BackgroundThe Internet has extensive resources for kidney transplantation recipients. Half of the population reads below a seventh-grade level. Previous studies showed that living donor recipients have higher health literacy rates compared with deceased donor recipients. There has been no study comparing the readability of online living donor recipient materials versus deceased donor recipient materials.MethodsAnalysis was performed using eight readability scales on the top 10 websites for live donor and deceased donor kidney transplantation. Analysis was performed through the Readability Studio Software. USA reading grade level was determined for each site.ResultsOverall, the mean reading level for the living donor materials was 12.54 (range 9.2–17) and for the deceased donor materials, 12.87 (range 8.7–17, P = 0.73), corresponding to a university level. None of the sites met the seventh-grade level recommended by the National Institute of Health.ConclusionsThe readability of online materials remains too high for the corresponding health literacy rates among patients requiring kidney transplantation. Specifically, the lower health literacy rates among deceased donor recipients does not mirror the readability of online materials provided at a university level. This may affect decision-making, contributing to a smaller proportion of patients of a lower socioeconomic status and those with poor English language skills pursuing live donor organs.

Background and Purpose: Anticoagulation therapy not only reduces the risk of ischemic stroke in atrial fibrillation (AF) but also predisposes patients to hemorrhagic complications. There is limited knowledge on the risk of first-ever ischemic stroke in patients with AF after extracranial hemorrhage (ECH). Methods: We conducted a retrospective study using the California State Inpatient Database including all nonfederal hospital admissions in California from 2005 to 2011. The exposure variable was hospitalization with a diagnosis of ECH with a previous diagnosis of AF. The outcome variable was a subsequent hospitalization with acute ischemic stroke. We excluded patients with stroke before or at the time of ECH diagnosis. We calculated adjusted hazard ratios for ischemic stroke during follow-up and at 6-month intervals using Cox regression models adjusted for pertinent demographics and comorbidities. In subgroup analyses, subjects were stratified by primary ECH diagnosis, severity/type of ECH, age, CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc score, or the presence/absence of a gastrointestinal or genitourinary cancer. Results: We identified 764 257 patients with AF (mean age 75 years, 49% women) without a documented history of stroke. Of these, 98 647 (13%) had an ECH-associated hospitalization, and 22 748 patients (3%) developed an ischemic stroke during the study period. Compared to patients without ECH, subjects with ECH had ≈15% higher rate of ischemic stroke (overall adjusted hazard ratio, 1.15 [95% CI, 1.11–1.19]). The risk appeared to remain elevated for at least 18 months after the index ECH. In subgroup analyses, the risk was highest in subjects with a primary admission diagnosis of ECH, severe ECH, gastrointestinal-type ECH, with gastrointestinal or genitourinary cancer, and age ≥60 years. Conclusions: Patients with AF hospitalized with ECH may have a slightly elevated risk for future ischemic stroke. Particular consideration should be given to the optimal balance between the benefits and risks of anticoagulation therapy and the use of nonanticoagulant alternatives, such as left atrial appendage closure in this vulnerable population.

Pre-existing diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis (DPGN) in a potential deceased kidney donor has been considered a contraindication for transplantation. We report a case of a patient who underwent a successful deceased donor renal transplantation from a donor with history of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) whose baseline biopsy revealed DPGN. Although the histology was relatively benign in the procurement kidney biopsy done by frozen section, the final light microscopy available after transplantation showed diffuse proliferative lupus nephritis, WHO class IV, with 44% crescents. The post-transplant course was complicated by delayed allograft function requiring haemodialysis for the first week. A repeat biopsy performed after 4 months of transplant showed resolution of the proliferative lesions in the glomeruli with disappearance of the crescents. At 5.5 years of follow-up, the patient's creatinine has been stable at 2.0 mg/dL (176.8 μmol/L), but he has persistent proteinuria.