Liver recipients harbouring anti-donor preformed lymphocytotoxic antibodies exhibit a poor allograft survival at the first year after transplantation: experience of one centre

Abstract

In this retrospective study, we analyzed the effect of the presence of anti-donor preformed alloantibodies in 268 liver allograft transplants. Crossmatches were performed by complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) assay and HLA antibody screening by flow cytometry (FlowPRA). Positive anti-donor crossmatch was detected in 5.2% of transplants. Acute rejection frequency in +CDC crossmatch patients was not different from that observed in -CDC crossmatch patients. None of the patients transplanted with +CDC crossmatch developed chronic rejection, but they showed a significantly lower allograft survival rate, and the majority of them had allograft failures before the end of the first post-transplant year, mainly within the 3 first months. Indeed, positive FlowPRA determination was concordant with data from the CDC assay. In conclusion, these findings show a direct correlation between the presence of anti-donor preformed antibodies and a poor allograft survival in liver transplant.