The second quarter of 2021 was the NKR's largest to date, with a total of 286 transplants facilitated, approximately 10% of which (26 transplants) were low eplet mismatches. The NKR experienced record volumes beginning in March of this year. Data from the first half of the year indicated that NKR-facilitated transplants now account for 17% of all living donor kidney transplants in the United States, up from 11% in 2019.
Quarterly Reports
1st Quarter 2021
The first quarter of 2021 concluded with the NKR setting a new monthly record of 105 transplants facilitated in March, surpassing the previous high of 91. As we go to press with this report, we have facilitated over 100 transplants in April, marking our first two months over 100. On the heels of the first two months of 2021, which saw transplants reduced to only 116 due to a high rate of swap failures, the recent volume spikes are an indication that the weight of the pandemic on living donor transplant is beginning to lift.
4th Quarter 2020
2020 was a challenging year, with U.S. living donor transplants down 24% and NKR facilitated transplants down 9%. The NKR returned to a growth footing in the second half of 2020, facilitating 423 transplants, compared to 418 transplants facilitated during the same period of 2019.
3rd Quarter 2020
Starting in June, NKR activity returned to pre-pandemic levels with October setting a record for the most KPD transplants in a single month. As our volumes continue to grow, patient wait times continue to drop.
2nd Quarter 2020
Living donor transplant activity was down in the second quarter due to the pandemic. NKR-facilitated transplants dropped to about 50% of their normal rate in March and May, and dropped to near zero in April. NKR volumes have returned to pre-pandemic levels in June and July despite many transplant centers still operating at reduced KPD activity levels.
1st Quarter 2020
The first quarter started with significant volume growth over the prior year, but NKR transplants dropped to zero after March 18th due to the pandemic. With only two transplants facilitated in April and approximately 40 transplants scheduled for May, we are experiencing a historic disruption in KPD transplants.
4th Quarter 2019
We are pleased to report strong growth with 760 KPD transplants facilitated in 2019, an increase of 22% or 141 KPD transplants over the prior year. NKR facilitated transplants continue to demonstrate better outcomes (statistically significant) at 3, 5 and 7 years.
3rd Quarter 2019
We are pleased to report that 559 KPD transplants have been facilitated through the National Kidney Registry in the first three quarters of 2019. This is up 18% over the same time period last year and puts us on track to facilitate 750 transplants by the end of the year.
2nd Quarter 2019
We are pleased to report a strong first half, with 352 KPD transplants facilitated--9% more than were completed during the same period last year. Our DASH platform has reached a run rate of over 40,000 donor contacts per year, representing a 60% year-over-year growth rate.
1st Quarter 2019
We are pleased to report a strong start to 2019, with 158 KPD transplants facilitated in the first quarter, including four patients with cPRAs greater than 99%. One of these patients, with a 99.8% cPRA, had been waiting in the NKR for over six years. Currently, we have 18 patients with wait times greater than one year and only five patients in the NKR with wait times greater than two years.