Background: The effect of donor hypothermia is known to significantly reduce the rate of delayed graft function (DGF) in cadaveric donor kidney transplantation. The effect of hypothermia in living kidney transplants (LKT) has not been well explored. We hypothesized donor hypothermia affects living kidney transplantation results. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study from January 2014 – December 2016 on all consecutive LKTs performed at our transplant center. We examined the correlation of donor (D) and recipient (R) temperatures in LKT based upon four groupings of temperature combinations of donors (prior to cross clamp) and recipients (prior to reperfusion) with temperature ≥ 36⁰C and or <36⁰C . The difference in continuous variables across compared groups was assessed using the Mann-Whitney U test and were reported as a mean ± standard deviation. Binary variables were compared using chi-square test. Statistical significance was set at 5% for all comparisons. Results: We performed 117 LKT. There were 29 D/R <36⁰C, 22 D <36⁰C/R ≥ 36⁰C, 38 D/R ≥36⁰C, and 28 D≥ 36⁰C/R <36⁰C (N=117). Median CIT between groups was not significant. There were 4 cases of DGF (1 D/R <36⁰C and 3 D <36⁰C/R ≥ 36⁰C) OR 14.84, 95% CI (1.464-150.462); P value=.02. Median post-operative (PO) creatinine improved most for D/R Temp<36⁰C vs. other groups Day #1 (-3.6 vs. -2.8), P=.04; Day #2 (-6.2 vs. -4.7), P=.04; Day #3 (-6.7 vs. -4.9), P=.04. Decline in PO creatinine was most sluggish for D<36⁰C/R ≥ 36⁰C vs. all other combinations Day #1 (-2.2 vs. -3.4), P=.02; Day #2 (-3.5 vs. -5.4), P=.02; Day #3 (-4.0 vs. -5.7), P=.02. Conclusions: Donor and recipient hypothermia in living kidney transplantation correlates with less DGF and greater decline in creatinine compared with hypothermic donors and warm recipients. Further examination of hypothermia in living kidney transplantation is warranted.

CITATION INFORMATION: Buggs J., Wei J., Rogers E., Liu R., Bowers V. Donor Hypothermia Outcomes in Living Kidney Transplantation Am J Transplant. 2017;17 (suppl 3).

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