The investigators studied 175 kidney transplant candidates who responded to hypothetical scenarios that tested their willingness to accept a kidney from a donor at higher risk of viral infection. Each scenario varied the donor age (as a substitute for kidney quality), the risk of contracting HIV and the waiting time until the next offer of a kidney transplant. Among 175 respondents, 42 (24.0%) rejected kidneys from donors at increased risk of viral infections under all conditions, 103 (58.9%) accepted them under some conditions, and 31 (17.7%) always accepted them. Patients were more likely to accept a kidney from donors at increased risk of viral infections when the donor was younger, HIV risk was lower, and when the waiting time was longer. Also, patients on dialysis and older patients more commonly accepted such kidneys.Increasing the use of kidneys from donors at increased risk of viral infections could improve access to kidney transplantation only if transplant candidates are willing to accept these organs. "Our study shows that the majority of kidney transplant candidates would accept the tradeoff some of the time - that is, they would accept a kidney transplant even if the risk of HIV infection was slightly elevated," said Dr. Reese.

According to the authors, transplant physicians should talk with their patients about the possibility of receiving organs from donors at increased risk of viral infections without fearing that such conversations will undermine the ability to place these organs.

SOURCE Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology (CJASN)