Table 2.
Increase in life years from receiving a transplant compared with remaining on dialysis on waiting list
| No donor compensation (current situation) (2015) | If donors are compensated (steady state after first 5 years) (2020) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Expected remaining lifetime (half‐life in years) | If remain on dialysis on waiting list | 12.3 | 15.0 |
| If receive a transplant | 19.3 | 24.9 | |
| Increase in life years from receiving a transplant (vs remaining on dialysis on waiting list) | Increase in life years (unadjusted) | 7.0 | 9.9* |
| Increase in discounted QALYs | 4.7 | 6.7 | |
| Half‐life of transplant kidney graft | 12.6* | 15.7 | |
In the current situation, when the graft fails in 12.6 years, 86% of the patients go back on dialysis. In the steady state case, when the first graft fails, most patients will be readily able to obtain a second transplant kidney.
*
Based on only 14% receiving a second transplant. In the steady state case, the percentage may approach 100%; hence the number (9.9) may approach 12 years.