Increased risk of infection-associated death with incompatible kidney transplantations.

Abstract

In times of organ shortage, transplantation over the blood group A/B and HLA antibody barriers helps increasing the living donor pool in kidney transplantation. Waiting times are reduced while patient survival may be improved. By desensitization, both blood group A/B as well as HLA antibodies are eliminated from the patient's circulation using plasmapheresis, double filtration plasmapheresis or selective or unselective immunoadsorption. In addition, antibody production and posttransplant antibody rebound are prevented by powerful immunosuppression and induction therapy with or without B-cell eliminating anti-CD20 antibody rituximab. Death-censored graft survival does not appear to be impaired after ABO incompatible kidney transplantation. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.