The Outcomes of Kidney Transplantation in Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBsAg)–Negative Recipients Receiving Graft From HBsAg-Positive Donors: A Retrospective, Propensity Score-Matched Study

Abstract

The outcomes of kidney transplantation (KT) from hepatitis B surface antigen–positive [HBsAg(+)] donors to HBsAg(−) recipients remain inconclusive, possibly due to substantial differences in methodological and statistical models, number of patients, follow-up duration, hepatitis B virus (HBV) prophylactic regimens and hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) levels. The present retrospective, longitudinal study (clinicaltrial.gov NCT02044588) using propensity score matching technique was conducted to compare outcomes of KT between HBsAg(−) recipients with anti-HBs titer above 100 mIU/mL undergoing KT from HBsAg(+) donors (n = 43) and HBsAg(−) donors (n = 86). During the median follow-up duration of 58.2 months (range 16.7–158.3 months), there were no significant differences in graft and patient survivals. No HBV-infective markers, including HBsAg, hepatitis B core antibody, hepatitis B extracellular antigen and HBV DNA quantitative test were detected in HBsAg(+) donor group. Renal pathology outcomes revealed comparable incidences of kidney allograft rejection while there were no incidences of HBV-associated glomerulonephritis and viral antigen staining. Recipients undergoing KT from HBsAg(+) donors with no HBV prophylaxis (n = 20) provided comparable outcomes with those treated with lamivudine alone (n = 21) or lamivudine in combination with HBV immunoglobulin (n = 2). In conclusion, KT without HBV prophylaxis from HBsAg(+) donors without hepatitis B viremia to HBsAg(−) recipients with anti-HBs titer above 100 mIU/mL provides excellent graft and patient survivals without evidence of HBV transmission.