Obesity as an isolated contraindication to kidney transplantation in the end-stage renal disease population: A cohort study

Objective The aim of this study was to characterize end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients with obesity as their only contraindication to listing and to quantify wait-list and transplant access. Methods Using the US Renal Data System, a retrospective cohort study of incident dialysis cases (2012 to 2014) was performed. The primary outcomes were time to wait-listing and time to transplantation. Results Of 157,572 dialysis patients not already listed, 39,844 had BMI as their only demonstrable transplant contraindication. They tended to be younger, female, and Black. Compared with patients with BMI < 35, those with BMI 35 to 39.9, 40 to 44.9, and >= 45 were, respectively, 15% (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 0.85; 95% CI: 0.83-0.88; p < 0.001), 45% (aHR 0.55; 95% CI: 0.52-0.57; p < 0.001), and 71% (aHR 0.29; 95% CI: 0.27-0.31; p < 0.001) less likely to be wait-listed. Wait-listed patients with BMI 35 to 39.9 were 24% less likely to achieve transplant (aHR 0.76; 95% CI: 0.72-0.80; p < 0.0001), BMI 40 to 44.9 were 21% less likely (aHR 0.79; 95% CI: 0.72-0.86; p < 0.0001), and BMI >= 45 were 15% less likely (aHR 0.85; 95% CI: 0.75-0.95; p = 0.004) compared with patients with BMI < 35. Conclusions Obesity was the sole contraindication to wait-listing for 40,000 dialysis patients. They were less likely to be wait-listed. For those who were, they had a lower likelihood of transplant. Aggressive weight-loss interventions may help this population achieve wait-listing and transplant.

Automated summary

This study found that around 40,000 dialysis patients with obesity as their only transplant contraindication were less likely to be wait-listed and, for those who were, had a lower likelihood of transplant.