Introduction: Renal allograft recipients of Middle Eastern (ME) heritage are often grouped together with Caucasians (CAU) for analysis. This abstract seeks to explore whether ME recipients are clinically distinguishable from CAU following induction with alemtuzumab (Ale).

Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 675 renal transplants with Ale induction and relative steroid freedom, transplanted at the University of Toledo Medical Center between 03/06 and 05/15.

Results: 17 ME patients were identified (2.5%). ME recipients had lower BMI (23.8±3.9 vs. 27.8±4.7, p=0.003). The percent of ME patients from neighboring Michigan was non-significant but notable (81.3% vs. 43.5%, p=0.078). ME recipients were more likely to receive from a deceased (94.1% vs. 69.5%, p=0.029), younger (median age 32±11.6 years vs. 38±15.0, p=0.023) and lower-KDPI (26±24.9 vs. 39±26, p=0.043) donor. Non-significant demographics are listed in Table 1.

No significant difference was noted in patient outcomes. Rejection was equivalent: ME rejection was 12.1% at 90 days and 1, 3, and 5 years, vs. 14.7%, 21.1%, 26.6%, and 30.0%, respectively, for CAU. No ME patients lost grafts or died; 1, 3, and 5-year death-censored and patient survival for CAU were 94.6%, 88%, and 83.7% and 95.9%, 89.3%, and 84.4%, respectively. This remained the case after a match paired subset of CAU (206 patients) was assembled to eliminate demographic differences.

Conclusion: ME outcomes were to CAU. ME patients had substantially lower BMI and potentially higher-quality donors, and the large proportion from Michigan is suggestive of transplant tourism with associated improved outcomes. Further investigation may be warranted.

CITATION INFORMATION: Mitro G., Ekwenna O., Rees M., Ortiz J. Renal Allograft Transplantation among Middle Eastern Population with Alemtuzumab Induction Am J Transplant. 2017;17 (suppl 3).

« Back to 2018 American Transplant Congress