Newly designed expedited allocation pathways cannot be expected to rely on data that does not currently exist
Allocation out of sequence (AOOS) allows organ procurement organizations (OPOs) to bypass the standard match-run to expedite kidney placement and prevent nonuse. Inclusion of all AOOS attempts is vital when attempting to assess impact of AOOS on organ utility, including those attempts that do not lead to successful transplant. We assessed the frequency of AOOS documentation in discarded kidneys. Using Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR) Potential Transplant Recipient (PTR) offer data from 2021-2024, we identified match-runs with at least one discarded kidney. AOOS was defined according to Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) guidelines and match runs were stratified by kidney recovery and disposition patterns, focusing on 2024 when AOOS was well established. AOOS coding frequency was assessed within each group and across OPOs. In 2024, only 4.3% of all match-runs with at least one discarded kidney contained evidence of AOOS documentation. Across OPOs, AOOS-coded discards ranged from 0.0% to 17.1% (median 3.9%, IQR [2.7-7.6%]). AOOS documentation among discarded kidneys remains rare and inconsistent, suggesting major data-capture deficiencies when attempting to accurately assess AOOS efforts. Improved AOOS reporting is essential before future expedited allocation pathways can be effectively evaluated or implemented.
Authors
- Miko Yu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5491-0278)
- Cameron D. Ekanayake (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6891-7865)
- Joel T. Adler (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8190-3444)
- Chetan Sree Muppavarapu
- Syed A Husain
- Jesse Schold
Institutions
- Colorado School of Public Health (US)
- Columbia University Irving Medical Center (US)
- University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus (US)
- New York University (US)
- Columbia University (US)
- The University of Texas at Austin (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- medRxiv
- Published
- 2026-01-08
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.01.06.26343389
- Primary Topic
- Renal Transplantation Outcomes and Treatments
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases