Kidney transplantation is safe and effective among HIV-positive donors and recipients, providing new hope for people suffering from end-stage kidney disease.

The study was conducted by the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the US medical research agency.

Published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the study shows that transplant outcomes among HIV-positive individuals (HIV D+/R+) are equivalent to outcomes between HIV-negative donors and recipients (HIV D-/R+). Which is a major milestone. Field of organ transplantation.

A vital lifeline for HIV patients

Kidney transplantation offers a significant survival advantage for people living with HIV who suffer from end-stage kidney disease, yet the shortage of available organs poses a serious obstacle to treatment.

Speaking about the success in kidney transplants, Dr Suriraju V, senior consultant urologist and founder of Regal Hospital, who is not involved in the study, said that in India, where the demand for kidney transplants far exceeds the available donors, This discovery could be transformative.

“Each year, approximately 1.8 lakh people suffer from kidney failure, yet only about 6,000 transplants are performed. This leaves a large number of patients in a difficult situation, with many of them waiting for years or receiving a transplant.” Never get the life-saving organs they need.” ” Dr Suriraju said.

Individuals living with HIV face a higher risk of death while on the organ waiting list and are often given fewer opportunities for a transplant than HIV-negative individuals.

To address this disparity, the HIV Organ Policy Equity (HOPE) Act was passed in the US in 2015, legalizing kidney transplantation between donors and recipients with HIV.

Although this practice is currently limited to research settings to ensure patient safety, the latest findings may pave the way for broader application.

“This study demonstrates that kidney transplantation between HIV-positive donors and recipients can be as safe and effective as that between HIV-negative donors,” said one of the lead researchers, from Johns Hopkins University.

“These results could potentially lead to greater access to life-saving organ transplants for people living with HIV,” the researcher said.

study findings

The study enrolled 198 adults with HIV and end-stage kidney disease from 26 different medical centers in the United States.

The results of 99 participants who received kidneys from HIV-positive donors were compared with 99 participants who received organs from HIV-negative donors, who were monitored for three years.

Key metrics such as overall survival, graft survival (kidney function after transplant), and rejection rates were similar between the two groups.

One year after transplantation, the survival rate for HIV-positive recipients was 94% in the HIV-positive donor group and 95% in the HIV-negative donor group.

After three years, the survival rate was 85% for HIV-positive donors and 87% for HIV-negative donors. Graft survival was also similar, with a 93% survival rate after one year for those receiving kidneys from HIV-positive donors and 90% for those from HIV-negative donors.

Notably, the risk of kidney rejection was slightly lower in the HIV-positive donor group, with the rejection rate at 13% one and three years after transplant compared to 21% in the HIV-negative donor group.

life saving treatment

The study results show that kidney transplantation among HIV-positive individuals is safe and not inferior to the standard practice of using HIV-negative donors.

“Currently, the concept of HIV-positive organ donors is limited to research settings in many parts of the world, but with the success of studies like the NIH, I believe this may soon change. If properly regulated If implemented, India can benefit from this success, giving hope to thousands of people left on the waiting list,” said Dr. Suriraju.