diabetes (27.9%) were prevalent. Total body surface area involvement ranged from 0.5% to 51.0% (11.8 ± 12.3%). Grade I graft loss was documented on one patient (2.3%), Grade II in 15 (34.9%), Grade III in 12 (27.9%), and Grade IV in 15 (34.9%). Reoperation was performed in 20 (46.5%). Hospital LOS was longer than predicted in 38 patients (88.4%). Seven had significant morbidity, including two amputations. Moderate agreement was reached between blinded surgeons (κ = 0.44, P = 0.004).
Graft loss is a major source of morbidity in burn patients. In this cohort, reoperation was common and hospital LOS was extended. Use of a grading scale improves dialog among providers and enables improved understanding of risk factors.

The effects of CD20+ B-cell infiltration during acute rejection on graft outcomes are controversial. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to clarify this issue. We performed a systematic literature search for studies published up to January 14, 2016. A total of 5 studies, with 200 patients, were included. The presence of CD20+ B cells in renal biopsies during allograft rejection was associated with graft loss and steroid resistance. No association of CD20+ B-cell infiltration with C4d-positive staining of the peritubular capillaries in renal biopsies was found in the analysis of patients who experienced kidney graft rejection. In conclusion, CD 20+ B cell infiltration during allograft rejection was associated with an increased risk of graft loss and steroid resistance.