Registry-Based Living Kidney Donor Follow-Up in Australia: An ANZLKD Analysis 2003-2021

Area of Science:

• Nephrology
• Transplant Surgery
• Public Health

Background:

• The Australia and New Zealand Live Kidney Donor (ANZLKD) Registry collects data on live kidney donor outcomes.
• Comprehensive follow-up is crucial for assessing long-term donor health and safety.
• Previous assessments of data completeness in ANZLKD are limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To objectively assess the adequacy and trends of live kidney donor follow-up data recorded in the ANZLKD Registry.
• To identify factors associated with adequate follow-up data.
• To highlight gaps in donor outcome monitoring.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of live kidney donor data from the ANZLKD Registry (2004-2021).
• Evaluation of the percentage of donors with adequate follow-up data.
• Analysis of response rates over time post-donation.
• Statistical analysis to identify factors associated with adequate follow-up.

Main Results:

• Only 2.93% of living kidney donors in Australia (2004-2021) had adequate follow-up data in ANZLKD.
• Follow-up response rates declined significantly over time, from 38% at 1 year to 1.6% at 15 years post-donation.
• Factors associated with adequate follow-up included reduced estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and later donation year.

Conclusions:

• There is a critical gap in binationally documented follow-up and outcome monitoring for live kidney donors in ANZLKD.
• Urgent improvements are needed in live kidney donor data input and follow-up within the ANZLKD Registry.
• Enhanced data collection is vital for ensuring the long-term health and safety of kidney donors.