<p><strong>BACKGROUND: </strong>Heart retransplant (HRT) recipients represent a growing number of transplant patients. The impact of concurrent kidney transplants (KTs) in this population has not been well studied. We tested the hypothesis that recipients of HRT with concurrent KT (HRT-KT) would have worse survival than recipients of HRT alone.</p>

<p><strong>METHODS AND RESULTS: </strong>A retrospective analysis of the United Network of Organ Sharing database was performed for all patients undergoing HRT from 1987 to 2011. There were 1660 HRT patients, of which 116 (7%) received concurrent KT. Those who received HRT-KT had older age, longer wait-list time, worse kidney function, and more known diabetes. Survival among recipients of HRT-KT was significantly better than that of recipients of HRT alone (P=0.005). A subgroup of 323 HRT patients with severe kidney dysfunction (estimated glomerular filtration rate &lt;30 mL/min per 1.73 m(2) or on dialysis) was studied in more detail, and 76 (24%) received concurrent KT. Those on dialysis at the time of HRT had better survival with versus without concurrent KT (P&lt;0.0001). On multivariable analysis, concurrent KT was independently associated with better outcomes for all patients with HRT and for the subgroup of patients with severe kidney dysfunction.</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSIONS: </strong>Recipients of HRT-KT have better survival than recipients of HRT alone. Further research is needed to determine which HRT patients may benefit the most from concurrent KT.</p>

<p><strong>BACKGROUND: </strong>Accepting kidneys for transplant from donors with a history of hepatitis B virus infection may increase the availability of organs for those with end-stage kidney disease. In adult recipients, kidney transplants from hepatitis B virus core antibody-positive donors have resulted in favorable graft and patient survival rates. However, pediatric organ transplant recipients have developing immune systems and a higher risk of infectious complications than adults. Accordingly, little is known about the outcomes of children who have received a kidney transplant from a hepatitis B virus core antibody-positive donor.</p>

<p><strong>METHODS: </strong>We included 11 898 children ≤18 years of age who received a first kidney transplant in the United States between January 1, 1995, and December 31, 2010, and who were recorded in the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients. We examined differences in graft and patient survival rates among children who received a kidney transplant from a hepatitis B virus core antibody-positive donor.</p>

<p><strong>RESULTS: </strong>There were 199 children (1.7%) who received a kidney transplant from a hepatitis B virus core antibody-positive donor. More than 80% of these transplants occurred in recipients who were hepatitis B virus core antibody and surface antigen negative. After a median follow-up of 7.9 years, there were no significant differences in the adjusted graft (hazard ratio [HR], 1.03 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.80-1.31]) or patient (HR, 1.12 [95% CI, 0.73-1.73]) survival rates according to donor core antibody status.</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSIONS: </strong>It may be acceptable, on a case-by-case basis, to consider hepatitis B virus core antibody-positive donors for kidney transplants to seroprotected children with end-stage kidney disease.</p>