Work

Practices in the evaluation of potential kidney transplant recipients who are elderly: A survey of U.S. transplant centers

Year: 2017

Type: article

Abstract: Limited data exist regarding the evaluation and selection of older candidates for transplantation. To help guide the development of program protocols and help define research questions in this area, we surveyed U.S. transplant centers regarding their current practices in the evaluation of older kidney transplant candidates. We emailed a 28-question survey to the medical and surgical directors of 190 adult kidney transplant programs in the USA. We received usable responses from 59 programs, a 31.1% response rate. Most (76.3%) programs do not have absolute age cutoffs for listing patients, but for the 22.0% of programs that do have cutoffs, the mean age was 79, range 70-90. Nearly one-third (29.2%) of programs require a minimum life expectancy to list for transplant, reporting a mean of 4.5 years life expectancy, (range 2-10). Programs vary significantly in evaluating candidates living in a nursing home or with cognitive impairments. Practices regarding the evaluation of older transplant candidates vary widely between U.S. programs. Further studies are needed on the impact of age and other comorbidities on transplant outcomes, to help guide decisions on which older patients are most appropriate for transplant listing.

Source: Clinical Transplantation

DOI: 10.1111/ctr.13088

Authors: Didier A. Mandelbrot, Aaron Fleishman, James R. Rodrigue, Silas P. Norman, Milagros Samaniego

Institutions: University of Wisconsin Health, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, University of Michigan

Language: English

Topic: Renal Transplantation Outcomes and Treatments

Subfield: Transplantation

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funder: Virginia Lee Cook Foundation