Prof Stephen McDonald MBBS(Hons) PhD FRACP
Director of Dialysis, Central Northern Adelaide Renal and Transplantation Service;
Clinical Director - Renal Services, Country Hearth SA;
Executive Office, Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry
Prof Stephen McDonald is Director of Dialysis at the Central Northern Adelaide Renal and Transplantation Service, Clinical Director of Renal Services for Country Health SA and Executive Officer of the Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry. He also holds academic status as Clinical Professor in the Discipline of Medicine at the University of Adelaide, and as Principal Research Fellow in the SA Health and Medical Research institute (SAHMRI).

His research interests centre around the epidemiology of renal disease. Current areas of focus relate to: pregnancy and transplant outcomes; patterns of care and outcomes of kidney transplantation among indigenous Australians; waitlisting and allocation algorithms for kidney transplant recipients; and how Registry data informs clinical practice.

ABSTRACT

Title: Kidney transplantation among indigenous Australians
Stephen McDonald

The rates of chronic kidney disease are substantially higher among indigenous Australians, particularly among those who live remotely. However, rates of transplantation are lower, and outcomes (both graft and patient survival) worse. This presentation will touch on issues around access to transplantation (including waiting list) and then focus on transplant outcomes among this group. Key issues include increased rates of infection-related complications, occurring not in the immediate post-transplant period but 6-24 months after transplantation.   Improving transplant outcomes will be integral to improving access to transplantation as a long term renal replacement therapy for indigenous patients.