Characteristics of compatible pair participants in kidney paired donation at a single center

Compatible pairs of living kidney donors and their intended recipients can enter into kidney paired donation ( KPD ) and facilitate additional living donor kidney transplants ( LDKT s). We examined 11 compatible pairs (the intended recipients and their intended, compatible donors) who participated in KPD , along with the recipients’ 11 matched, exchange donors. The 11 pairs participated in 10 separate exchanges (three were multicenter exchanges) that included 33 total LDKT s (22 additional LDKT s). All the intended donors were blood group O and female, with a mean living kidney donor profile index ( LKDPI ) of 27.6 ( SD 16.8). The matched donors had a mean LKDPI of 9.4 ( SD 31.7). Compatible pairs entered KPD for altruistic reasons (N=2) or due to mismatch of age (N=7) or body/kidney size (N=2) between the recipient and intended donor. In four cases, retrospective calculation of the LKDPI revealed that the matched donor had a higher LKDPI than the intended donor. Of the 22 recipients of LDKT s enabled by the compatible pairs, three were highly sensitized, with PRA >80%. In conclusion, most compatible pairs entered into KPD so that the recipient could receive a LDKT transplant from a donor whose age or body/kidney size were more favorable to post‐transplant outcomes.