Transplantation is the kidney replacement therapy of choice for suitable patients with kidney failure. However, not all patients are suitable candidates for transplantation, and suitability is often determined by the perceived risks of transplantation relative to the risks of not receiving a transplant. Estimation of risk is therefore a key part of the transplant candidate evaluation. Should a decision to proceed to transplantation be made, consideration of how to minimize risks and maximize the chances of a successful outcome are additional aspects of the candidate evaluation process.
The 2020 Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) Clinical Practice Guideline on the Evaluation and Management of Candidates for Kidney Transplantation systematically examines current evidence concerning the risks of transplantation associated with specific conditions and provides recommendations as to how clinicians may wish to deal with specific risk factors in isolation. In practice, patients are frequently complex and exhibit multiple risk factors for poor transplant outcomes. Ultimately the clinician will be required to synthesize the total risk burden that each candidate presents in deciding on suitability for transplantation.
The guideline was co-chaired by Steven J. Chadban, BMed (Hons), PhD (Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, Australia) and Gregory A. Knoll, MD, MSc, (Ottawa Hospital and Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Canada).
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DISCLAIMER: USE OF THE CLINICAL PRACTICE GUIDELINES
This Clinical Practice Guideline is based upon the best information available at the time of publication. The recommendations are designed to provide information and assist decision-making. They are not intended to define a standard of care, and should not be construed as one. Neither should they be interpreted as prescribing an exclusive course of management. Variations in practice will inevitably and appropriately occur when clinicians take into account the needs of individual patients, available resources, and limitations unique to an institution or type of practice. Every health care professional making use of this Guideline is responsible for evaluating the appropriateness of applying them in the setting of any particular clinical situation. The recommendations for research contained within this document are general and do not imply a specific protocol.
