A new study sheds light on the potential impacts of obesity on health outcomes in kidney transplant recipients. The study will be presented at ASN Kidney Week 2018 October 23­–October 28 at the San Diego Convention Center.

The prevalence of obesity is increasing in prospective kidney transplant recipients. To examine the potential effect on long-term health outcomes, Bhavna Chopra, MD (Allegheny General Hospital) and her colleagues analyzed information from the United Network for Organ Sharing database from 2006 to 2016 concerning recipients at different levels of BMI. To minimize the impact of donor variables on transplant outcomes, the team used a paired kidney model in which kidneys from the same deceased donor were transplanted into recipients in different BMI categories.

Concerning delayed organ function, patients with ideal BMI (18–25) had the lowest risk, and the risk rose with increasing BMI categories; yet there was no difference in patient survival across different BMI groups.

“Our data support a more favorable consideration of obese patients for kidney transplantation and suggest that the use of a BMI cut off between 30 and 40 for wait listing, while common, is arbitrary and unfounded,” said Dr. Chopra. “The resulting increase in access to transplantation for many obese patients will have a significant impact on quality of life and longevity for these patients compared to staying on long-term dialysis.”

—Newswise