The Impact of Hypothermic Pulsatile Machine Perfusion Versus Static Cold Storage: A Donor-Matched Paired Analysis in a Scenario of High Incidence of Delayed Kidney Graft Function

BACKGROUND The present study analyzed the impact of hypothermic pulsatile machine perfusion (MP) following a long period of static cold (SC) storage in the peculiar Brazilian scenario of high incidence of delayed graft function (DGF), despite good donor characteristics. MATERIAL AND METHODS A retrospective analysis, with a 1-year follow-up, of 206 recipients of donor-matched paired kidneys was performed. Of the 206 donor kidneys, 103 were maintained exclusively in static cold storage (SC group) and 103 were kept on machine perfusion after a period of SC preservation (MP group). All donors were brain dead. RESULTS Only 4.9% of the kidneys were from expanded-criteria donors. Static cold ischemia time (CIT) in the SC group was 20.8±4.1 hours vs. 15.8±6.2 hours in the MP group (P<0.001). Dynamic CIT in the MP group was 12.3±5.7 hours. MP significantly reduced DGF incidence (29.1% vs. 55.3%, P<0.001), and this effect was confirmed in multivariable analysis (OR, 1.115; 95% CI, 1.033-1.204, P=0.001). No differences were observed between the groups with regard to DGF duration, length of hospital stay, incidence of primary nonfunction and acute rejection, graft loss, death, or renal function. CONCLUSIONS In this Brazilian setting, MP following a long period of SC preservation was associated with reduced DGF incidence in comparison with SC storage without MP.