Efficacy and Safety Outcomes of Extended Criteria Donor Kidneys by Subtype: Subgroup Analysis of BENEFIT‐EXT at 7 Years After Transplant

The phase III Belatacept Evaluation of Nephroprotection and Efficacy as First-Line Immunosuppression Trial–Extended Criteria Donors Trial (BENEFIT-EXT) study compared more or less intensive belatacept-based immunosuppression with cyclosporine (CsA)–based immunosuppression in recipients of extended criteria donor kidneys. In this post hoc analysis, patient outcomes were assessed according to donor kidney subtype. In total, 68.9% of patients received an expanded criteria donor kidney (United Network for Organ Sharing definition), 10.1% received a donation after cardiac death kidney, and 21.0% received a kidney with an anticipated cold ischemic time ≥24 h. Over 7 years, time to death or graft loss was similar between belatacept- and CsA-based immunosuppression, regardless of donor kidney subtype. In all three donor kidney cohorts, estimated mean GFR increased over months 1–84 for belatacept-based treatment but declined for CsA-based treatment. The estimated differences in GFR significantly favored each belatacept-based regimen versus the CsA-based regimen in the three subgroups (p < 0.0001 for overall treatment effect). No differences in the safety profile of belatacept were observed by donor kidney subtype.