Outcomes of Hypertensive Kidney Donors Using Current and Past Hypertension Definitions

Hassan N Ibrahim; Sean A Hebert; Dina N Murad; Horacio E Adrogue; Duc T Nguyen; Edward A Graviss; Hana Nguyen; Arthur Matas

doi:10.1016/j.ekir.2021.02.034

Outcomes of Hypertensive Kidney Donors Using Current and Past Hypertension Definitions

Kidney Int Rep. 2021 Mar 3;6(5):1242-1253. doi: 10.1016/j.ekir.2021.02.034. eCollection 2021 May.

Authors

Hassan N Ibrahim¹, Sean A Hebert¹, Dina N Murad¹, Horacio E Adrogue¹, Duc T Nguyen², Edward A Graviss^{2

3}, Hana Nguyen¹, Arthur Matas⁴

Affiliations

¹ Division of Renal Diseases, Hypertension and Transplantation, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA.
² Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine, Institute for Academic Medicine, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA.
³ Department of Surgery, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA.
⁴ Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.

Abstract

Introduction: As many as 50% of U.S. transplant centers do not accept kidney donor candidates with hypertension, citing the link between hypertension, kidney disease, and cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Methods: We ascertained mortality, CVD, proteinuria, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) trajectory, reduced eGFR, and end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) in 904 hypertensive donors (blood pressure [BP] ≥140/90 mm Hg or receiving treatment) versus 7817 donors with BP <140/90 mm Hg.

Results: Hypertensive donors were older, 58.1% were <50 years of age, and they had a lower eGFR. The majority were white and related to their recipient. At the end of follow-up, 14.3 ± 10.1 years (range 4-48 years) from donation, hypertensive and nonhypertensive donors had a similar prevalence of cardiovascular disease and renal outcomes. The multivariable risk of mortality, CVD, and proteinuria were also comparable in normotensive and hypertensive donors. eGFR slope over time was similar in hypertensive and nonhypertensive donors, and in total 5 hypertensive and 39 normotensive donors developed ESKD 19.2 ± 10.3 years after donation (adjusted hazard ratio 1.14 [95% confidence interval 0.62-2.12], P = 0.67). Sensitivity analysis using the new definition of hypertension (≥130/80 mm Hg or requiring treatment) yielded similar results for renal outcomes, but hypertensive donors were more likely to develop CVD and diabetes.

Conclusions: Kidney donors with hypertension defined by past criteria do not appear to incur higher mortality, CVD, or ESKD. Donors with current definition of hypertension enjoyed similar renal outcomes but were more likely to develop CVD.

Keywords: donor; hypertension; kidney.