Improving living renal transplant: lessons from a multi-ethnic transplant program

Living-renal transplant (LRT) is the most effective treatment for endstage renal disease (ESRD), and innovative strategies to increase donation are needed. We reviewed our ethnically/culturally diverse program to identify factors that contribute to donors' decision to participate. Records of 110 LRT (related:unrelated = 66:44) and respective donors (1999-2005) were reviewed for demographics, outcome, education, employment, language, religion, and motivation. One and 5-year graft survival were 98.2% and 92% respectively. Mean donor age was 41.1 yrs with Men:Women = 62:48 and similar ethnicity to recipients. Donors tended to be married (65.5%), educated (31.8% -- high school, 58.1% -- additional education/degree), employed (84.4%), religious (55.9%) and English-speaking (73.8%). Successful donors were motivated: 54% traveled from off-island, and 10.9% had prior acts of altruism. Proper referral, identification & education of donors, and individual motivation of potential donors are key factors required for LRT. Continued efforts to overcome educational/language/cultural barriers are necessary to assist patients in finding donors and increasing LRT.