Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41853257›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in immunology2026

Innovative strategies in kidney paired donation: single-center experience achieving the highest annual transplant volume globally.

Khalid A AlMeshari, Dieter C Broering, Dalia A Obeid, Ali N AlAli, Amal N Algharabli, Noreen L Pana, Tariq Z Ali

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in immunology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Khalid A AlMeshariDepartment of Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Dieter C BroeringDepartment of Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Dalia A ObeidTransplant Research and Innovation Department, Organ Transplant Centre of Excellence, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Ali N AlAliDepartment of Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Amal N AlgharabliDepartment of Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Noreen L PanaDepartment of Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Tariq Z AliDepartment of Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Kidney Paired Donation (KPD) programs expand transplant opportunities for immunologically incompatible donor-recipient pairs. This study describes the operational framework and clinical outcomes of a high-volume, single-center KPD program, which became the highest-volume center globally in 2024. Methods: We analyzed all kidney transplants performed through our KPD program between January and December 2024. The program aimed to achieve full HLA and ABO compatibility for incompatible pairs, while also incorporating additional strategies: inclusion of compatible pairs to improve HLA matching, acceptance of ABO quasi-compatible matches (e.g., A2 donors to O or B recipients), low-risk HLA-incompatible matching for HLA-incompatible candidates with cPRA >80%, and ABO-incompatible matching for those with cPRA >95%. Results: A total of 135 patients (121 adults, 14 pediatrics) underwent KPD-facilitated transplantation, including 69 HLA-incompatible (51.1%), 37 ABO-incompatible (27.4%), and 29 compatible (21.5%) pairs. Females comprised 60.7% of the cohort, with a significantly higher proportion in the HLA-incompatible group (p < 0.001). HLA-incompatible recipients were older than others (mean age 42.5 years, p < 0.001). Most transplants (93.3%) occurred through 2- to 5-way closed chains, with the remainder via domino chains (6.7%). At baseline, 25% of patients were very highly sensitized (cPRA ≥95%) HLA- incompatible recipients, and ABO-incompatible recipients were blood group O individuals whose intended donors had A1 or B blood groups (high risk combinations). Following matching, 70% of patients achieved full HLA and ABO compatibility, while 30% underwent transplantation with acceptable immunologic risk (i.e. low-risk HLA incompatibility and/or ABO incompatibility). Early post-transplant outcomes were favorable, with a mean serum creatinine of 87.2 µmol/L. Acute rejection occurred in 6.7% of patients, antibody-mediated rejection in 0.7%, and graft loss in 0.7%. Conclusion: Our single-center experience demonstrates the feasibility and effectiveness of a high-volume KPD program in overcoming immunologic barriers to kidney transplantation. Strategic inclusion of compatible pairs, ABO quasi-compatible matching, low-risk HLA-incompatible, and ABO-incompatible matchings significantly increased access for difficult-to-match recipients. This model may serve as a replicable framework for other high-capacity transplant centers seeking to expand transplant access and improve outcomes for complex patient populations.

Indexed as

Kidney TransplantationTissue and Organ ProcurementABO Blood-Group SystemAdolescentAdultBlood Group IncompatibilityChildFemaleGraft RejectionGraft SurvivalHistocompatibilityHistocompatibility TestingHLA AntigensHumansMaleMiddle AgedABO Blood-Group SystemHLA AntigensABO-incompatible transplantHLA-incompatible transplantHLA matchingkidney paired donationkidney transplantation

Identifiers

PMID41853257
PMCPMC12991978

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.