POSITIVE RATES OF PRELIMINARY CROSSMATCHES AMONG TRANSPLANT CANDIDATES WAITLISTED FOR DIFFERENT ORGANS IN THE KOREAN NETWORK FOR ORGAN SHARING

For deceased donor organ transplantations, we are not currently using virtual cross-matches (XMs) and preliminary negative T cell XMs are mandatory for kidney and pancreas allocation in the Korean Network for Organ Sharing (KONOS) organ allocation system. Submission and renewal (at least once a year) of serum to the KONOS is required for all transplant candidates of kidney or pancreas and these sera are distributed to 23 laboratories for preliminary XMs. We have investigated how sensitization status varies among transplant candidates wait-listed for different organs. Preliminary XM positive rates vary markedly among transplant candidates wait-listed for different organs. Kidney candidates show much higher positive rate and stronger sensitization status than candidates for other organs. The results of this study would be useful for determining the number of candidates to be cross-matched for different organs.