Kidney Transplantation From Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBsAg)–Positive Living Donors to HBsAg-Negative Recipients: Clinical Outcomes at a High-Volume Center in China

BACKGROUND: Data on kidney transplantation (KTx) from hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive (HBsAg+) donors to HBsAg-negative (HBsAg-) recipients [D(HBsAg+)/R(HBsAg-)] are limited. We aimed to report the outcomes of D(HBsAg+)/R(HBsAg-) KTx in recipients with or without hepatitis B surface antibody (HBsAb). METHODS: Eighty-three D(HBsAg+)/R(HBsAg-) living KTx cases were retrospectively identified. The 384 cases of KTx from hepatitis B core antibody-positive (HBcAb+) living donors to HBcAb-negative (HBcAb-) recipients [D(HBcAb+)/R(HBcAb-)] were used as the control group. The primary endpoint was posttransplant HBsAg status change from negative to postive (-- →+). RESULTS: Before KTx, 24 donors (28.9%) in the D(HBsAg+)/R(HBsAg-) group were hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA positive, and 20 recipients were HBsAb-. All 83 D(HBsAg+)/R(HBsAg-) recipients received HBV prophylaxis, while no D(HBcAb+)/R(HBcAb-) recipients received prophylaxis. After a median follow-up of 36 months (range, 6-106) and 36 months (range, 4-107) for the D(HBsAg+)/R(HBsAg-) and D(HBcAb+)/R(HBcAb-) groups, respectively, 2 of 83 (2.41%) D(HBsAg+)/R(HBsAg-) recipients and 1 of 384 (0.26%) D(HBcAb+)/R(HBcAb-) became HBsAg+, accompanied by HBV DNA-positive (P = .083). The 3 recipients with HBsAg-→+ were exclusively HBsAb-/HBcAb- before KTx. Recipient deaths were more frequent in the D(HBsAg+)/R(HBsAg-) group (6.02% vs 1.04%, P = .011), while liver and graft function, rejection, infection, and graft loss were not significantly different. In univariate analyses, pretransplant HBsAb-/HBcAb- combination in the D(HBsAg+)/R(HBsAg-) recipients carried a significantly higher risk of HBsAg-→+, HBV DNA-→+, and death. CONCLUSIONS: Living D(HBsAg+)/R(HBsAg-) KTx in HBsAb+ recipients provides excellent graft and patient survivals without HBV transmission. HBV transmission risks should be more balanced with respect to benefits of D(HBsAg+)/R(HBsAg-) KTx in HBsAb-/HBcAb- candidates.