How Is the Outcome of ABO-Incompatible Kidney Transplantation
The outcome of ABO-incompatible (ABOi) kidney transplantation is generally considered very good, with patient and graft survival rates that make it a successful and routine clinical procedure. While outcomes are slightly inferior to center-matched ABO-compatible (ABOc) living donor transplants, they are superior to remaining on dialysis or waiting for a deceased donor kidney.
Survival and Success Rates
- Graft and Patient Survival:
Meta-analyses show that one-year uncensored graft survival for ABOi recipients is approximately 96%, compared to 98% for ABOc controls.
One-year patient survival is also slightly lower at 98% for ABOi versus 99% for ABOc. - Long-Term Outcomes:
For grafts that survive the first year, long-term outcomes between one and three years are comparable to ABO-compatible transplants.
Ten-Year Survival:
In some cohorts, 10-year cumulative survival for ABOi recipients reached 75.4%, significantly better than the 68.4% observed in patients who remained on the waitlist or received deceased-donor transplants.
