Numbers Really Matter When Discussing Kidney Transplant | FMCNA
Frank Maddux, MD, FACP
Global Chief Medical Officer
Member of the Management Board
Ģý
Over its long history, The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) has published many important contributions to science, medicine, and health delivery. A recently published article is especially noteworthy: a full retraction and published correction of a study regarding U.S. kidney transplant statistics. Both thedzܰԲand the studyĢýs authors should be applauded for their commitment to credible and accurate data regarding such an important topic.
The piece, entitled ĢýĢý explored data on access to waiting list placement, living donor transplant, and deceased donor transplant for dialysis patients allocated to for-profit dialysis centers compared with not-for-profit dialysis centers. A coding error was identified by the authors and communicated such that in the corrected article, the differences in the absolute between-group 5-year cumulative incidences changed from −13.2% to −2.6% for waiting list placement, from −2.3% to −0.9% for a living donor kidney transplant, and from −4.3% to −1.4% for a deceased donor kidney transplant.
with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), along with dialysis, and given the silent nature of chronic kidney disease (CKD) before it dangerously impairs kidney function, eliminating barriers to timely, safe and available transplantation remains a pressing imperative. Well before the Trump Administration made kidney care a centerpiece of U.S. health policy, with transplant at the forefront, patient-centered companies like Ģý have been working diligently toregarding how dialysis providers, nephrologists, transplant surgeons/centers, regulators, and payors can work together to drive a framework that not only requiresĢýbut mandatesĢýopen communication and collaboration between all stakeholders in an effort to improve organ availability and increase kidney transplants.
Some of these efforts include encouraging a national discussion about the徱ٱincluding the complex metrics and practices that govern transplant waitlists, recent revisions to the kidney allocation system, and going beyond the traditional medical-physiological pathways to address transplant gaps through collaborative partnerships and transplant focused advocacy such as a. Despite the needed concentration on, advocating for the continuation of transplantation as a desirable modality for many people living with kidney failure remains of paramount importance.
Better transplant access requires aligning all stakeholders around the best interests of patients. At Ģý, a transplant-first mindset is central to our mission of improving lives through access to renal replacement therapies of all types. Every successful transplant represents a victory for our patientsĢý choice, empowerment, health and future made possible by a complex network of contributing voices. TheJournalĢýs high-quality scientific standards of reporting reflect how much the numbers reallymatter.
