Hepatic iron overload following liver transplantation of a C282y homozygous allograft: a case report and literature review.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Dwyer, Jeremy P

2011-11-01

Hereditary haemochromatosis is a common genetic disease associated with progressive iron overload and parenchymal organ damage including liver, pancreas and heart. We report a case of inadvertent transplantation of a liver from a haemochromatosis donor to a 56-year-old Asian female. Progressive iron overload occurred over a 2 year follow up as assessed by liver biopsy and iron studies in the absence of a secondary cause of iron overload, supporting a primary role of liver rather than small intestine in the regulation of iron homeostasis in hereditary haemochromatosis.

A histopathological score on baseline biopsies from elderly donors predicts outcome 1 year after renal transplantation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Toft, Birgitte G; Federspiel, Birgitte H; Sørensen, Søren S

2012-01-01

wall thickness of arteries and/or arterioles. Nineteen renal baseline biopsies from 15 donors (age: 64 ± 10 years) were included and following consensus the histopathological score was 4.3 ± 2.1 (intraclass correlation coefficient: 0.81; confidence interval: 0.66-0.92). The donor organs were used......Kidneys from elderly deceased patients and otherwise marginal donors may be considered for transplantation and a pretransplantation histopathological score for prediction of postoperative outcome is warranted. In a retrospective design, 29 baseline renal needle biopsies from elderly deceased donors...... Danish donors a histopathological score on baseline renal needle biopsies, with at least ten glomeruli and one artery present, predicts graft function 1 year after transplantation....

Adapting the Surgical Apgar Score for Perioperative Outcome Prediction in Liver Transplantation: A Retrospective Study

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Amy C. S. Pearson, MD

2017-11-01

Conclusions. The SAS-LT utilized simple intraoperative metrics to predict early morbidity and mortality after liver transplant with similar accuracy to other scoring systems at an earlier postoperative time point.

Renal Resistance Trend During Hypothermic Machine Perfusion Is More Predictive of Postoperative Outcome Than Biopsy Score: Preliminary Experience in 35 Consecutive Kidney Transplantations.

Science.gov (United States)

Bissolati, Massimiliano; Gazzetta, Paolo Giovanni; Caldara, Rossana; Guarneri, Giovanni; Adamenko, Olga; Giannone, Fabio; Mazza, Michele; Maggi, Giulia; Tomanin, Deborah; Rosati, Riccardo; Secchi, Antonio; Socci, Carlo

2018-03-30

Hypothermic machine perfusion (HPM) grants a better postoperative outcome in transplantation of organs procured from extended criteria donors (ECDs) and donors after cardiac death (DCD). So far, the only available parameter for outcome prediction concerning those organs is pretransplant biopsy score. The aim of this study is to evaluate whether renal resistance (RR) trend during HPM may be used as a predictive marker for post-transplantation outcome. From December 2015 to present, HMP has been systematically applied to all organs from ECDs and DCD. All grafts underwent pretransplantation biopsy evaluation using Karpinski's histological score. Only organs that reached RR value ≤1.0 within 3 hours of perfusion were transplanted. Single kidney transplantation (SKT) or double kidney transplantation (DKT) were performed according to biopsy score results. Sixty-five HMPs were performed (58 from ECDs and 7 from DCD/ECMO donors). Fifteen kidneys were insufficiently reconditioned (RR > 1) and were therefore discarded. Forty-nine kidneys were transplanted, divided between 21 SKT and 14 DKT. Overall primary nonfunction (PNF) and delayed graft function (DGF) rate were 2.9 and 17.1%, respectively. DGF were more common in kidneys from DCD (67 vs. 7%; P = 0.004). Biopsy score did not correlate with PNF/DGF rate (P = 0.870) and postoperative creatinine trend (P = 0.796). Recipients of kidneys that reached RR ≤ 1.0 within 1 hour of HMP had a lower PNF/DGF rate (11 vs. 44%; P = 0.033) and faster serum creatinine decrease (POD10 creatinine: 1.79 mg/dL vs. 4.33 mg/dL; P = 0.019). RR trend is more predictive of post-transplantation outcome than biopsy score. Hence, RR trend should be taken into account in the pretransplantation evaluation of the organs. © 2018 International Center for Artificial Organs and Transplantation and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Pre-liver transplant psychosocial evaluation predicts post-transplantation outcomes.

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Benson, Ariel A; Rowe, Mina; Eid, Ahmad; Bluth, Keren; Merhav, Hadar; Khalaileh, Abed; Safadi, Rifaat

2018-08-01

Psychosocial factors greatly impact the course of patients throughout the liver transplantation process. A retrospective chart review was performed of patients who underwent liver transplantation at Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center between 2002 and 2012. A composite psychosocial score was computed based on the patient's pre-transplant evaluation. Patients were divided into two groups based on compliance, support and insight: Optimal psychosocial score and Non-optimal psychosocial score. Post-liver transplantation survival and complication rates were evaluated. Out of 100 patients who underwent liver transplantation at the Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center between 2002 and 2012, 93% had a complete pre-liver transplant psychosocial evaluation in the medical record performed by professional psychologists and social workers. Post-liver transplantation survival was significantly higher in the Optimal group (85%) as compared to the Non-optimal group (56%, p = .002). Post-liver transplantation rate of renal failure was significantly lower in the Optimal group. No significant differences were observed between the groups in other post-transplant complications. A patient's psychosocial status may impact outcomes following transplantation as inferior psychosocial grades were associated with lower overall survival and increased rates of complications. Pre-liver transplant psychosocial evaluations are an important tool to help predict survival following transplantation.

Cell tracking using iron oxide fails to distinguish dead from living transplanted cells in the infarcted heart.

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Winter, E M; Hogers, B; van der Graaf, L M; Gittenberger-de Groot, A C; Poelmann, R E; van der Weerd, L

2010-03-01

Recently, debate has arisen about the usefulness of cell tracking using iron oxide-labeled cells. Two important issues in determining the usefulness of cell tracking with MRI are generally overlooked; first, the effect of graft rejection in immunocompetent models, and second, the necessity for careful histological confirmation of the fate of the labeled cells in the presence of iron oxide. Therefore, both iron oxide-labeled living as well as dead epicardium-derived cells (EPDCs) were investigated in ischemic myocardium of immunodeficient non-obese diabetic (NOD)/acid: non-obese diabetic severe combined immunodeficient (NOD/scid) mice with 9.4T MRI until 6 weeks after surgery, at which time immunohistochemical analysis was performed. In both groups, voids on MRI scans were observed that did not change in number, size, or localization over time. Based on MRI, no distinction could be made between living and dead injected cells. Prussian blue staining confirmed that the hypointense spots on MRI corresponded to iron-loaded cells. However, in the dead-EPDC recipients, all iron-positive cells appeared to be macrophages, while the living-EPDC recipients also contained engrafted iron-loaded EPDCs. Iron labeling is inadequate for determining the fate of transplanted cells in the immunodeficient host, since dead cells produce an MRI signal indistinguishable from incorporated living cells. (c) 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The Alcohol Relapse Risk Assessment: a scoring system to predict the risk of relapse to any alcohol use after liver transplant.

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Rodrigue, James R; Hanto, Douglas W; Curry, Michael P

2013-12-01

Alcohol relapse after liver transplant heightens concern about recurrent disease, nonadherence to the immunosuppression regimen, and death. To develop a scoring system to stratify risk of alcohol relapse after liver transplant. Retrospective medical record review. All adult liver transplants performed from May 2002 to February 2011 at a single center in the United States. The incidence of return to any alcohol consumption after liver transplant. Thirty-four percent (40/118) of patients with a history of alcohol abuse/dependency relapsed to use of any alcohol after liver transplant. Nine of 25 hypothesized risk factors were predictive of alcohol relapse after liver transplant: absence of hepatocellular carcinoma, tobacco dependence, continued alcohol use after liver disease diagnosis, low motivation for alcohol treatment, poor stress management skills, no rehabilitation relationship, limited social support, lack of nonmedical behavioral consequences, and continued engagement in social activities with alcohol present. Each independent predictor was assigned an Alcohol Relapse Risk Assessment (ARRA) risk value of 1 point, and patients were classified into 1 of 4 groups by ARRA score: ARRA I = 0, ARRA II = 1 to 3, ARRA III = 4 to 6, and ARRA IV = 7 to 9. Patients in the 2 higher ARRA classifications had significantly higher rates of alcohol relapse and were more likely to return to pretransplant levels of drinking. Alcohol relapse rates are moderately high after liver transplant. The ARRA is a valid and practical tool for identifying pretransplant patients with alcohol abuse or dependency at elevated risk of any alcohol use after liver transplant.

Labeling transplanted mice islet with polyvinylpyrrolidone coated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles for in vivo detection by magnetic resonance imaging

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Huang Hai; Xie Qiuping; Kang Muxing; Zhang Bo; Wu Yulian [Department of Surgery, 2nd Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310009 (China); Zhang Hui; Chen Jin; Zhai Chuanxin; Yang Deren [State Key Lab of Silicon Materials and Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027 (China); Jiang Biao, E-mail: wuyulian@medmail.com.c, E-mail: yulianwu2003@yahoo.c [Department of Radiology, 2nd Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310009 (China)

2009-09-09

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIO) are emerging as a novel probe for noninvasive cell tracking with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and have potential wide usage in medical research. In this study, we have developed a method using high-temperature hydrolysis of chelate metal alkoxide complexes to synthesize polyvinylpyrrolidone coated iron oxide nanoparticles (PVP-SPIO), as a biocompatible magnetic agent that can efficiently label mice islet {beta}-cells. The size, crystal structure and magnetic properties of the as-synthesized nanoparticles have been characterized. The newly synthesized PVP-SPIO with high stability, crystallinity and saturation magnetization can be efficiently internalized into {beta}-cells, without affecting viability and function. The imaging of 100 PVP-SPIO-labeled mice islets in the syngeneic renal subcapsular model of transplantation under a clinical 3.0 T MR imager showed high spatial resolution in vivo. These results indicated the great potential application of the PVP-SPIO as an MRI contrast agent for monitoring transplanted islet grafts in the clinical management of diabetes in the near future.

Labeling transplanted mice islet with polyvinylpyrrolidone coated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles for in vivo detection by magnetic resonance imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang Hai; Xie Qiuping; Kang Muxing; Zhang Bo; Wu Yulian; Zhang Hui; Chen Jin; Zhai Chuanxin; Yang Deren; Jiang Biao

2009-01-01

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIO) are emerging as a novel probe for noninvasive cell tracking with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and have potential wide usage in medical research. In this study, we have developed a method using high-temperature hydrolysis of chelate metal alkoxide complexes to synthesize polyvinylpyrrolidone coated iron oxide nanoparticles (PVP-SPIO), as a biocompatible magnetic agent that can efficiently label mice islet β-cells. The size, crystal structure and magnetic properties of the as-synthesized nanoparticles have been characterized. The newly synthesized PVP-SPIO with high stability, crystallinity and saturation magnetization can be efficiently internalized into β-cells, without affecting viability and function. The imaging of 100 PVP-SPIO-labeled mice islets in the syngeneic renal subcapsular model of transplantation under a clinical 3.0 T MR imager showed high spatial resolution in vivo. These results indicated the great potential application of the PVP-SPIO as an MRI contrast agent for monitoring transplanted islet grafts in the clinical management of diabetes in the near future.

Immediate postoperative tracheal extubation in a liver transplant recipient with encephalopathy and the Mayo end-stage liver disease score of 41: A CARE-compliant case report revealed meaningful challenge in recovery after surgery (ERAS) for liver transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jianbo; Wang, Chengdi; Chen, Nan; Song, Jiulin; Sun, Yan; Yao, Qin; Yan, Lunan; Yang, Jiayin

2017-11-01

Immediate postoperative tracheal extubation (IPTE) is one of the most important subject in recovery after surgery (ERAS) for liver transplantation. However, the criteria for IPTE is not uniform at present. We reported a successful IPTE in a liver transplant recipient with encephalopathy and a high Mayo end-stage liver disease (MELD) score of 41, which beyond the so-called criteria reported in the literature. The patient was 48-year-old man, admitted in September 2016 for end-stage liver cirrhosis secondary to hepatitis B. End-stage liver cirrhosis secondary to hepatitis B with encephalopathy and a high MELD score of 41. He was involved in our ERAS project and was extubated at the end of the liver transplantation in the operating room. As a result, the patient was not reintubated and had an excellent postoperative recovery, staying in intensive care unit (ICU) for just 2 days and discharged home on day 10. We believed IPTE in liver transplant recipients with severe liver dysfunction is a meaningful challenge in ERAS for liver transplantation. Our case and literature review suggest 3 things: IPTE in liver transplantation is generally feasible and safe; the encephalopathy or high MELD score should not be the only limiting factor; and a more systematic predicting system for IPTE in liver transplantation should be addressed in future studies. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of Prophylactic Antifungal Protocols on the Prognosis of Liver Transplantation: A Propensity Score Matching and Multistate Model Approach

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Yi-Chan Chen

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Whether routine antifungal prophylaxis decreases posttransplantation fungal infections in patients receiving orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT remains unclear. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of antifungal prophylaxis for patients receiving OLT. Patients and Methods. This is a retrospective analysis of a database at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital. We have been administering routine antibiotic and prophylactic antifungal regimens to recipients with high model for end-stage liver disease scores (>20 since 2009. After propensity score matching, 402 patients were enrolled. We conducted a multistate model to analyze the cumulative hazards, probability of fungal infections, and risk factors. Results. The cumulative hazards and transition probability of “transplantation to fungal infection” were lower in the prophylaxis group. The incidence rate of fungal infection after OLT decreased from 18.9% to 11.4% (p=0.052; overall mortality improved from 40.8% to 23.4% (p<0.001. In the “transplantation to fungal infection” transition, prophylaxis was significantly associated with reduced hazards for fungal infection (hazard ratio: 0.57, 95% confidence interval: 0.34–0.96, p=0.033. Massive ascites, cadaver transplantation, and older age were significantly associated with higher risks for mortality. Conclusion. Prophylactic antifungal regimens in high-risk recipients might decrease the incidence of posttransplant fungal infections.

Visual bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation in the repair of spinal cord injury

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Rui-ping Zhang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available An important factor in improving functional recovery from spinal cord injury using stem cells is maximizing the number of transplanted cells at the lesion site. Here, we established a contusion model of spinal cord injury by dropping a weight onto the spinal cord at T 7-8 . Superparamagnetic iron oxide-labeled bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were transplanted into the injured spinal cord via the subarachnoid space. An outer magnetic field was used to successfully guide the labeled cells to the lesion site. Prussian blue staining showed that more bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells reached the lesion site in these rats than in those without magnetic guidance or superparamagnetic iron oxide labeling, and immunofluorescence revealed a greater number of complete axons at the lesion site. Moreover, the Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan (BBB locomotor rating scale scores were the highest in rats with superparamagnetic labeling and magnetic guidance. Our data confirm that superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles effectively label bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and impart sufficient magnetism to respond to the external magnetic field guides. More importantly, superparamagnetic iron oxide-labeled bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells can be dynamically and non-invasively tracked in vivo using magnetic resonance imaging. Superparamagnetic iron oxide labeling of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells coupled with magnetic guidance offers a promising avenue for the clinical treatment of spinal cord injury.

Effectiveness of Multimedia for Transplant Preparation for Kidney Transplant Waiting List Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Charoenthanakit, C; Junchotikul, P; Sittiudomsuk, R; Saiyud, A; Pratumphai, P

2016-04-01

A multimedia program could effectively advise patients about preparing for transplantation while on the waiting list for a kidney transplant. This study aimed to compare knowledge about transplant preparation for patients on a kidney transplant waiting list before and after participating in a multimedia program, and to evaluate patient satisfaction with the multimedia program. Research design was quasiexperimental with the use of 1 group. Subjects were 186 patients on the kidney transplant waiting list after HLA matching in Ramathibodi Hospital. The questionnaires were developed by the researchers. The statistical tools used were basic statistics, percentage, average, standard deviation, and the difference of score between before and after participation in the multimedia program (t test). The evaluation knowledge for transplant preparation for kidney transplant waiting list patients after participating in the multimedia program averaged 85.40%, and there was an increased improvement of score by an average 3.27 out of a possible full score of 20 (P multimedia program had good average, 4.58. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Liver transplantation from a deceased donor with β-thalassemia intermedia is not contraindicated: A case report.

Science.gov (United States)

Gumus, Ersin; Abbasoglu, Osman; Tanyel, Cahit; Gumruk, Fatma; Ozen, Hasan; Yuce, Aysel

2017-05-01

The use of extended criteria donors who might have previously been deemed unsuitable is an option to increase the organ supply for transplantation. This report presents a pediatric case of a successful liver transplantation from a donor with β-thalassemia intermedia. A patient, 6-year-old female, with a diagnosis of cryptogenic liver cirrhosis underwent deceased donor liver transplantation from a thalassemic donor. Extreme hyperferritinemia was detected shortly after transplantation. The most probable cause of hyperferritinemia was iron overload secondary to transplantation of a hemosiderotic liver. Hepatocellular injury due to acute graft rejection might have contributed to elevated ferritin levels by causing release of stored iron from the hemosiderotic liver graft. Iron chelation and phlebotomy therapies were started simultaneously in the early postoperative period to avoid iron-related organ toxicity and transplant failure. Follow-up with monthly phlebotomies after discharge yielded a favorable outcome with normal transplant functions. Thalassemia intermedia patients can be candidates of liver donors to decrease pretransplant waitlist mortality. After transplantation of a hemosiderotic liver, it is important to monitor the recipient in terms of iron overload and toxicity. Early attempts to lower iron burden including chelation therapy and/or phlebotomy should be considered to avoid organ toxicity and transplant failure. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Chest computed tomography scores are predictive of survival in patients with cystic fibrosis awaiting lung transplantation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Loeve, Martine; Hop, Wim C. J.; de Bruijne, Marleen

2012-01-01

Rationale: Up to a third of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients awaiting lung transplantation (LTX) die while waiting. Inclusion of computed tomography (CT) scores may improve survival prediction models such as the lung allocation score (LAS). Objectives: This study investigated the association between...... CT and survival in CF patients screened for LTX. Methods: Clinical data and chest CTs of 411 CF patients screened for LTX between 1990 and 2005 were collected from 17 centers. CTs were scored with the Severe Advanced Lung Disease (SALD) 4-category scoring system, including the components "infection....../inflammation" (INF), air trapping/hypoperfusion (AT), normal/hyperperfusion (NOR) and bulla/cysts (BUL). The volume of each component was computed using semi-automated software. Survival analysis included Kaplan-Meier curves, and Cox-regression models. Measurements and main results: 366 (186 males) out of 411...

Successful introduction of Model for End-stage Liver Disease scoring in deceased donor liver transplantation in Korea: analysis of first 1 year experience at a high-volume transplantation center.

Science.gov (United States)

Ha, Soo-Min; Hwang, Shin; Song, Gi-Won; Ahn, Chul-Soo; Moon, Deok-Bog; Ha, Tae-Yong; Jung, Dong-Hwan; Park, Gil-Chun; Kim, Ki-Hun; Kim, Dae-Yeon; Namgung, Jungman; Kang, Woo-Hyoung; Kim, Seok-Hwan; Jwa, Eunkyoung; Kwon, Jae-Hyeon; Cho, Hui-Dong; Jung, Yong-Kyu; Kang, Sang-Hyeon; Lee, Sung-Gyu

2017-11-01

Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) score was adopted in June 2016 in Korea. We analyzed changes in volumes and outcomes of deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT) for 1 year before and after introduction of MELD scoring at Asan Medical Center. There were 64 cases of DDLT in 1 year before MELD introduction and 106 in 1 year after MELD introduction, an increase of 65%. The volume of DDLTs abruptly increased during first 3 months, but then returned to its usual level before MELD introduction, which indicated 3-month depletion of accumulated recipient pool with high MELD scores. The number of pediatric DDLT cases increased from 3 before MELD introduction to 11 after it, making up 21.4% and 47.8% of all cases of pediatric liver transplantation, respectively. The number of cases of retransplanted DDLTs increased from 4 to 27, representing 6.3% and 25.5% of all DDLT cases, respectively. The number of status 1 DDLT cases increased from 5 to 12, being 7.8% and 11.3% of all cases. Patient survival outcomes were similar before and after MELD introduction. The number of DDLTs temporarily increased after adoption of MELD scoring due to accumulated recipient pool with high MELD scores. The numbers of retransplanted and pediatric DDLT cases significantly increased. Patient survival in adult and pediatric DDLT was comparable before and after adoption of MELD scoring. These results imply that Korean MELD score-based allocation system was successfully established within its first year.

A point-based prediction model for cardiovascular risk in orthotopic liver transplantation: The CAR-OLT score.

Science.gov (United States)

VanWagner, Lisa B; Ning, Hongyan; Whitsett, Maureen; Levitsky, Josh; Uttal, Sarah; Wilkins, John T; Abecassis, Michael M; Ladner, Daniela P; Skaro, Anton I; Lloyd-Jones, Donald M

2017-12-01

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) complications are important causes of morbidity and mortality after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). There is currently no preoperative risk-assessment tool that allows physicians to estimate the risk for CVD events following OLT. We sought to develop a point-based prediction model (risk score) for CVD complications after OLT, the Cardiovascular Risk in Orthotopic Liver Transplantation risk score, among a cohort of 1,024 consecutive patients aged 18-75 years who underwent first OLT in a tertiary-care teaching hospital (2002-2011). The main outcome measures were major 1-year CVD complications, defined as death from a CVD cause or hospitalization for a major CVD event (myocardial infarction, revascularization, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, cardiac arrest, pulmonary embolism, and/or stroke). The bootstrap method yielded bias-corrected 95% confidence intervals for the regression coefficients of the final model. Among 1,024 first OLT recipients, major CVD complications occurred in 329 (32.1%). Variables selected for inclusion in the model (using model optimization strategies) included preoperative recipient age, sex, race, employment status, education status, history of hepatocellular carcinoma, diabetes, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, pulmonary or systemic hypertension, and respiratory failure. The discriminative performance of the point-based score (C statistic = 0.78, bias-corrected C statistic = 0.77) was superior to other published risk models for postoperative CVD morbidity and mortality, and it had appropriate calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow P = 0.33). The point-based risk score can identify patients at risk for CVD complications after OLT surgery (available at www.carolt.us); this score may be useful for identification of candidates for further risk stratification or other management strategies to improve CVD outcomes after OLT. (Hepatology 2017;66:1968-1979). © 2017 by the American Association for the Study of Liver

A New Clinicobiological Scoring System for the Prediction of Infection-Related Mortality and Survival after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Forcina, Alessandra; Rancoita, Paola M V; Marcatti, Magda; Greco, Raffaella; Lupo-Stanghellini, Maria Teresa; Carrabba, Matteo; Marasco, Vincenzo; Di Serio, Clelia; Bernardi, Massimo; Peccatori, Jacopo; Corti, Consuelo; Bondanza, Attilio; Ciceri, Fabio

2017-12-01

Infection-related mortality (IRM) is a substantial component of nonrelapse mortality (NRM) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). No scores have been developed to predict IRM before transplantation. Pretransplantation clinical and biochemical data were collected from a study cohort of 607 adult patients undergoing allo-HSCT between January 2009 and February 2017. In a training set of 273 patients, multivariate analysis revealed that age >60 years (P = .003), cytomegalovirus host/donor serostatus different from negative/negative (P < .001), pretransplantation IgA level <1.11 g/L (P = .004), and pretransplantation IgM level <.305 g/L (P = .028) were independent predictors of increased IRM. Based on these results, we developed and subsequently validated a 3-tiered weighted prognostic index for IRM in a retrospective set of patients (n = 219) and a prospective set of patients (n = 115). Patients were assigned to 3 different IRM risk classes based on this index score. The score significantly predicted IRM in the training set, retrospective validation set, and prospective validation set (P < .001, .044, and .011, respectively). In the training set, 100-day IRM was 5% for the low-risk group, 11% for the intermediate-riak group, and 16% for the high-risk groups. In the retrospective validation set, the respective 100-day IRM values were 7%, 17%, and 28%, and in the prospective set, they were 0%, 5%, and 7%. This score predicted also overall survival (P < .001 in the training set, P < 041 in the retrospective validation set, and P < .023 in the prospective validation set). Because pretransplantation levels of IgA/IgM can be modulated by the supplementation of enriched immunoglobulins, these results suggest the possibility of prophylactic interventional studies to improve transplantation outcomes. Copyright © 2017 The American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All

The Prognostic Significance of Elevated Serum Ferritin Levels Prior to Transplantation in Patients With Lymphoma Who Underwent Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (autoHSCT): Role of Iron Overload.

Science.gov (United States)

Sivgin, Serdar; Karamustafaoglu, Mehmet Fatih; Yildizhan, Esra; Zararsiz, Gokmen; Kaynar, Leylagul; Eser, Bulent; Cetin, Mustafa; Unal, Ali

2016-08-01

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is a common and preferred treatment of lymphomas in many centers. Our goal was to determine the association between pretransplant iron overload and survival in patients who underwent autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (autoHSCT). A total of 165 patients with lymphoma, who underwent autoHSCT between the years of 2007 and 2014, were included in this study. Ferritin levels were used to determine iron status; the cut-off value was 500 ng/mL. The relationship between iron overload and survival was assessed by statistical analysis. The median ferritin level in the normal ferritin (ferritin < 500) group was 118 ng/mL (range, 9-494 ng/mL) and in the high-ferritin group (ferritin ≥ 500), it was 908 ng/mL (range, 503-4549 ng/mL). A total of 64 (38.8%) patients died during follow-up. Of these patients that died, 52 (81.25%) were in the high-ferritin group, and 12 (18.75%) were in the normal ferritin group (P ≤ .001). Twelve (14.1%) of 85 patients died in the normal ferritin group, and 52 (65.0%) of 80 patients died in the high-ferritin group. The overall mortality was significantly higher in the high-ferritin group (P < .001). The median overall survival was 42 months (range, 25-56 months) in the normal-ferritin group and20 months (range, 5-46) in the high-ferritin group. The difference between the groups was statistically significant (P < .001). The median disease-free survival was 39 months (range, 16-56) in the normal ferritin group and 10 months (range, 3-29) in the high-ferritin group. The difference between the groups was statistically significant (P < .001). Elevated serum ferritin levels might predict poorer survival in autoHSCT recipients. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Neurocognitive functions of pediatric kidney transplant recipients.

Science.gov (United States)

Molnar-Varga, Marta; Novak, Marta; Szabo, Attila J; Kelen, Kata; Streja, Elani; Remport, Adam; Mucsi, Istvan; Molnar, Miklos Z; Reusz, Gyorgy

2016-09-01

End-stage renal disease (ESRD) in children is associated with impaired neurocognitive function and development. However, data on factors associated with neurocognitive dysfunctions in children with kidney transplants are limited. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis comparing cognitive functions (using the Woodcock-Johnson International Edition, WJIE) in 35 kidney transplant and 35 healthy control children. Data on laboratory measurements, comorbidities, and social characteristics were collected. Transplant children had significantly worse scores on the intelligence quotient (IQ) test compared with controls [Full Scale IQ score 85 (26) vs 107 (10), p 9 months) were associated with lower test scores. Age-standardized duration of hospitalization was inversely correlated with IQ (r = -0.46, p <0.01) and was an independent significant predictor (Beta = -0.38, p = 0.02) of IQ scores in transplanted children. Child kidney transplant recipients have neurocognitive function impairments that are associated with markers of socioeconomic status (SES) and factors related to disease severity.

Serum Iron Protects from Renal Postischemic Injury.

Science.gov (United States)

Vaugier, Céline; Amano, Mariane T; Chemouny, Jonathan M; Dussiot, Michael; Berrou, Claire; Matignon, Marie; Ben Mkaddem, Sanae; Wang, Pamella H M; Fricot, Aurélie; Maciel, Thiago T; Grapton, Damien; Mathieu, Jacques R R; Beaumont, Carole; Peraldi, Marie-Noëlle; Peyssonnaux, Carole; Mesnard, Laurent; Daugas, Eric; Vrtovsnik, François; Monteiro, Renato C; Hermine, Olivier; Ginzburg, Yelena Z; Benhamou, Marc; Camara, Niels O S; Flamant, Martin; Moura, Ivan C

2017-12-01

Renal transplants remain a medical challenge, because the parameters governing allograft outcome are incompletely identified. Here, we investigated the role of serum iron in the sterile inflammation that follows kidney ischemia-reperfusion injury. In a retrospective cohort study of renal allograft recipients ( n =169), increased baseline levels of serum ferritin reliably predicted a positive outcome for allografts, particularly in elderly patients. In mice, systemic iron overload protected against renal ischemia-reperfusion injury-associated sterile inflammation. Furthermore, chronic iron injection in mice prevented macrophage recruitment after inflammatory stimuli. Macrophages cultured in high-iron conditions had reduced responses to Toll-like receptor-2, -3, and -4 agonists, which associated with decreased reactive oxygen species production, increased nuclear localization of the NRF2 transcription factor, increased expression of the NRF2-related antioxidant response genes, and limited NF- κ B and proinflammatory signaling. In macrophage-depleted animals, the infusion of macrophages cultured in high-iron conditions did not reconstitute AKI after ischemia-reperfusion, whereas macrophages cultured in physiologic iron conditions did. These findings identify serum iron as a critical protective factor in renal allograft outcome. Increasing serum iron levels in patients may thus improve prognosis of renal transplants. Copyright © 2017 by the American Society of Nephrology.

Waiting narratives of lung transplant candidates.

Science.gov (United States)

Yelle, Maria T; Stevens, Patricia E; Lanuza, Dorothy M

2013-01-01

Before 2005, time accrued on the lung transplant waiting list counted towards who was next in line for a donor lung. Then in 2005 the lung allocation scoring system was implemented, which meant the higher the illness severity scores, the higher the priority on the transplant list. Little is known of the lung transplant candidates who were listed before 2005 and were caught in the transition when the lung allocation scoring system was implemented. A narrative analysis was conducted to explore the illness narratives of seven lung transplant candidates between 2006 and 2007. Arthur Kleinman's concept of illness narratives was used as a conceptual framework for this study to give voice to the illness narratives of lung transplant candidates. Results of this study illustrate that lung transplant candidates expressed a need to tell their personal story of waiting and to be heard. Recommendation from this study calls for healthcare providers to create the time to enable illness narratives of the suffering of waiting to be told. Narrative skills of listening to stories of emotional suffering would enhance how healthcare providers could attend to patients' stories and hear what is most meaningful in their lives.

Waiting Narratives of Lung Transplant Candidates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria T. Yelle

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Before 2005, time accrued on the lung transplant waiting list counted towards who was next in line for a donor lung. Then in 2005 the lung allocation scoring system was implemented, which meant the higher the illness severity scores, the higher the priority on the transplant list. Little is known of the lung transplant candidates who were listed before 2005 and were caught in the transition when the lung allocation scoring system was implemented. A narrative analysis was conducted to explore the illness narratives of seven lung transplant candidates between 2006 and 2007. Arthur Kleinman’s concept of illness narratives was used as a conceptual framework for this study to give voice to the illness narratives of lung transplant candidates. Results of this study illustrate that lung transplant candidates expressed a need to tell their personal story of waiting and to be heard. Recommendation from this study calls for healthcare providers to create the time to enable illness narratives of the suffering of waiting to be told. Narrative skills of listening to stories of emotional suffering would enhance how healthcare providers could attend to patients’ stories and hear what is most meaningful in their lives.

Prevalence and correlates of medication non-adherence among kidney transplant recipients more than 6 months post-transplant: a cross-sectional study.

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Weng, Francis L; Chandwani, Sheenu; Kurtyka, Karen M; Zacker, Christopher; Chisholm-Burns, Marie A; Demissie, Kitaw

2013-12-01

Among kidney transplant recipients, non-adherence with immunosuppressive medications frequently precedes allograft loss. We sought to determine the prevalence and correlates of medication non-adherence among kidney transplant recipients. We performed a single-center, cross-sectional study of kidney transplant recipients who were at least 6 months post-transplant. We measured self-reported adherence using the Immunosuppressive Therapy Adherence Scale (ITAS, which is scored from 0 to 12, where higher scores indicate increased adherence) and barriers to adherence using the Immunosuppressive Therapy Barriers Scale (ITBS). We also used validated scales to measure perceived stress, health literacy, anxiety, depression, and interpersonal support. The 252 patients included in the study were 59.9% male, 27.0% Black, and at a median of 2.9 years post-transplant (interquartile range [IQR] 1.4-5.8). On the ITAS, 59.1% scored a perfect 12, 26.6% scored 10-11, and 14.3% scored 0-9. In univariate models, non-adherence (defined as ITAS score ≤9) was significantly associated with increased scores on scales for perceived stress (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.01-1.25) and depression (OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.02-1.28), and with more self-reported barriers to adherence on the ITBS (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.08-1.22). After adjusting for sociodemographic factors, stress and depression were not associated with non-adherence. Higher scores on the ITBS (corresponding to more self-described barriers to adherence) were associated with lower scores on the ITAS (P adherence. Among prevalent kidney transplant recipients, a minority is non-adherent. Practical barriers to adherence may serve as promising targets for future interventions.

Studying Irony Detection Beyond Ironic Criticism: Let's Include Ironic Praise

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Richard Bruntsch

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Studies of irony detection have commonly used ironic criticisms (i.e., mock positive evaluation of negative circumstances as stimulus materials. Another basic type of verbal irony, ironic praise (i.e., mock negative evaluation of positive circumstances is largely absent from studies on individuals' aptitude to detect verbal irony. However, it can be argued that ironic praise needs to be considered in order to investigate the detection of irony in the variety of its facets. To explore whether the detection ironic praise has a benefit beyond ironic criticism, three studies were conducted. In Study 1, an instrument (Test of Verbal Irony Detection Aptitude; TOVIDA was constructed and its factorial structure was tested using N = 311 subjects. The TOVIDA contains 26 scenario-based items and contains two scales for the detection of ironic criticism vs. ironic praise. To validate the measurement method, the two scales of the TOVIDA were experimentally evaluated with N = 154 subjects in Study 2. In Study 3, N = 183 subjects were tested to explore personality and ability correlates of the two TOVIDA scales. Results indicate that the co-variance between the ironic TOVIDA items was organized by two inter-correlated but distinct factors: one representing ironic praise detection aptitude and one representing ironic criticism detection aptitude. Experimental validation showed that the TOVIDA items truly contain irony and that item scores reflect irony detection. Trait bad mood and benevolent humor (as a facet of the sense of humor were found as joint correlates for both ironic criticism and ironic praise detection scores. In contrast, intelligence, trait cheerfulness, and corrective humor were found as unique correlates of ironic praise detection scores, even when statistically controlling for the aptitude to detect ironic criticism. Our results indicate that the aptitude to detect ironic praise can be seen as distinct from the aptitude to detect ironic

The role of implantable cardioverter defibrillators in patients bridged to transplantation with a continuous-flow left ventricular assist device: A propensity score matched analysis.

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Clerkin, Kevin J; Topkara, Veli K; Mancini, Donna M; Yuzefpolskaya, Melana; Demmer, Ryan T; Dizon, Jose M; Takeda, Koji; Takayama, Hiroo; Naka, Yoshifumi; Colombo, Paolo C; Garan, A Reshad

2017-06-01

Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) provide a significant mortality benefit for appropriately selected patients with advanced heart failure. ICDs are associated with a mortality benefit when used in patients with a pulsatile left ventricular assist device (LVAD). It is unclear whether patients with a continuous-flow LVAD (CF-LVAD) derive the same benefit. We sought to determine if the presence of an ICD provided a mortality benefit during CF-LVAD support as a bridge to transplantation. Patients were identified in the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) registry who underwent LVAD implantation as bridge to transplantation between May 2004 and April 2014, with follow-up through June 2014. Primary outcome was freedom from death while on CF-LVAD support with adjustment for complications requiring UNOS listing status upgrade. Secondary end-points included freedom from delisting while on CF-LVAD support and incidence of transplantation. The study cohort comprised 2,990 patients, and propensity score matching identified 1,012 patients with similar propensity scores. There was no difference in survival during device support between patients with and without an ICD (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.20; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.66-2.17; p = 0.55). Adjusting for device complications requiring a UNOS listing status upgrade had minimal influence (HR = 1.11; 95% CI, 0.60-2.05; p = 0.74). There was no increased risk of delisting owing to being too sick for patients with an ICD (HR = 1.08; 95% CI, 0.63-1.86; p = 0.78). Likewise, the probability of transplantation was similar (HR = 1.05; 95% CI, 0.87-1.27; p = 0.62). Among patients bridged to transplantation with a CF-LVAD, the presence of an ICD did not reduce mortality. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Molecular adsorbents recirculating system treatment in acute-on-chronic hepatitis patients on the transplant waiting list improves model for end-stage liver disease scores.

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Novelli, G; Rossi, M; Pugliese, F; Poli, I; Ruberto, E; Martelli, S; Nudo, F; Morabito, V; Mennini, G; Berloco, P B

2007-01-01

The aim of our study was to show an improvement in Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score after treatment with Molecular adsorbents recirculating system (MARS) in acute-on-chronic hepatitis (AoCHF) patients. MELD was adopted to determine the prognosis of patients with liver chronic desease. We evaluated the possibility to improve the MELD score of patients awaiting liver transplantation using a liver support device, namely, MARS. From September 1999 to April 2006, we treated 80 patients whose diagnoses were hepatitis C, 41.25%; hepatitis B, 27.5%; alcholic, 17.5%; intoxication, 8.75%; primary biliary cirrhosis, 5%. The overall mean age was 45 years (23 to 62), the cohort included 56 men and 24 women. Inclusion criteria were bilirubin >15 mg/dL; MELD >20; encephalopathy >II; and International Normalized Ratio, >2.1. Other parameters evaluated included ammonia, creatinine, lactate, glutamic oxalic transminase, and guanosine 5'-triphosphate. All patients were treated with a mean of 6-hour cycles of MARS (range, 5 to 8 hours) for a minimum of three treatments and a maximum of 20 treatments over 3 months. Clinical conditions were evaluated by improved hemodynamic parameters, kidney function, liver function, coagulation, neurologic status using the SOFA score, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II Criteria. The MELD score for all categories of living patients showed significant improvements at the end of treatment and at 3-months follow-up, but the small number of patients was a limitation to determine prediction of mortality. Our study shows that MARS treatment improved multiple organ functions-liver, renal, neurologic, and hemodynamic. The improved MELD score gave patients on the transplant waiting list longer survival, allowing them a greater opportunity for liver transplantation.

Prevalence and correlates of medication non-adherence among kidney transplant recipients more than 6 months post-transplant: a cross-sectional study

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background Among kidney transplant recipients, non-adherence with immunosuppressive medications frequently precedes allograft loss. We sought to determine the prevalence and correlates of medication non-adherence among kidney transplant recipients. Methods We performed a single-center, cross-sectional study of kidney transplant recipients who were at least 6 months post-transplant. We measured self-reported adherence using the Immunosuppressive Therapy Adherence Scale (ITAS, which is scored from 0 to 12, where higher scores indicate increased adherence) and barriers to adherence using the Immunosuppressive Therapy Barriers Scale (ITBS). We also used validated scales to measure perceived stress, health literacy, anxiety, depression, and interpersonal support. Results The 252 patients included in the study were 59.9% male, 27.0% Black, and at a median of 2.9 years post-transplant (interquartile range [IQR] 1.4-5.8). On the ITAS, 59.1% scored a perfect 12, 26.6% scored 10–11, and 14.3% scored 0–9. In univariate models, non-adherence (defined as ITAS score ≤9) was significantly associated with increased scores on scales for perceived stress (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.01-1.25) and depression (OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.02-1.28), and with more self-reported barriers to adherence on the ITBS (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.08-1.22). After adjusting for sociodemographic factors, stress and depression were not associated with non-adherence. Higher scores on the ITBS (corresponding to more self-described barriers to adherence) were associated with lower scores on the ITAS (P adherence. Conclusions Among prevalent kidney transplant recipients, a minority is non-adherent. Practical barriers to adherence may serve as promising targets for future interventions. PMID:24289809

Evaluation of Porcine Pancreatic Islets Transplanted in the Kidney Capsules of Diabetic Mice Using a Clinically Approved Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide (SPIO) and a 1.5T MR Scanner

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Hoe Suk; Kim, Hyoung Su; Park, Kyong Soo; Moon, Woo Kyung

2010-01-01

To evaluate transplanted porcine pancreatic islets in the kidney capsules of diabetic mice using a clinically approved superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) and a 1.5T MR scanner. Various numbers of porcine pancreatic islets labeled with Resovist, a carboxydextran-coated SPIO, were transplanted into the kidney capsules of normal mice and imaged with a 3D FIESTA sequence using a 1.5T clinical MR scanner. Labeled (n = 3) and unlabeled (n = 2) islets were transplanted into the kidney capsules of streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. Blood glucose levels and MR signal intensities were monitored for 30 days post-transplantation. There were no significant differences in viability or insulin secretion between labeled and unlabeled islets. A strong correlation (γ 2 > 0.94) was evident between the number of transplanted islets and T 2 relaxation times quantified by MRI. Transplantation with labeled or unlabeled islets helped restore normal sustained glucose levels in diabetic mice, and nephrectomies induced the recurrence of diabetes. The MR signal intensity of labeled pancreatic islets decreased by 80% over 30 days. The transplantation of SPIO-labeled porcine islets into the kidney capsule of diabetic mice allows to restore normal glucose levels, and these islets can be visualized and quantified using a 1.5T clinical MR scanner

Application of the BAR score as a predictor of short- and long-term survival in liver transplantation patients.

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de Campos Junior, Ivan Dias; Stucchi, Raquel Silveira Bello; Udo, Elisabete Yoko; Boin, Ilka de Fátima Santana Ferreira

2015-01-01

The balance of risk (BAR) is a prediction system after liver transplantation. To assess the BAR system, a retrospective observational study was performed in 402 patients who had transplant surgery between 1997 and 2012. The BAR score was computed for each patient. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis with the Hosmer-Lemeshow test was used to calculate sensitivity, specificity, and model calibration. The cutoff value with the best Youden index was selected. Statistical analysis employed the Kaplan-Meier method (log-rank test) for survival, the Mann-Whitney test for group comparison, and multiple logistic regression analysis. 3-month survival was 46% for BAR ≥ 11 and 77% for BAR BAR ≥ 11 and 69% for BAR BAR ≥ 11 [odds ratio (OR) 3.08; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.75-5.42; p = 0.001] and intrasurgical use of packed red blood cells (RBC) above 6 units (OR 4.49; 95% CI 2.73-7.39; p = 0.001). For survival BAR ≥ 11 (OR 2.94; 95% CI 1.67-5.16; p = 0.001) and RBC >6 units (OR 2.99; 95% CI 1.92-4.64; p = 0.001). Our study contributes to the incorporation of the BAR system into Brazilian transplantation centers.

Renal Transplants from Older Deceased Donors: Use of Preimplantation Biopsy and Differential Allocation to Dual or Single Kidney Transplant according to Histological Score Has No Advantages over Allocation to Single Kidney Transplant by Simple Clinical Indication

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Costanza Casati

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Grafts from elderly donors (ECD are increasingly allocated to single (SKT or dual (DKT kidney transplantation according to biopsy score. Indications and benefits of either procedure lack universal agreement. Methods. A total of 302 ECD-transplants in period from Jan 1, 2000, to Dec 31, 2015, were allocated to SKT (SKTpre on clinical grounds alone (before Dec 2010, pre-DKT era, n=170 or according to a clinical-histological protocol (after Dec 2010, DKT era, n=132 to DKT (n=48, SKT biopsy-based protocol (“high-risk”, SKThr, n=51, or SKT clinically based protocol (“low-risk”, SKTlr, n=33. Graft and patient survival were compared between the two periods and between different transplant categories. Results. Graft and overall survival in recipients from ECD in pre-DKT and DKT era did not differ (5-year graft survival 87.7% and 84.2%, resp.; equal survival in the 2 ECD periods was shown in both donor age ranges of 60–69 and >70-years, and in low-risk or high-risk ECD categories. Within the DKT protocol SKThr showed worst graft and overall survival in the 60–69 donor age range; DKT did not result in significantly better outcome than SKT from ECD in either era. One-year posttransplant creatinine clearance in recipients did not differ between any ECD transplant category. At 3 and 5 years after transplantation there were significantly higher total dialysis-free recipient life years from an equal donor number in the pre-DKT era than in the DKT protocol. Conclusions. Use of a biopsy-based protocol to allocate grafts from aged donors to SKT or DKT did not result in better short term graft survival than a clinically based protocol with allocation only to SKT and reduced overall recipient dialysis-free life years in time.

Renal Transplants from Older Deceased Donors: Use of Preimplantation Biopsy and Differential Allocation to Dual or Single Kidney Transplant according to Histological Score Has No Advantages over Allocation to Single Kidney Transplant by Simple Clinical Indication.

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Casati, Costanza; Colombo, Valeriana Giuseppina; Perrino, Marialuisa; Rossetti, Ornella Marina; Querques, Marialuisa; Giacomoni, Alessandro; Binaggia, Agnese; Colussi, Giacomo

2018-01-01

Grafts from elderly donors (ECD) are increasingly allocated to single (SKT) or dual (DKT) kidney transplantation according to biopsy score. Indications and benefits of either procedure lack universal agreement. A total of 302 ECD-transplants in period from Jan 1, 2000, to Dec 31, 2015, were allocated to SKT (SKT pre ) on clinical grounds alone (before Dec 2010, pre-DKT era, n = 170) or according to a clinical-histological protocol (after Dec 2010, DKT era, n = 132) to DKT ( n = 48), SKT biopsy-based protocol ("high-risk", SKT hr , n = 51), or SKT clinically based protocol ("low-risk", SKT lr , n = 33). Graft and patient survival were compared between the two periods and between different transplant categories. Graft and overall survival in recipients from ECD in pre-DKT and DKT era did not differ (5-year graft survival 87.7% and 84.2%, resp.); equal survival in the 2 ECD periods was shown in both donor age ranges of 60-69 and >70-years, and in low-risk or high-risk ECD categories. Within the DKT protocol SKT hr showed worst graft and overall survival in the 60-69 donor age range; DKT did not result in significantly better outcome than SKT from ECD in either era. One-year posttransplant creatinine clearance in recipients did not differ between any ECD transplant category. At 3 and 5 years after transplantation there were significantly higher total dialysis-free recipient life years from an equal donor number in the pre-DKT era than in the DKT protocol. Use of a biopsy-based protocol to allocate grafts from aged donors to SKT or DKT did not result in better short term graft survival than a clinically based protocol with allocation only to SKT and reduced overall recipient dialysis-free life years in time.

Macrophage Uptake of Ultra-Small Iron Oxide Particles for Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Experimental Acute Cardiac Transplant Rejection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Penno, E.; Johnsson, C.; Johansson, L.; Ahlstroem, H.

2006-01-01

Purpose: To discriminate between acutely rejecting and non-rejecting transplanted hearts using a blood pool contrast agent and T2 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in a clinical 1.5T scanner. Material and Methods: Allogeneic and syngeneic heterotopic heart transplantations were performed in rats. One allogeneic and one syngeneic group each received either the ultra-small iron oxide particle (USPIO), at two different doses, or no contrast agent at all. MRI was performed on postoperative day 6. Immediately after the MR scanning, contrast agent was injected and a further MRI was done 24 h later. Change in T2 was calculated. Results: No significant difference in change in T2 could be seen between rejecting and non-rejecting grafts in either of the doses, or in the control groups. There was a difference between the allogeneic group that received the higher contrast agent dose and the allogeneic group that did not receive any contrast agent at all. Conclusion: In our rat model, measurements of T2 after myocardial macrophage uptake of AMI-227 in a clinical 1.5T scanner were not useful for the diagnosis of acute rejection

The Role of Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators in Patients Bridged to Transplantation with a Continuous Flow Left Ventricular Assist Device: A Propensity Score Matched Analysis

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Clerkin, Kevin J.; Topkara, Veli K.; Mancini, Donna M.; Yuzefpolskaya, Melana; Demmer, Ryan T.; Dizon, Jose M.; Takeda, Koji; Takayama, Hiroo; Naka, Yoshifumi; Colombo, Paolo C.; Garan, A. Reshad

2016-01-01

Background Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) provide a significant mortality benefit for appropriately selected patients with advanced heart failure. ICDs are associated with a mortality benefit when used in patients with a pulsatile left ventricular assist device (LVAD). However it is unclear whether patients with a continuous flow LVAD (CF-LVAD) derive the same benefit. This study sought to determine if the presence of an ICD provided a mortality benefit during CFLVAD support as a bridge to transplantation. Methods Patients were identified in the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) registry that underwent LVAD implantation as bridge to transplantation from May 2004 and April 2014, with follow-up through June 2014. The primary outcome was freedom from death while on CF-LVAD support with adjustment for complications requiring UNOS listing status upgrade. Secondary endpoints included freedom from delisting while on CF-LVAD support and incidence of transplantation. Results 2,990 patients composed the study cohort and propensity score matching identified 1,012 patients with similar propensity scores. There was no difference in survival during device support between patients with and without an ICD (Hazard Ratio [HR] 1.20, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 0.66-2.17, p=0.55). Adjusting for device complications requiring a UNOS listing status upgrade had minimal influence (HR 1.11, 95% CI 0.60-2.05, p=0.74). There was no increased risk of delisting due to being too sick for those with an ICD (HR 1.08, 95% CI 0.63-1.86, p=0.78). Likewise, the probability of transplantation was similar (HR 1.05, 95% CI 0.87-1.27, p=0.62). Conclusions Among patients bridged to transplantation with a CF-LVAD, the presence of an ICD did not reduce mortality. PMID:28089072

Utility of proverb interpretation measures with cardiac transplant candidates.

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Dugbartey, A T

1998-12-01

To assess metaphorical understanding and proverb interpretation in cardiac transplant candidates, the neuropsychological assessment records of 22 adults with end-stage cardiac disease under consideration for transplantation were analyzed. Neuropsychological tests consisted of the Controlled Oral Word Association Test, Halstead Category Test, Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test (Copy), Trial Making Test, and summed scores for the proverb items of the WAIS-R Comprehension subtest. Analysis showed that the group tended to interpret proverbs literally. Proverb scores were significantly associated with scores on the Similarities and Picture Arrangement subtests of the WAIS-R. There was a moderate negative association between number of reported heart attacks and Proverb scores. The need for brief yet robust assessments including measures of inferential thinking and conceptualization in transplant candidates are highlighted.

Comparable Short- and Long-term Outcomes in Living Donor and Deceased Donor Liver Transplantations for Patients With Model for End-stage Liver Disease Scores ≥35 in a Hepatitis-B Endemic Area.

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Chok, Kenneth S H; Fung, James Y Y; Chan, Albert C Y; Dai, Wing Chiu; Sharr, William W; Cheung, Tan To; Chan, See Ching; Lo, Chung Mau

2017-01-01

To evaluate if living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) should be offered to patients with Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) scores ≥35. No data was available to support LDLT of such patients. Data of 672 consecutive adult liver transplant recipients from 2005 to 2014 at our center were reviewed. Patients with MELD scores ≥35 were divided into the deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT) group and the LDLT group and were compared. Univariate analysis was performed to identify risk factors affecting survival. The LDLT group (n = 54) had younger (33 yrs vs 50 yrs, P standard-liver-volume rates (51.28% vs 99.76%, P Hong Kong, where most waitlisted patients have acute-on-chronic liver failure from hepatitis B, LDLT is a wise alternative to DDLT.

Symptoms after hospital discharge following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

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Gamze Oguz

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Aims: The purposes of this study were to assess the symptoms of hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients after hospital discharge, and to determine the needs of transplant patients for symptom management. Materials and Methods: The study adopted a descriptive design. The study sample comprised of 66 hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients. The study was conducted in Istanbul. Data were collected using Patient Information Form and Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS. Results: The frequency of psychological symptoms in hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients after discharge period (PSYCH subscale score 2.11 (standard deviation (SD = 0.69, range: 0.93-3.80 was higher in hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients than frequency of physical symptoms (PHYS subscale score: 1.59 (SD = 0.49, range: 1.00-3.38. Symptom distress caused by psychological and physical symptoms were at moderate level (Mean = 1.91, SD = 0.60, range: 0.95-3.63 and most distressing symptoms were problems with sexual interest or activity, difficulty sleeping, and diarrhea. Patients who did not have an additional chronic disease obtained higher MSAS scores. University graduates obtained higher Global Distress Index (GDI subscale and total MSAS scores with comparison to primary school graduates. Total MSAS, MSAS-PHYS subscale, and MSAS-PSYCH subscale scores were higher in patients with low level of income (P < 0.05. The patients (98.5% reported to receive education about symptom management after hospital discharge. Conclusions: Hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients continue to experience many distressing physical or psychological symptoms after discharge and need to be supported and educated for the symptom management.

Survival Benefit in Renal Transplantation Despite High Comorbidity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Vibeke Rømming; Heaf, James; Wehberg, Sonja

2016-01-01

reduced the mortality risk by 72% (hazard rate, 0.28 (0.20-0.39). The overall survival benefit was 62% versus 70% in deceased versus living donor transplanted patients. CONCLUSIONS: Poor health and old age reduced the chance of being transplanted. However, patients older than 65 years and patients......BACKGROUND: The age and degree of comorbidity among transplant candidates is increasing. Knowledge of survival benefit in relation to recipient age and comorbidity is important, considering the scarcity of organs available for transplantation. The aim of the present study was to analyze the chances...... and survival benefit of transplantation among patients in different age groups and with different degrees of comorbidity score at the time of entering the waiting list. METHODS: Data from the Danish Nephrology Registry and Scandiatransplant were merged. Charlson Comorbidity Index scores were derived from...

Illness intrusiveness among survivors of autologous blood and marrow transplantation.

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Schimmer, A D; Elliott, M E; Abbey, S E; Raiz, L; Keating, A; Beanlands, H J; McCay, E; Messner, H A; Lipton, J H; Devins, G M

2001-12-15

Illness-induced disruptions to lifestyles, activities, and interests (i.e., illness intrusiveness) compromise subjective well-being. The authors measured illness intrusiveness in autologous blood and bone marrow transplantation (ABMT) survivors and compared the results with survivors of solid organ transplants. Forty-four of 64 consecutive ABMT survivors referred to the University of Toronto ABMT long-term follow-up clinic completed the Illness Intrusiveness Ratings Scale (IIRS), the Affect Balance Scale (ABS), the Atkinson Life Happiness Rating (ATKLH), the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS), and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) Scale. Mean time from ABMT to evaluation was 4.6 +/- 2.8 years. All patients were in remission or had stable disease at the time of evaluation. Autologous blood and bone marrow transplantation patients' IIRS scores were compared with scores reported by recipients of kidney (n = 357), liver (n = 150), lung (n = 77), and heart (n = 60) transplants. Mean IIRS score for the 44 ABMT patients was 37.2 +/- 17 (maximum possible score, 91; minimum possible score, 13). Higher IIRS scores correlated with lower scores on the ABS (r = -0.54; P work, financial situation, and active recreation. Despite achieving a remission after ABMT, patients continue to experience illness intrusiveness compromising subjective well-being. Copyright 2001 American Cancer Society.

Lung transplantation in the most critically-III: forging ahead.

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Mulvihill, Michael S; Hartwig, Matthew G; Daneshmand, Mani A

2017-09-01

Lung transplantation is the gold standard therapy for patients with end-stage lung disease. The use of the lung allocation score (LAS) has permitted improved allocation of scarce pulmonary allografts. Recently, Crawford et al. examined the experience in the United States in lung transplantation in candidates with the highest LAS, demonstrating that outcomes for candidates with the highest LAS scores have improved significantly. This editorial places these data in the broader context of thoracic transplantation, and highlights the critical need for ongoing examination of this critically-ill patient population.

A Prospective Study of Depression and Weight Change After Kidney Transplant.

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Stanfill, Ansley; Hathaway, Donna; Bloodworth, Robin; Cashion, Ann

2016-03-01

Kidney transplant recipients have great risk for gaining significant weight (upward of 10 kg) in the first year posttransplant. Clinical depression can occur in response to life situations and is associated with weight gain. To explore the association between demographic characteristics, weight change, and depression posttransplantation. Secondary data analysis on longitudinal data collected for a larger observational study. Demographic characteristics, weight, and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) data were obtained at baseline (BL) (time of transplantation), 6, and 12 months posttransplant. The CES-D scores were compared among time points using means, standard deviations, correlations, t tests, and chi-square as well as by multiple regression modeling. Regional transplant center in the mid-south United States. Forty-seven kidney transplant recipients (55% female, 57% African American, mean age 52.5 years). Weight change ranged from -18.1 to +24.8 kg. In all, 62% reported baseline CES-D scores indicative of depression, with lower scores indicating less psychological distress at 6 and 12 months (47% and 49%, respectively). We found no significant differences among CES-D scores at any time point. Regression models found age, race, gender, and weight change to be predictive of CES-D scores at 6 months (P = .04, R (2) = .137). Age was the most influential (P = .008), with older individuals more likely to obtain higher CES-D scores. Since the experience of depression is common at transplant and during the first year, it is important that transplant recipients be evaluated for depression early in the recovery period. © 2016, NATCO.

LIVER TRANSPLANTATION IN HEPATITIS DELTA: SOUTH AMERICA EXPERIENCE

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Daniel Souza LIMA

Full Text Available ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: The Amazon region is one of the main endemic areas of hepatitis delta in the world and the only one related to the presence of genotype 3 of the delta virus. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the profile, mortality and survival of cirrhotic patients submitted to liver transplantation for chronic hepatitis delta virus and compare with those transplanted by hepatitis B virus monoinfection. METHODS: Retrospective, observational and descriptive study. From May 2002 to December 2011, 629 liver transplants were performed at the Walter Cantídio University Hospital, of which 29 patients were transplanted due to cirrhosis caused by chronic delta virus infection and 40 by hepatitis B chronic monoinfection. The variables analyzed were: age, sex, MELD score, Child-Pugh score, upper gastrointestinal bleeding and hepatocellular carcinoma occurrence before the transplantation, perioperative platelet count, mortality and survival. RESULTS: The Delta Group was younger and all came from the Brazilian Amazon Region. Group B presented a higher proportion of male patients (92.5% compared to Group D (58.6%. The occurrence of upper gastrointestinal bleeding before transplantation, MELD score, and Child-Pugh score did not show statistical differences between groups. The occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma and mortality were higher in the hepatitis B Group. The survival in 4 years was 95% in the Delta Group and 75% in the B Group, with a statistically significant difference (P=0.034. Patients with hepatitis delta presented more evident thrombocytopenia in the pre-transplantation and in the immediate postoperative period. CONCLUSION: The hepatitis by delta virus patients who underwent liver transplantation were predominantly male, coming from the Brazilian Amazon region and with similar liver function to the hepatitis B virus patients. They had a lower incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma, more marked perioperative thrombocytopenia levels and frequent

Low-Grade Persistent Hyperparathyroidism After Pediatric Renal Transplant.

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Gulleroglu, Kaan; Baskin, Esra; Moray, Gokhan; Haberal, Mehmet

2016-06-01

Hyperparathyroidism, a frequent complication of chronic kidney disease, persists after renal transplant. Our aims were to examine the status of parathyroid hormone levels and to determine the clinical and biochemical risk factors of persistent hyperparathyroidism after transplant. Our study included 44 pediatric renal transplant recipients with stable graft function. Median follow-up after transplant was 17.5 months (range, 12-126 mo). Patients did not receive routine vitamin D or calcium supplements after transplant, and none had undergone previous parathyroidectomy. Bone mineral densitometry of the lumbar spine was measured. Fifteen patients (34%) had parathyroid hormone levels greater than 70 pg/mL (normal range, 10-70 pg/mL). Duration of dialysis before transplant was longer in patients with persistent hyperparathyroidism. Mean serum bicarbonate levels were significantly lower in patients with persistent hyperparathyroidism than in patients without persistent hyperparathyroidism after transplant. A significant negative correlation was noted between parathyroid hormone level and serum bicarbonate level. Another significant negative correlation was shown between parathyroid hormone level and z score. We found that persistent hyperparathyroidism is related to longer dialysis duration, lower serum bicarbonate level, and lower z score. Pretransplant dialysis duration is an important predictor of persistent hyperparathyroidism. Early identification of factors that contribute to persistent hyperparathyroidism after transplant could lead to treatment strategies to minimize or prevent its detrimental effects on bone health and growth in pediatric transplant recipients.

Fibromyalgia and its clinical relevance in renal transplant recipients.

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Erkmen Uyar, M; Sezer, S; Bal, Z; Guliyev, O; Tutal, E; Genctoy, G; Kulah, E; Ozdemir Acar, N; Haberal, M

2015-05-01

Recent evidence suggests that fibromyalgia syndrome (FS) is associated with inflammation and endothelial dysfunction. Our aim was to determine the prevalence of FS in renal transplant recipients and to identify possible links between FS and clinical and laboratory parameters. Ninety-nine kidney transplant recipients with normal graft functions (37.15 ± 10.83 years old, 67 male) were enrolled in the study. All subjects completed the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ). The biochemical and clinical parameters in the 1st post-transplantation year were retrospectively recorded. Cardiovascular parameters, including body composition analyses (Tanita), ambulatory blood pressure monitoring data, and pulse-wave velocity, were cross-sectionally analyzed. Mean FIQ score for the whole group was 21.4 ± 14.7. Eight patients had FIQ score >50, and these patients had significantly higher left ventricular mass index than patients with lower FIQ score (P = .048). Patients were divided according to their physical impairment score (PIS): PIS ≥5 (n = 50) and PIS FIQ (7.6% vs 9.4%; P = .0001) than in other patients. FS in renal transplant recipients was strongly associated with hypertension, arterial stiffness, obesity, and renal allograft dysfunction. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Lung transplant curriculum in pulmonary/critical care fellowship training.

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Hayes, Don; Diaz-Guzman, Enrique; Berger, Rolando; Hoopes, Charles W

2013-01-01

Lung transplantation is an evolving specialty with the number of transplants growing annually. A structured lung transplant curriculum was developed for Pulmonary/Critical Care (Pulm/CC) fellows. Scores on pulmonary in-training examinations (ITE) 2 years prior to and 3 years after implementation were reviewed as well as completion of satisfaction surveys. The mean pulmonary ITE score of 1st-year fellows increased from 54.2 ± 2.5 to 63.6 ± 1.2 (M ± SD), p = .002, whereas mean pulmonary ITE score for 2nd-year fellows increased from 63.0 ± 3.0 to 70.7 ± 1.2, p = .019. The combined mean pulmonary ITE score increased from 58.6 ± 2.3 to 67.1 ± 1.2, p = .001. Satisfaction surveys revealed that fellow perception of the curriculum was that the experience contributed to an overall improvement in their knowledge base and clinical skills while opportunity to perform transbronchial biopsies was available. A structured educational lung transplant curriculum was associated with improved performance on the pulmonary ITE and was perceived by fellows to be beneficial in their education and training while providing opportunities for fellows to perform transbronchial biopsies.

Increased iron sequestration in alveolar macrophages in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Quentin Philippot

Full Text Available Free iron in lung can cause the generation of reactive oxygen species, an important factor in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD pathogenesis. Iron accumulation has been implicated in oxidative stress in other diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, but little is known about iron accumulation in COPD. We sought to determine if iron content and the expression of iron transport and/or storage genes in lung differ between controls and COPD subjects, and whether changes in these correlate with airway obstruction. Explanted lung tissue was obtained from transplant donors, GOLD 2-3 COPD subjects, and GOLD 4 lung transplant recipients, and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL cells were obtained from non-smokers, healthy smokers, and GOLD 1-3 COPD subjects. Iron-positive cells were quantified histologically, and the expression of iron uptake (transferrin and transferrin receptor, storage (ferritin and export (ferroportin genes was examined by real-time RT-PCR assay. Percentage of iron-positive cells and expression levels of iron metabolism genes were examined for correlations with airflow limitation indices (forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1 and the ratio between FEV1 and forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC. The alveolar macrophage was identified as the predominant iron-positive cell type in lung tissues. Furthermore, the quantity of iron deposit and the percentage of iron positive macrophages were increased with COPD and emphysema severity. The mRNA expression of iron uptake and storage genes transferrin and ferritin were significantly increased in GOLD 4 COPD lungs compared to donors (6.9 and 3.22 fold increase, respectively. In BAL cells, the mRNA expression of transferrin, transferrin receptor and ferritin correlated with airway obstruction. These results support activation of an iron sequestration mechanism by alveolar macrophages in COPD, which we postulate is a protective mechanism against iron induced oxidative

Prevalence and correlates of medication non-adherence among kidney transplant recipients more than 6 months post-transplant: a cross-sectional study

OpenAIRE

Weng, Francis L; Chandwani, Sheenu; Kurtyka, Karen M; Zacker, Christopher; Chisholm-Burns, Marie A; Demissie, Kitaw

2013-01-01

Background Among kidney transplant recipients, non-adherence with immunosuppressive medications frequently precedes allograft loss. We sought to determine the prevalence and correlates of medication non-adherence among kidney transplant recipients. Methods We performed a single-center, cross-sectional study of kidney transplant recipients who were at least 6 months post-transplant. We measured self-reported adherence using the Immunosuppressive Therapy Adherence Scale (ITAS, which is scored f...

Clinical Features of Kidney Transplant Recipients Admitted to the Intensive Care Unit.

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Freitas, Flávio Geraldo Rezende; Lombardi, Fábio; Pacheco, Eduardo Souza; Sandes-Freitas, Tainá Veras de; Viana, Laila Almeida; Junior, Hélio Tedesco-Silva; Medina-Pestana, José Osmar; Bafi, Antônio Tonete; Machado, Flavia Ribeiro

2018-03-01

There is a paucity of data regarding the complications in kidney transplant patients who may require intensive care unit (ICU) management, despite being the most common solid organ transplant worldwide. To identify the main reasons for ICU admission and to determine the factors associated with hospital mortality in kidney transplant recipients. This single-center retrospective cohort study was conducted between September 2013 and June 2014, including all consecutive kidney transplant patients requiring ICU admission. We collected data on patient demographics, transplant characteristics, clinical data, and prognostic scores. The independent determinants of hospital mortality were identified by multiple logistic regression analysis. We also assessed the performance of Simplified Acute Physiology Score 3 (SAPS 3) and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) scores. We analyzed data from 413 patients, the majority of whom were admitted late after renal transplantation (1169 days; 63-3003 days). The main reason for admission was sepsis (33.2%), followed by cardiovascular disease (16%). Age (odds ratio [OR] 1.05, confidence interval [CI], 1.01-1.09), SAPS 3 score (OR 1.04, CI, 1.01-1.08), the need for mechanical ventilation (OR 26.47, CI, 10.30-68.08), and vasopressor use (OR 3.34, CI, 1.37-8.13) were independently associated with hospital mortality. The performance of SAPS 3 and APACHE II scores was poor in this population and overestimated the mortality rates. Sepsis was the main reason for ICU admission in kidney transplant recipients, followed by cardiovascular disease. Age and disease severity were associated with hospital mortality.

Long-term results after lung transplantation using organs from circulatory death donors: a propensity score-matched analysis†.

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Sabashnikov, Anton; Patil, Nikhil P; Popov, Aron-Frederik; Soresi, Simona; Zych, Bartlomiej; Weymann, Alexander; Mohite, Prashant N; García Sáez, Diana; Zeriouh, Mohamed; Wahlers, Thorsten; Choi, Yeong-Hoon; Wippermann, Jens; Wittwer, Thorsten; De Robertis, Fabio; Bahrami, Toufan; Amrani, Mohamed; Simon, André R

2016-01-01

Due to organ shortage in lung transplantation (LTx), donation after circulatory death (DCD) has been implemented in several countries, contributing to an increasing number of organs transplanted. We sought to assess long-term outcomes after LTx with organs procured following circulatory death in comparison with those obtained from donors after brain death (DBD). Between January 2007 and November 2013, 302 LTxs were performed in our institution, whereby 60 (19.9%) organs were retrieved from DCD donors. We performed propensity score matching (DCD:DBD = 1:2) based on preoperative donor and recipient factors that were significantly different in univariate analysis. After propensity matching, there were no statistically significant differences between the groups in terms of demographics and preoperative donor and recipient characteristics. There were no significant differences regarding intraoperative variables and total ischaemic time. Patients from the DCD group had significantly higher incidence of primary graft dysfunction grade 3 at the end of the procedure (P = 0.014), and significantly lower pO2/FiO2 ratio during the first 24 h after the procedure (P = 0.018). There was a trend towards higher incidence of the need for postoperative extracorporeal life support in the DCD group. Other postoperative characteristics were comparable. While the overall cumulative survival was not significantly different, the DCD group had significantly poorer results in terms of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS)-free survival in the long-term follow-up. Long-term results after LTx with organs procured following DCD are in general comparable with those obtained after DBD LTx. However, patients transplanted using organs from DCD donors have a predisposition for development of BOS in the longer follow-up. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.

Efficacy of risk stratification in tailoring immunosuppression regimens in kidney transplant patients at the national kidney and transplant institute.

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Ledesma-Gumba, M A; Danguilan, R A; Casasola, C C; Ona, E T

2008-09-01

To evaluate the efficacy of tailored immunosuppressive regimens prescribed according to a risk stratification scoring system based on the number of HLA mismatches, donor source, panel-reactive antibodies (PRA), and repeat transplant. Patients in a retrospective cohort of 329 kidney transplantations performed from October 2004 to December 2005 were assigned scores of 0, 2, 4, or 6 with higher scores for > or =1 HLA mismatches, PRA > 10%, repeat transplant, and unrelated or deceased donor. Added scores of or = 6 denoted high risk including a CNI-based regimen with an interleukin-2 receptor antibody. The efficacy analysis compared the incidences of biopsy-proven acute rejection episodes (BPAR) at 1 year. Only 227 (69%) of 329 patients had a complete data set and 84 were excluded because they did not follow the prescribed protocol, yielding 113 low- and 30 high-risk patients in the final population. Low-risk patients had a mean PRA of 5.4%, living related donors in 68%, and primary transplants. High-risk patients had a mean PRA of 18.8% (range = 10%-97%), living nonrelated donors in 84%, four deceased donors, and four repeat transplants. The overall 1-year incidence of BPAR was 5.7%. No significant difference (P = .081) was observed in 1-year BPAR between the low- (4.5%) and high-risk (9.8%) groups. Likewise, no significant difference in the 1-year mean serum creatinine was observed according to the CNI. The mean creatinine was 1.12 for cyclosporine and 1.38 for tacrolimus treatment (P = .06) in the low-risk group and 1.08 for cyclosporine and 1.2 for tacrolimus (P = .61) in the high-risk cohort. There was no significant difference in acute rejection rates between the immunologically low- or high-risk patients using tailored immunosuppression, which was effective to minimize its occurrence with good renal function at 1 year.

Modeling the effects of functional performance and post-transplant comorbidities on health-related quality of life after heart transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Butler, Javed; McCoin, Nicole S; Feurer, Irene D; Speroff, Theodore; Davis, Stacy F; Chomsky, Don B; Wilson, John R; Merrill, Walter H; Drinkwater, Davis C; Pierson, Richard N; Pinson, C Wright

2003-10-01

Health-related quality of life and functional performance are important outcome measures following heart transplantation. This study investigates the impact of pre-transplant functional performance and post-transplant rejection episodes, obesity and osteopenia on post-transplant health-related quality of life and functional performance. Functional performance and health-related quality of life were measured in 70 adult heart transplant recipients. A composite health-related quality of life outcome measure was computed via principal component analysis. Iterative, multiple regression-based path analysis was used to develop an integrated model of variables that affect post-transplant functional performance and health-related quality of life. Functional performance, as measured by the Karnofsky scale, improved markedly during the first 6 months post-transplant and was then sustained for up to 3 years. Rejection Grade > or =2 was negatively associated with health-related quality of life, measured by Short Form-36 and reversed Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale scores. Patients with osteopenia had lower Short Form-36 physical scores and obese patients had lower functional performance. Path analysis demonstrated a negative direct effect of obesity (beta = - 0.28, p or =2 had a negative direct effect on this measure (beta = -0.29, p < 0.05). Either directly or through effects mediated by functional performance, moderate-to-severe rejection, obesity and osteopenia negatively impact health-related quality of life. These findings indicate that efforts should be made to devise immunosuppressive regimens that reduce the incidence of acute rejection, weight gain and osteopenia after heart transplantation.

The effect of nutrition knowledge and dietary iron intake on iron status in young women.

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Leonard, Alecia J; Chalmers, Kerry A; Collins, Clare E; Patterson, Amanda J

2014-10-01

Previous research on the relationships between general nutrition knowledge and dietary intake, and dietary iron intake and iron status has produced inconsistent results. Currently, no study has focused on knowledge of dietary iron and its effect on dietary iron intake. This study aimed to determine whether nutrition knowledge of iron is related to dietary iron intake in young women, and subsequently whether greater knowledge and intake translates into better iron status. A cross-sectional assessment of nutrition knowledge of iron, dietary iron intake and iron status was conducted in women aged 18-35 years living in Newcastle, NSW, Australia. Iron status was assessed by serum ferritin, haemoglobin, soluble transferrin receptor and alpha-1-glycoprotein. One hundred and seven women (27.8 ± 4.7 years) completed the nutrition knowledge questionnaire and FFQ. Of these, 74 (70%) also had biomarkers of iron status measured. Mean iron intake was 11.2 ± 3.8 mg/day. There was no association between nutrition knowledge score and whether the women met the RDI for iron (F (1, 102) = .40, P = .53). A positive correlation was shown between nutrition knowledge score and iron intake (mg/day) (r = 0.25, P = .01). Serum ferritin was positively associated with the frequency of flesh food intake (r = .27 P = .02). Vegetarians (including partial vegetarians) had significantly lower serum ferritin levels than non-vegetarians (F (1, 71) = 7.44, P = .01). Significant positive correlations found between higher flesh food intake and biomarkers of iron status suggest that educating non-vegetarians about the benefits of increased flesh food consumption and vegetarians about dietary iron enhancers and inhibitors may have potential for addressing the high rates of iron deficiency among young women. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A score model for the continuous grading of early allograft dysfunction severity.

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Pareja, Eugenia; Cortes, Miriam; Hervás, David; Mir, José; Valdivieso, Andrés; Castell, José V; Lahoz, Agustín

2015-01-01

Early allograft dysfunction (EAD) dramatically influences graft and patient outcomes. A lack of consensus on an EAD definition hinders comparisons of liver transplant outcomes and management of recipients among and within centers. We sought to develop a model for the quantitative assessment of early allograft function [Model for Early Allograft Function Scoring (MEAF)] after transplantation. A retrospective study including 1026 consecutive liver transplants was performed for MEAF score development. Multivariate data analysis was used to select a small number of postoperative variables that adequately describe EAD. Then, the distribution of these variables was mathematically modeled to assign a score for each actual variable value. A model, based on easily obtainable clinical parameters (ie, alanine aminotransferase, international normalized ratio, and bilirubin) and scoring liver function from 0 to 10, was built. The MEAF score showed a significant association with patient and graft survival at 3-, 6- and 12-month follow-ups. Hepatic steatosis and age for donors; cold/warm ischemia times and postreperfusion syndrome for surgery; and intensive care unit and hospital stays, Model for End-Stage Liver Disease and Child-Pugh scores, body mass index, and fresh frozen plasma transfusions for recipients were factors associated significantly with EAD. The model was satisfactorily validated by its application to an independent set of 200 patients who underwent liver transplantation at a different center. In conclusion, a model for the quantitative assessment of EAD severity has been developed and validated for the first time. The MEAF provides a more accurate graft function assessment than current categorical classifications and may help clinicians to make early enough decisions on retransplantation benefits. Furthermore, the MEAF score is a predictor of recipient and graft survival. The standardization of the criteria used to define EAD may allow reliable comparisons of

Pulmonary hypertension as a risk factor of mortality after lung transplantation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Kasper H; Schultz, Hans Henrik L; Nyholm, Benjamin

2016-01-01

PURPOSE: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is recognized as a risk factor in lung transplantation as reflected in the lung allocation score (LAS). We examined the impact of PH on outcome after lung transplantation, with special emphasis on pre- and post-capillary PH. METHODS: Consecutive lung transplant...

Quality of sleep and health-related quality of life in renal transplant recipients.

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Liu, Hong-Xia; Lin, Jun; Lin, Xiao-Hong; Wallace, Linda; Teng, Sha; Zhang, Shu-Ping; Hao, Yu-Fang

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the sleep quality and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients after renal transplantation and to explore the relationship between the quality of sleep and the HRQOL. Sleep disorders are still an important clinical problem after renal transplantation. Previous studies mainly focused on patients' sleep quality before kidney transplant. More studies are needed to document sleep quality after renal transplantation. A cross-sectional design was used in this study. A convenience sample of renal transplant recipients was recruited at an outpatient transplant clinic of a general hospital in Beijing, China. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to measure quality of sleep. The Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short Form (MOS SF-36) was used to measure health-related quality of life. The average PSQI score of the 204 renal transplant recipients was 5.81±3.52, significantly lower than the norm. Fifty (24.5%) recipients were classified as having poor sleep quality (global PSQI > 7). The mean scores of renal transplant recipients for SF-36 Mental Component Summary (MCS) and Physical Component Summary (PCS) were 47.57±6.71 and 48.26±9.66 respectively. Compared with residents in Sichuan province, recipients' scores for SF-36 dimensions were statistically lower except the dimension of mental health. SF-36 scores of poor sleepers (PSQI > 7) were significantly lower than the good sleepers (PSQI ≤ 7) in both the MCS and PCS. Significant differences exist between the groups in physical function, bodily pain, vitality, and mental health dimensions. Sleep quality and HRQOL of patients after renal transplantation were lower than the norm. Poor sleep is associated with lower HRQOL. Health professionals need to pay attention to sleep quality and HRQOL in renal transplant recipients and take appropriate measures to improve patients' sleep quality and HRQOL.

Physical Activity and Kidney Injury in Pediatric and Young Adult Kidney Transplant Recipients.

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Wolf, Mattie F; George, Roshan P; Warshaw, Barry; Wang, Elizabeth; Greenbaum, Larry A

2016-12-01

To quantify physical activity and grip strength in pediatric kidney transplant recipients and describe attitudes about exercise and exercise counseling given concerns about allograft injury. This was a cross-sectional analysis of 101 kidney transplant recipients (7-21 years old) >6 months post-transplant. Patients completed the Physical Activity Questionnaire (PAQ). Grip strength was measured with a dynamometer. We asked about activity limitations and provider counseling. Univariate analysis and multiple linear regression were used to determine independent predictors of PAQ score and grip strength z score. We enrolled 101 of 122 eligible patients. Median PAQ score was 2.2 (range 0-5) and was lower compared with controls (P < .001). The average grip strength z score was -1.1 and -0.7 in the right and left hand, respectively. Predictors of lower grip strength were younger age (P = .036), non-African American race (P = .029), lower height z score (P = .010), and longer percentage of lifetime with kidney disease (P = .029). Although 49% and 67% limited exercise before and after transplant, respectively, 67% reported increased activity after transplant. By parent report, provider counseling included limiting certain activities (71%) and encouraging regular exercise (45%). Physical activity and grip strength are low after kidney transplant. Patients perceive an emphasis on exercise limitations rather than the benefits of regular exercise. Interventions that encourage physical activity may be beneficial. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Developmental Scores of Iron Deficient Infants and the Effects of Therapy.

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Honig, Alice S.; Oski, Frank A.

This study investigated the cognitive and behavioral functions associated with iron deficiency anemia in infants and toddlers and the short-term effects of therapy on such behaviors. Subjects were 24 iron deficient and anemic infants, 9 to 26 months old. The subjects were randomly assigned to a treatment or control group. The Bayley Scales of…

Oral changes in individuals undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Regina Haddad Barrach

2015-04-01

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation receive high doses of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, which cause severe immunosuppression.OBJECTIVE: To report an oral disease management protocol before and after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.METHODS: A prospective study was carried out with 65 patients aged > 18 years, with hematological diseases, who were allocated into two groups: A (allogeneic transplant, 34 patients; B (autologous transplant, 31 patients. A total of three dental status assessments were performed: in the pre-transplantation period (moment 1, one week after stem cell infusion (moment 2, and 100 days after transplantation (moment 3. In each moment, oral changes were assigned scores and classified as mild, moderate, and severe risks.RESULTS: The most frequent pathological conditions were gingivitis, pericoronitis in the third molar region, and ulcers at the third moment assessments. However, at moments 2 and 3, the most common disease was mucositis associated with toxicity from the drugs used in the immunosuppression.CONCLUSION: Mucositis accounted for the increased score and potential risk of clinical complications. Gingivitis, ulcers, and pericoronitis were other changes identified as potential risk factors for clinical complications.

Quality of life in recipients before and after liver transplantation in Turkey.

Science.gov (United States)

Ordin, Yaprak S; Dicle, Aklime; Wellard, Sally

2011-09-01

Liver transplantation has become the treatment of choice for patients with end-stage liver disease. Most studies show a positive effect on quality of life after liver transplantation, but most studies are based on data from Western countries and little is known about quality of life in liver transplant recipients in Turkey or other developing countries. To investigate liver transplant recipients' quality of life and factors affecting it, before and 3 months after transplantation in western Turkey. Descriptive and comparative, with data collected prospectively. Two medical centers in Western Turkey. Sixty-five adult recipients of a liver transplant between May 15 and December 31,2007. Quality of life was measured by using the Nottingham Health Profile Turkish version, and sociodemographic and clinical data were collected from patients' records. Scores on all subscales of the Nottingham Health Profile differed significantly from before to after liver transplantation. The differences between the mean scores for quality of life before and after transplantation varied significantly with the patients' sex and disease severity.

Magnetic cell labeling of primary and stem cell-derived pig hepatocytes for MRI-based cell tracking of hepatocyte transplantation.

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Dwayne R Roach

Full Text Available Pig hepatocytes are an important investigational tool for optimizing hepatocyte transplantation schemes in both allogeneic and xenogeneic transplant scenarios. MRI can be used to serially monitor the transplanted cells, but only if the hepatocytes can be labeled with a magnetic particle. In this work, we describe culture conditions for magnetic cell labeling of cells from two different pig hepatocyte cell sources; primary pig hepatocytes (ppHEP and stem cell-derived hepatocytes (PICM-19FF. The magnetic particle is a micron-sized iron oxide particle (MPIO that has been extensively studied for magnetic cell labeling for MRI-based cell tracking. ppHEP could endocytose MPIO with labeling percentages as high as 70%, achieving iron content as high as ~55 pg/cell, with >75% viability. PICM-19FF had labeling >97%, achieving iron content ~38 pg/cell, with viability >99%. Extensive morphological and functional assays indicated that magnetic cell labeling was benign to the cells. The results encourage the use of MRI-based cell tracking for the development and clinical use of hepatocyte transplantation methodologies. Further, these results generally highlight the importance of functional cell assays in the evaluation of contrast agent biocompatibility.

Quality of Life Following Liver Transplantation in Patients With Familial Amyloid Neuropathy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diogo Telles-Correia

2014-07-01

Full Text Available AimThe present study aimed to evaluate the change in quality of life 12 months following liver transplantation in patients with Familial Amyloid Polyneuropathy (FAP.MethodIn this study 150 transplant candidates, attending the outpatient clinic of a Liver Transplantation Centre in Lisbon, were assessed between March 1, 2006 and December 1, 2007. From these, 84 were transplanted, and 62 finished the study; 20 with FAP and 42 with Liver Disease (LD. These patients were assessed before, and 12 months after, transplantation. The patients that remained waiting for transplantation originated the control group. First, transplanted (study group and non-transplanted (control group patients were compared regardless of their diagnosis, and then only FAP patients were compared between both groups.Results12 months after transplantation the score on the Quality of Life’s Physical and Mental Component of the SF-36 was significantly higher in transplanted versus non-transplanted patients (concerning the whole group FAP and LD patients. However, significant differences were only found for the Quality of Life’s Physical Component subscale between both FAP groups (study and control group.ConclusionIn sum, liver transplantation does not have a significant impact in FAP patients’ Mental Quality of Life score. One possible reason to this is the fail in acquiring adaptive coping strategies after transplantation.

Fresh osteochondral allografts in the knee: comparison of primary transplantation versus transplantation after failure of previous subchondral marrow stimulation.

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Gracitelli, Guilherme C; Meric, Gokhan; Briggs, Dustin T; Pulido, Pamela A; McCauley, Julie C; Belloti, João Carlos; Bugbee, William D

2015-04-01

In most treatment algorithms, osteochondral allograft (OCA) transplantation is regarded as an alternative salvage procedure when other, previous reparative treatments have failed. To compare the outcomes of a retrospective matched-pair cohort of (1) primary OCA transplantation and (2) OCA transplantation after failure of previous subchondral marrow stimulation. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. An OCA database was used to identify 46 knees that had OCA transplantation performed as a primary treatment (group 1) and 46 knees that underwent OCA transplantation after failure of previous subchondral marrow stimulation (group 2). All patients had a minimum of 2 years' follow-up. Patients in each group were matched for age (±5 years), diagnosis (osteochondral lesion, degenerative chondral lesion, traumatic chondral injury), and graft size (small, 10 cm2). The groups had similar body mass indexes, sex distributions, and graft locations (femoral condyle, patella, and trochlea. The number and type of further surgeries after the OCA transplantation were assessed; failure was defined as any reoperation resulting in removal of the graft. Functional outcomes were evaluated by use of the modified Merle d'Aubigné-Postel (18-point) scale, International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) subjective knee evaluation form, Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcomes Score (KOOS), and the Knee Society function (KS-F) scale. Patient satisfaction, according to a 5-point scale from "extremely satisfied" to "dissatisfied," was recorded at the latest follow-up. Eleven of 46 knees (24%) in group 1 had reoperations, compared with 20 of 46 knees (44%) in group 2 (P = .04). The OCA was classified as a failure in 5 knees (11%) in group 1 and 7 knees (15%) in group 2 (P = .53). At 10 years of follow-up, survivorship of the graft was 87.4% and 86% in groups 1 and 2, respectively. Both groups showed improvement in pain and function on all subjective scores from preoperatively to the latest follow

Legal considerations involving chemical control of iron and other deficiencies in plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wallace, A; Samman, Y. S.

1981-01-01

Four cases of lawsuits involving use of chelating agents in plant nutrition are discussed. Three of them involved use of iron. One concerned addition of FeDTPA to nursery trees in containers. One case involved foliar application of FeHEDTA to potatoes in July by airplane. Another case not involving iron chelate was with ZnEDTA and MnEDTA with Fe as FeSO/sub 4/ later as a foliar spray. The Zn and MnEDTA were applied as a band 8 inches (20 cm) on both sides of nursery tree rows just as the buds that had been placed in the fall began growing in the spring. In the fourth case, many tomato transplants died when the transplanting was done with about 120 ml per plant of transplant solution containing besides N, P and K, about 19 mg Zn as ZnEDTA, 14 mg Mn as MnEDTA and 7 mg Fe as FeHEDTA. Cases such as these will probably discourage use of chelating agents in plant nutrition even if the chelating agents were not the damaging agent. Not enough developmental work was done on the potential toxicities from metal chelates. This trend to lawsuits makes it even more important to solve iron chlorosis problems via plant breeding.

The impact of HLA matching on long-term transplant outcome after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for CLL: a retrospective study from the EBMT registry.

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Michallet, M; Sobh, M; Milligan, D; Morisset, S; Niederwieser, D; Koza, V; Ruutu, T; Russell, N H; Verdonck, L; Dhedin, N; Vitek, A; Boogaerts, M; Vindelov, L; Finke, J; Dubois, V; van Biezen, A; Brand, R; de Witte, T; Dreger, P

2010-10-01

We analyzed 368 chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation reported to the EBMT registry between 1995 and 2007. There were 198 human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-identical siblings; among unrelated transplants, 31 were well matched in high resolution ('well matched' unrelated donor, WMUD), and 139 were mismatched (MM), including 30 matched in low resolution; 266 patients (72%) received reduced-intensity conditioning and 102 (28%) received standard. According to the EBMT risk score, 11% were in scores 1-3, 23% in score 4, 40% in score 5, 22% in score 6 and 4% in score 7. There was no difference in overall survival (OS) at 5 years between HLA-identical siblings (55% (48-64)) and WMUD (59% (41-84)), P=0.82. In contrast, OS was significantly worse for MM (37% (29-48) P=0.005) due to a significant excess of transplant-related mortality. Also OS worsened significantly when EBMT risk score increased. HLA matching had no significant impact on relapse (siblings: 24% (21-27); WMUD: 35% (26-44), P=0.11 and MM: 21% (18-24), P=0.81); alemtuzumab T-cell depletion and stem cell source (peripheral blood) were associated with an increased risk. Our findings support the use of WMUD as equivalent alternative to HLA-matched sibling donors for allogeneic HSCT in CLL, and justify the application of EBMT risk score in this disease.

Dual Kidney Allocation Score: A Novel Algorithm Utilizing Expanded Donor Criteria for the Allocation of Dual Kidneys in Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Adam P; Price, Thea P; Lieby, Benjamin; Doria, Cataldo

2016-09-08

BACKGROUND Dual kidney transplantation (DKT) of expanded-criteria donors is a cost-intensive procedure that aims to increase the pool of available deceased organ donors and has demonstrated equivalent outcomes to expanded-criteria single kidney transplantation (eSKT). The objective of this study was to develop an allocation score based on predicted graft survival from historical dual and single kidney donors. MATERIAL AND METHODS We analyzed United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) data for 1547 DKT and 26 381 eSKT performed between January 1994 and September 2013. We utilized multivariable Cox regression to identify variables independently associated with graft survival in dual and single kidney transplantations. We then derived a weighted multivariable product score from calculated hazard ratios to model the benefit of transplantation as dual kidneys. RESULTS Of 36 donor variables known at the time of listing, 13 were significantly associated with graft survival. The derived dual allocation score demonstrated good internal validity with strong correlation to improved survival in dual kidney transplants. Donors with scores less than 2.1 transplanted as dual kidneys had a worsened median survival of 594 days (24%, p-value 0.031) and donors with scores greater than 3.9 had improved median survival of 1107 days (71%, p-value 0.002). There were 17 733 eSKT (67%) and 1051 DKT (67%) with scores in between these values and no differences in survival (p-values 0.676 and 0.185). CONCLUSIONS We have derived a dual kidney allocation score (DKAS) with good internal validity. Future prospective studies will be required to demonstrate external validity, but this score may help to standardize organ allocation for dual kidney transplantation.

Budget Impact Analysis of Oral Fisiogen Ferro Forte® versus Intravenous Iron for the Management of Iron Deficiency in Chronic Kidney Disease in Spain.

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Darbà, Josep; Ascanio, Meritxell

2018-06-22

Iron deficiency is a frequent complication of chronic kidney disease (CKD) that is associated with a decrease in the quality of life of patients and an increase in the risk of other clinical complications. Iron therapy represents one of the fundamentals of patients with CKD. Sucrosomial ® oral iron allows Fisiogen Ferro Forte ® to be used in all patients who are intolerant to treatment by the oral route of administration, or who present with malabsorption of conventional oral iron preparations. The main objective of this study was to assess the economic impact of the oral iron Fisiogen Ferro Forte ® for the management of iron deficiency in CKD patients in Spain. A 4-year budget impact model was developed for the period 2017-2020 for CKD patients with iron deficiency who were candidates for intravenous iron due to a lack of response to oral iron, from the perspective of the Spanish healthcare system. Three subgroups of CKD patients were included in the analysis: predialysis, peritoneal dialysis, and post-transplant. The intravenous iron formulations Ferinject ® , Venofer ® , and Feriv ® were considered appropriate comparators to be used in the model. National data on the prevalence of CKD for the three subgroups of patients were obtained from the literature, and input data on drug utilization and outpatient hospitalizations associated with iron administration were obtained by consulting nephrologists. Nephrology experts were also asked about resources used during medical visits and monitoring tests. Based on the unit costs for each iron therapy and the resources used, the total treatment cost per patient associated with each product was obtained to estimate the global budget impact of increasing the use of Fisiogen Ferro Forte ® . The average annual budget savings due to an increase in Fisiogen Ferro Forte ® and a decrease in intravenous iron have been estimated at €398,685, €180,937, and €195,842 over 4 years for the predialysis, peritoneal dialysis

Employment 12 months after kidney transplantation: An in-depth bio-psycho-social analysis of the Swiss Transplant Cohort.

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Brigitta Danuser

Full Text Available Return to work with or after a chronic disease is a dynamic process influenced by a variety of interactions between personal, work, societal and medical resources or constraints. The aim of this study was to identify predictors for employment 12 months after transplantation in kidney patients, applying a bio-psycho-social model.All kidney patients followed in the Swiss Transplant Cohort between May 2008 and December 2012, aged 18 to 65 were assessed before, 6 and 12 months after transplantation.Of the 689 included patients, 56.2% worked 12 months post- transplantation compared to 58.9% pre-transplantation. Age, education, self-perceived health (6 months post- transplantation, pre- transplantation employment and receiving an organ from a living donor are significant predictors of employment post- transplantation. Moreover, while self-perceived health increased post- transplantation, depression score decreased only among those employed 12 months post- transplantation. Pre- transplantation employment status was the main predictor for post- transplantation employment (OR = 18.6 and was associated with sex, age, education, depression and duration of dialysis. An organ from a living donor (42.1% was more frequent in younger patients, with higher education, no diabetes and shorter waiting time to surgery.Transplantation did not increase employment in end-stage kidney disease patients but helped maintaining employment. Pre-transplantation employment has been confirmed to be the most important predictor of post-transplantation employment. Furthermore, socio-demographic and individual factors predicted directly and indirectly the post-transplantation employment status. With living donor, an additional predictor linked to social factors and the medical procedure has been identified.

Clinical Risk Scoring Models for Prediction of Acute Kidney Injury after Living Donor Liver Transplantation: A Retrospective Observational Study.

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Mi Hye Park

Full Text Available Acute kidney injury (AKI is a frequent complication of liver transplantation and is associated with increased mortality. We identified the incidence and modifiable risk factors for AKI after living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT and constructed risk scoring models for AKI prediction. We retrospectively reviewed 538 cases of LDLT. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate risk factors for the prediction of AKI as defined by the RIFLE criteria (RIFLE = risk, injury, failure, loss, end stage. Three risk scoring models were developed in the retrospective cohort by including all variables that were significant in univariate analysis, or variables that were significant in multivariate analysis by backward or forward stepwise variable selection. The risk models were validated by way of cross-validation. The incidence of AKI was 27.3% (147/538 and 6.3% (34/538 required postoperative renal replacement therapy. Independent risk factors for AKI by multivariate analysis of forward stepwise variable selection included: body-mass index >27.5 kg/m2 [odds ratio (OR 2.46, 95% confidence interval (CI 1.32-4.55], serum albumin 20 (OR 2.01, 95%CI 1.17-3.44, operation time >600 min (OR 1.81, 95%CI 1.07-3.06, warm ischemic time >40 min (OR 2.61, 95%CI 1.55-4.38, postreperfusion syndrome (OR 2.96, 95%CI 1.55-4.38, mean blood glucose during the day of surgery >150 mg/dl (OR 1.66, 95%CI 1.01-2.70, cryoprecipitate > 6 units (OR 4.96, 95%CI 2.84-8.64, blood loss/body weight >60 ml/kg (OR 4.05, 95%CI 2.28-7.21, and calcineurin inhibitor use without combined mycophenolate mofetil (OR 1.87, 95%CI 1.14-3.06. Our risk models performed better than did a previously reported score by Utsumi et al. in our study cohort. Doses of calcineurin inhibitor should be reduced by combined use of mycophenolate mofetil to decrease postoperative AKI. Prospective randomized trials are required to address whether artificial modification of hypoalbuminemia, hyperglycemia

The perception of sleep quality in kidney transplant patients during the first year of transplantation

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Dnyelle Souza Silva

2012-12-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: Poor sleep quality is one of the factors that adversely affects patient quality of life after kidney transplantation, and sleep disorders represent a significant cardiovascular risk factor. The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of changes in sleep quality and their outcomes in kidney transplant recipients and analyze the variables affecting sleep quality in the first years after renal transplantation. METHODS: Kidney transplant recipients were evaluated at two time points after a successful transplantation: between three and six months (Phase 1 and between 12 and 15 months (Phase 2. The following tools were used for assessment: the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index; the quality of life questionnaire Short-Form-36; the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale; the Karnofsky scale; and assessments of social and demographic data. The prevalence of poor sleep was 36.7% in Phase 1 and 38.3% in Phase 2 of the study. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between patients with and without changes in sleep quality between the two phases. We found no changes in sleep patterns throughout the study. Both the physical and mental health scores worsened from Phase 1 to Phase 2. CONCLUSION: Sleep quality in kidney transplant recipients did not change during the first year after a successful renal transplantation.

A rapid and sustained improvement of calcification propensity score (serum T50 ) after successful kidney transplantation: Reanalysis of a randomized controlled trial of ibandronate.

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Smerud, Knut T; Åsberg, Anders; Kile, Håkon; Pasch, Andreas; Dahle, Dag O; Bollerslev, Jens; Godang, Kristin; Hartmann, Anders

2017-12-01

A serum test called T 50 assesses the overall propensity for calcification of the blood and is associated with cardiovascular outcomes. We aimed to examine T 50 over time in kidney transplant recipients and also address any effects of ibandronate. Serum samples taken from kidney transplant patients included in a prospective, randomized placebo controlled study of ibandronate were analyzed in retrospect. Adequate analyses were performed at baseline (approximately 3 weeks after transplantation) in 129 patients, at 10 weeks in 127 patients and at 1 year in 123 patients. There were no statistical differences between ibandronate and placebo treatment in terms of T 50 at 10 weeks (P = .094) or at 1 year (P = .116). Baseline T 50 was a significant covariate (P < .0001) for T 50 scores at 10 weeks and 1 year. In the total cohort, there was a highly significant (P < .0001) increase in T 50 of 26.6% after 10 weeks and T 50 remained stable after 1 year. T 50 change was inversely correlated to phosphate of -0.515 (P < .0001) and to change in serum albumin (P < .03). We found that T 50 increased from baseline to 10 weeks after transplantation with no further change after 1 year. Ibandronate had no effect on T 50 . © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Myelodysplastic syndromes and the role of iron overload.

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Harvey, R Donald

2010-04-01

The epidemiology of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and iron overload, recent clinical findings that highlight the importance of actively managing iron overload, and recommendations for initiating and maintaining iron chelation therapy (ICT) are summarized. MDS are a variety of hematological disorders with differing time courses. Disease morbidities are primarily due to cytopenias and evolution to acute myeloid leukemia. Iron overload is a serious complication in patients with MDS due to the long-term use of red blood cell transfusions in patients with symptomatic anemia. Clinical consequences of iron overload include end-organ damage and dysfunction, an increased frequency of transplant-related complications, and reduced survival rates. To prevent these complications, recommendations for initiating and maintaining ICT should be followed by clinicians caring for patients with MDS and iron overload. As current therapeutic options for patients with MDS do not always reduce the transfusion burden, many patients will still need long-term transfusion therapy. Strategies for the management of iron overload in MDS should be considered early in the disease course and in appropriate patients in order to prevent negative clinical outcomes associated with excessive iron accumulation.

Meaning and life purpose: the perspectives of post-transplant women.

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Evangelista, Lorraine S; Doering, Lynn; Dracup, Kathleen

2003-01-01

A descriptive, exploratory study was conducted to examine perceptions and meanings assigned to the experience of end-stage heart failure and transplant surgery in female recipients. Data was collected from 33 female heart transplant recipients from a heart transplant clinic using quantitative and qualitative methods. Women completed the Life Attitudes Profile and Multiple Affect Adjective Checklist and participated in a semi-structured interview. Women on average had a meaning score of 30.64 +/- 8.32 (range, 10-43) and a life purpose score of 40.12 +/- 13.78 (range, 17-63). The participants reported high levels of anxiety, depression, and hostility. Women expressed feelings of fear and lack of control related to their heart disease and transplant; however, they also described optimism, faith, acceptance, altruism, self-transcendence, self-fulfillment, and changing life goals as strong motivators for recovery. Women experience emotional distress as much as and beyond 5 years after heart transplantation. Their sense of meaning and life purpose is relatively high and is positively informed by several motivating factors that serve as coping resources throughout the recovery process.

Iron overload and HFE gene mutations in Polish patients with liver cirrhosis.

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Sikorska, Katarzyna; Romanowski, Tomasz; Stalke, Piotr; Iżycka-Świeszewska, Ewa; Bielawski, Krzysztof Piotr

2011-06-01

Increased liver iron stores may contribute to the progression of liver injury and fibrosis, and are associated with a higher risk of hepatocellular carcinoma development. Pre-transplant symptoms of iron overload in patients with liver cirrhosis are associated with higher risk of infectious and malignant complications in liver transplant recipients. HFE gene mutations may be involved in the pathogenesis of liver iron overload and influence the progression of chronic liver diseases of different origins. This study was designed to determine the prevalence of iron overload in relation to HFE gene mutations among Polish patients with liver cirrhosis. Sixty-one patients with liver cirrhosis included in the study were compared with a control group of 42 consecutive patients subjected to liver biopsy because of chronic liver diseases. Liver function tests and serum iron markers were assessed in both groups. All patients were screened for HFE mutations (C282Y, H63D, S65C). Thirty-six of 61 patients from the study group and all controls had liver biopsy performed with semiquantitative assessment of iron deposits in hepatocytes. The biochemical markers of iron overload and iron deposits in the liver were detected with a higher frequency (70% and 47% respectively) in patients with liver cirrhosis. There were no differences in the prevalence of all HFE mutations in both groups. In patients with a diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma, no significant associations with iron disorders and HFE gene mutations were found. Iron disorders were detected in patients with liver cirrhosis frequently but without significant association with HFE gene mutations. Only the homozygous C282Y mutation seems to occur more frequently in the selected population of patients with liver cirrhosis. As elevated biochemical iron indices accompanied liver iron deposits more frequently in liver cirrhosis compared to controls with chronic liver disease, there is a need for more extensive studies searching for

Radiographic manifestations of reperfusion edema after transplantation

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Park, Se Young; Kim, Tae Hoon; Ryu, Young Hoon; Moon, Sung Wook; Kim, Hyung Joong; Ahn, Chul Min; Paik, Hyo Chae; Lee, Doo Yun; Kim, Sang Jin

2003-01-01

To elucidate the sequential radiologic manifestations of reperfusion edema after lung transplantation. The study group comprised five consecutive lung transplant recipients (M:F=3:2;mean age; 47.5 years) who between July 1996 and April 2002 underwent lung transplantation procedures (four, unilateral; one, bilateral) at our institution. We retrospectively reviewed the serial postoperative radiographs obtained and characterized the lung infiltrates. Lung infiltrates compatible with reperfusion edema were present in all patients (5/5). Reperfusion edema appeared on day 1 in four, and by day 2 in the other. In all transplanted lungs, infiltrates were found in the perihilar and basilar regions, and were scored as maximal on day 1 in one, day 3 in two, day 4 in one and day 5 in the other. The recognition of sequential radiological manifestations helps identify recognition of reperfusion edema after lung transplantation

Impact of Different Creatinine Measurement Methods on Liver Transplant Allocation

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Kaiser, Thorsten; Kinny-Köster, Benedict; Bartels, Michael; Parthaune, Tanja; Schmidt, Michael; Thiery, Joachim

2014-01-01

Introduction The model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score is used in many countries to prioritize organ allocation for the majority of patients who require orthotopic liver transplantation. This score is calculated based on the following laboratory parameters: creatinine, bilirubin and the international normalized ratio (INR). Consequently, high measurement accuracy is essential for equitable and fair organ allocation. For serum creatinine measurements, the Jaffé method and enzymatic detection are well-established routine diagnostic tests. Methods A total of 1,013 samples from 445 patients on the waiting list or in evaluation for liver transplantation were measured using both creatinine methods from November 2012 to September 2013 at the university hospital Leipzig, Germany. The measurements were performed in parallel according to the manufacturer’s instructions after the samples arrived at the institute of laboratory medicine. Patients who had required renal replacement therapy twice in the previous week were excluded from analyses. Results Despite the good correlation between the results of both creatinine quantification methods, relevant differences were observed, which led to different MELD scores. The Jaffé measurement led to greater MELD score in 163/1,013 (16.1%) samples with differences of up to 4 points in one patient, whereas differences of up to 2 points were identified in 15/1,013 (1.5%) samples using the enzymatic assay. Overall, 50/152 (32.9%) patients with MELD scores >20 had higher scores when the Jaffé method was used. Discussion Using the Jaffé method to measure creatinine levels in samples from patients who require liver transplantation may lead to a systematic preference in organ allocation. In this study, the differences were particularly pronounced in samples with MELD scores >20, which has clinical relevance in the context of urgency of transplantation. These data suggest that official recommendations are needed to determine which

Psychological rejection of the transplanted organ and graft dysfunction in kidney transplant patients

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Látos M

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Melinda Látos,1 György Lázár,1 Zoltán Horváth,1 Victoria Wittmann,1 Edit Szederkényi,1 Zoltán Hódi,1 Pál Szenohradszky,1 Márta Csabai2 1Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, 2Psychology Institute, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary Abstract: Interdisciplinary studies suggest that the mental representations of the transplanted organ may have a significant effect on the healing process. The objective of this study was to examine the representations of the transplanted organ and their relationship with emotional and mood factors, illness perceptions, and the functioning of the transplanted organ. One hundred and sixty-four kidney transplant patients were assessed using the Spielberger Anxiety Inventory, the Beck’s Depression Scale, the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire, and the Transplanted Organ Questionnaire. Medical parameters were collected from the routine clinical blood tests (serum creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate levels and biopsy results. Our most outstanding results suggest that kidney-transplanted patients’ illness representations are associated with health outcomes. The Transplanted Organ Questionnaire “psychological rejection” subscale was connected with higher serum creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate levels. Logistic regression analysis showed that psychological rejection subscale, Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire, and Posttraumatic Growth Questionnaire total scores were associated with graft rejection. These results may serve as a basis for the development of complex treatment interventions, which could help patients to cope with the bio-psycho-social challenges of integrating the new organ as part of their body and self. Keywords: anxiety, depression, illness representations, posttraumatic growth, psychological rejection, renal transplantation

Magnetic resonance imaging of mouse islet grafts labeled with novel chitosan-coated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles.

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Jyuhn-Huarng Juang

Full Text Available To better understand the fate of islet isografts and allografts, we utilized a magnetic resonance (MR imaging technique to monitor mouse islets labeled with a novel MR contrast agent, chitosan-coated superparamagnetic iron oxide (CSPIO nanoparticles.After being incubated with and without CSPIO (10 µg/ml, C57BL/6 mouse islets were examined under transmission electron microscope (TEM and their insulin secretion was measured. Cytotoxicity was examined in α (αTC1 and β (NIT-1 and βTC cell lines as well as islets. C57BL/6 mice were used as donors and inbred C57BL/6 and Balb/c mice were used as recipients of islet transplantation. Three hundred islets were transplanted under the left kidney capsule of each mouse and then MR was performed in the recipients periodically. At the end of study, the islet graft was removed for histology and TEM studies.After incubation of mouse islets with CSPIO (10 µg/mL, TEM showed CSPIO in endocytotic vesicles of α- and β-cells at 8 h. Incubation with CSPIO did not affect insulin secretion from islets and death rates of αTC1, NIT-1 and βTC cell lines as well as islets. After syngeneic and allogeneic transplantation, grafts of CSPIO-labeled islets were visualized on MR scans as persistent hypointense areas. At 8 weeks after syngeneic transplantation and 31 days after allogeneic transplantation, histology of CSPIO-labeled islet grafts showed colocalized insulin and iron staining in the same areas but the size of allografts decreased with time. TEM with elementary iron mapping demonstrated CSPIO distributed in the cytoplasm of islet cells, which maintained intact ultrastructure.Our results indicate that after syngeneic and allogeneic transplantation, islets labeled with CSPIO nanoparticles can be effectively and safely imaged by MR.

Lung Allocation Score: A Single-Center Simulation.

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Rosso, L; Palleschi, A; Tosi, D; Mendogni, P; Righi, I; Carrinola, R; Montoli, M; Damarco, F; Rossetti, V; Morlacchi, L C; Nosotti, M

2016-03-01

The lung allocation score (LAS) was introduced in the United States in May 2005 with the main goal of reducing the waiting list mortality of patients with end-stage lung diseases, but also to enhance the lung transplant benefit and improve the management of urgent candidates. Several papers have reported that LAS resulted in a reduction of the waiting list mortality but no significant survival benefit was noted. We evaluate the usefulness of LAS as a predictor for lung transplantation outcome in 123 patients listed for lung transplantation in an Italian center. Primary endpoints were waiting list mortality and posttransplant mortality at 1 year; secondary endpoints included perioperative circulatory support, cardiopulmonary bypass, primary graft dysfunction, and long-term survival after transplantation. We observed the absence of correlation between LAS and waiting list mortality. The LAS did not affect the long-term survival in our population. High LAS was predictive of primary graft dysfunction of grade 3 in the first 72 hours after transplantation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Magnetic resonance imaging with superparamagnetic iron oxide fails to track the long-term fate of mesenchymal stem cells transplanted into heart.

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Ma, Ning; Cheng, Huaibing; Lu, Minjie; Liu, Qiong; Chen, Xiuyu; Yin, Gang; Zhu, Hao; Zhang, Lianfeng; Meng, Xianmin; Tang, Yue; Zhao, Shihua

2015-03-12

MRI for in vivo stem cell tracking remains controversial. Here we tested the hypothesis that MRI can track the long-term fate of the superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanoparticles labelled mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) following intramyocardially injection in AMI rats. MSCs (1 × 10(6)) from male rats doubly labeled with SPIO and DAPI were injected 2 weeks after myocardial infarction. The control group received cell-free media injection. In vivo serial MRI was performed at 24 hours before cell delivery (baseline), 3 days, 1, 2, and 4 weeks after cell delivery, respectively. Serial follow-up MRI demonstrated large persistent intramyocardial signal-voids representing SPIO during the follow-up of 4 weeks, and MSCs did not moderate the left ventricular dysfunction. The TUNEL analysis confirmed that MSCs engrafted underwent apoptosis. The histopathological studies revealed that the site of cell injection was infiltrated by inflammatory cells progressively and the iron-positive cells were macrophages identified by CD68 staining, but very few or no DAPI-positive stem cells at 4 weeks after cells transplantation. The presence of engrafted cells was confirmed by real-time PCR, which showed that the amount of Y-chromosome-specific SRY gene was consistent with the results. MRI may not reliably track the long-term fate of SPIO-labeled MSCs engraftment in heart.

Magnetic targeting of iron-oxide-labeled fluorescent hepatoma cells to the liver

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Luciani, Alain; Wilhelm, Claire; Gazeau, Florence; Bruneval, Patrick; Cunin, Patrick; Autret, Gwennhael; Clement, Olivier; Rahmouni, Alain

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine whether an external magnet field can induce preferential trafficking of magnetically labeled Huh7 hepatoma cells to the liver following liver cell transplantation. Huh7 hepatoma cells were labeled with anionic magnetic nanoparticles (AMNP) and tagged with a fluorescent membrane marker (PKH67). Iron-uptake was measured by magnetophoresis. Twenty C57Bl6 mice received an intrasplenic injection of 2 x 10 6 labeled cells. An external magnet (0.29 T; 25 T/m) was placed over the liver of 13 randomly selected animals (magnet group), while the remaining 7 animals served as controls. MRI (1.5 T) and confocal fluorescence microscopy (CFM) were performed 10 days post-transplantation. The presence and location of labeled cells within the livers were compared in the magnet group and controls, and confronted with histological analysis representing the standard of reference. Mean iron content per cell was 6 pg. Based on histology, labeled cells were more frequently present within recipient livers in the magnet group (p < 0.01) where their distribution was preferentially peri-vascular (p<0.05). MRI and CFM gave similar results for the overall detection of transplanted cells (kappa=0.828) and for the identification of peri-vascular cells (kappa=0.78). Application of an external magnet can modify the trafficking of transplanted cells, especially by promoting the formation of perivascular aggregates. (orig.)

Preoperative selective desensitization of live donor liver transplant recipients considering the degree of T lymphocyte cross-match titer, model for end-stage liver disease score, and graft liver volume.

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Hong, Geun; Yi, Nam-Joon; Suh, Suk-won; Yoo, Tae; Kim, Hyeyoung; Park, Min-Su; Choi, YoungRok; Lee, Kyungbun; Lee, Kwang-Woong; Park, Myoung Hee; Suh, Kyung-Suk

2014-05-01

Several studies have suggested that a positive lymphocyte cross-matching (XM) is associated with low graft survival rates and a high prevalence of acute rejection after adult living donor liver transplantations (ALDLTs) using a small-for-size graft. However, there is still no consensus on preoperative desensitization. We adopted the desensitization protocol from ABO-incompatible LDLT. We performed desensitization for the selected patients according to the degree of T lymphocyte cross-match titer, model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score, and graft liver volume. We retrospectively evaluated 230 consecutive ALDLT recipients for 5 yr. Eleven recipients (4.8%) showed a positive XM. Among them, five patients with the high titer (> 1:16) by antihuman globulin-augmented method (T-AHG) and one with a low titer but a high MELD score of 36 were selected for desensitization: rituximab injection and plasmapheresis before the transplantation. There were no major side effects of desensitization. Four of the patients showed successful depletion of the T-AHG titer. There was no mortality and hyperacute rejection in lymphocyte XM-positive patients, showing no significant difference in survival outcome between two groups (P=1.000). In conclusion, this desensitization protocol for the selected recipients considering the degree of T lymphocyte cross-match titer, MELD score, and graft liver volume is feasible and safe.

Liver transplantation in the Nordic countries – An intention to treat and post-transplant analysis from The Nordic Liver Transplant Registry 1982–2013

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Fosby, Bjarte; Melum, Espen; Bjøro, Kristian; Bennet, William; Rasmussen, Allan; Andersen, Ina Marie; Castedal, Maria; Olausson, Michael; Wibeck, Christina; Gotlieb, Mette; Gjertsen, Henrik; Toivonen, Leena; Foss, Stein; Makisalo, Heikki; Nordin, Arno; Sanengen, Truls; Bergquist, Annika; Larsson, Marie E.; Soderdahl, Gunnar; Nowak, Greg; Boberg, Kirsten Muri; Isoniemi, Helena; Keiding, Susanne; Foss, Aksel; Line, Pål-Dag; Friman, Styrbjörn; Schrumpf, Erik; Ericzon, Bo-Göran; Höckerstedt, Krister; Karlsen, Tom H.

2015-01-01

Abstract Aim and background. The Nordic Liver Transplant Registry (NLTR) accounts for all liver transplants performed in the Nordic countries since the start of the transplant program in 1982. Due to short waiting times, donor liver allocation has been made without considerations of the model of end-stage liver disease (MELD) score. We aimed to summarize key outcome measures and developments for the activity up to December 2013. Materials and methods. The registry is integrated with the operational waiting-list and liver allocation system of Scandiatransplant (www.scandiatransplant.org) and accounted at the end of 2013 for 6019 patients out of whom 5198 were transplanted. Data for recipient and donor characteristics and relevant end-points retransplantation and death are manually curated on an annual basis to allow for statistical analysis and the annual report. Results. Primary sclerosing cholangitis, acute hepatic failure, alcoholic liver disease, primary biliary cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma are the five most frequent diagnoses (accounting for 15.3%, 10.8%, 10.6%, 9.3% and 9.0% of all transplants, respectively). Median waiting time for non-urgent liver transplantation during the last 10-year period was 39 days. Outcome has improved over time, and for patients transplanted during 2004–2013, overall one-, five- and 10-year survival rates were 91%, 80% and 71%, respectively. In an intention-to-treat analysis, corresponding numbers during the same time period were 87%, 75% and 66%, respectively. Conclusion. The liver transplant program in the Nordic countries provides comparable outcomes to programs with a MELD-based donor liver allocation system. Unique features comprise the diagnostic spectrum, waiting times and the availability of an integrated waiting list and transplant registry (NLTR). PMID:25959101

Role of MELD score and serum creatinine as prognostic tools for the development of acute kidney injury after liver transplantation.

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Thiago Gomes Romano

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The role of the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD score in predicting complications, such as Acute Kidney Injury (AKI, after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT has yet to be evaluated and serum creatinine may be too heavily weighted in the existing MELD formula, since it has many pitfalls in cirrhotic patients. METHODS: Retrospective data of the perioperative period from consecutive adult OLTs performed from January to December 2009 were recorded. Univariate and multivariate analysis were performed to analyze the risk factors for AKI and mortality after OLT. RESULTS: There were 114 OLTs performed in the study period, 22 (19,2% were submitted to dialysis prior OLT and were excluded from the analysis for AKI. The median age was 52 years and 66% were male. Median creatinine value was 0.85mg/dL and MELD was 19. Fifty-two of the 92 patients (56,5% developed AKI in the first 72 hours after OLT. The only independent risk factor for AKI was calculated MELD and when the components of the MELD score were analyzed, INR had a much stronger impact in predicting AKI then serum creatinine. Overall mortality rate was 32,5% and anesthesia duration was the only variable associated with higher mortality rate. CONCLUSIONS: Although MELD score seems to have a good performance in predicting AKI after OLT, serum creatinine had no impact on its prediction despite its importance on MELD calculation. Modifying the MELD score, which could include novel AKI biomarkers, may improve its prognostic accuracy and provide a better tool for public health planning.

Relationship between Coping and Spiritual Health in Renal Transplant Recipients

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Somayeh Saadatpanah

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD encounter various challenges following kidney transplantation, which should be managed appropriately. These problems can be partly controlled by considering spirituality as one of the care components. Regarding this, the aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between coping and spiritual health in the renal transplant recipients. This descriptive correlational study was conducted on 169 patients referring to the Organ Transplantation Center at Montasserieh Hospital in Mashhad, Iran. The study population was selected through convenience sampling method. The data were collected using demographic characteristics form, Renal Transplant Coping Scale by Valizadeh et al. (2015, and Spiritual Health Questionnaire developed by Khorashadizadeh et al. (2015. The mean scores of coping and spiritual health were 321.2±15.3 and 123.3±6.2, respectively, which were desirable. There was a significant linear relationship between coping and spiritual health mean scores (P˂0.001, r=0.37. Based on the findings, the reinforcement of spiritual beliefs in patients could be a strategy to promote their coping level.

Utility of Iron Staining in Identifying the Cause of Renal Allograft Dysfunction in Patients with Sickle Cell Disease

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Yingchun Wang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Sickle cell nephropathy (SCN is associated with iron/heme deposition in proximal renal tubules and related acute tubular injury (ATI. Here we report the utility of iron staining in differentiating causes of renal allograft dysfunction in patients with a history of sickle cell disease. Case 1: the patient developed acute allograft dysfunction two years after renal transplant. Her renal biopsy showed ATI, supported by patchy loss of brush border and positive staining of kidney injury molecule-1 in proximal tubular epithelial cells, where diffuse increase in iron staining (2+ was present. This indicated that ATI likely resulted from iron/heme toxicity to proximal tubules. Electron microscope confirmed aggregated sickle RBCs in glomeruli, indicating a recurrent SCN. Case 2: four years after renal transplant, the patient developed acute allograft dysfunction and became positive for serum donor-specific antibody. His renal biopsy revealed thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA and diffuse positive C4d stain in peritubular capillaries. Iron staining was negative in the renal tubules, implying that TMA was likely associated with acute antibody-mediated rejection (AAMR, type 2 rather than recurrent SCN. These case reports imply that iron staining is an inexpensive but effective method in distinguishing SCN-associated renal injury in allograft kidney from other etiologies.

Development of instant noodles from high-iron rice and iron-fortified rice flour

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Suparat Reungmaneepaitoon

2008-08-01

Full Text Available Instant high-iron noodles, prepared from wheat flour and high iron brown rice flour, were developed. Three varieties of rice flour, Suphan Buri 90 (SB, Homnin 313 (HW and Homnin 1000 (HP, containing amylose content of 30.40, 19.10 and 15.74% (w/w and iron content of 1.24, 2.04 and 2.22 (mg/100 g respectively, were used to replace wheat flour for instant fried noodle production. To determine the physicochemical properties and acceptability of instant fried noodles,different percentages (30, 40, 50% (w/w of each rice flour sample were used. The instant fried noodles were fortified with ferrous sulphate at levels of 0, 32, 64% iron of RDI per serving. Increasing amount of iron content in the mixtures decreased the L* value, b* value and increased a* value for the color of the instant fried noodle with brown rice flour. The texture characteristic of the noodles with 30, 40, 50% replacement with each variety of brown rice flour were significantly different from those of wheat noodle. Tensile force of the noodles decreased from 11.57±1.30 g to 6.38±1.45 g (SB, 8.36±0.96 g to 5.71±0.57 g (HP and 10.09±1.20 g to 5.46±1.31 g (HW as the rice flour content increased from 30 to 50%. The sensoryacceptability of the noodles made from each variety of 30% brown rice flour fortified with 32% iron of RDI had higher preference scores for elasticity, firmness, color and overall acceptability, than those with 64% iron of RDI. Instant fried noodles with HW and HP brown rice flour were subjected to consumer test using 100 rural primary school children. The frequency percent of the acceptability scores of the noodle with HP and HW were 88 and 84% respectively. Shelf life studyrevealed that the developed products were still acceptable up to 4 months. These products were claimed to be high iron noodle.

Single-center experience in double kidney transplantation.

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Fontana, I; Magoni Rossi, A; Gasloli, G; Santori, G; Giannone, A; Bertocchi, M; Piaggio, F; Bocci, E; Valente, Umberto

2010-05-01

Use of organs from marginal donors for transplantation is a current strategy to expand the organ donor pool. Its efficacy is universally accepted among data from multicenter studies. Herein, we have reviewed outcomes of double kidney transplantation (DKT) over an 9-year experience in our center. The aim of this study was to evaluate possible important differences between a monocenter versus multicenter studies. Between 1999 and 2008, we performed 59 DKT. Recipient mean age was 63 +/- 5 years. Mean HLA-A, -B, and -DR mismatches were 3.69 +/- 0.922. Donor mean age was 69 +/- 7 years and mean creatinine clearance was 69.8 +/- 30.8 mL/min. Proteinuria was detected in three donors (5%). Mean cold ischemia and warm ischemia times were 1130 +/- 216 and 48 +/- 11 minutes, respectively. The right and left kidney scores were 4.18 +/- 2 and 4.21 +/- 2, respectively. Thirty patients (51%) displayed good postoperative renal function; 22 (37%), acute tubular necrosis with postoperative dialysis; 3 (5%), acute rejection episodes; 4 (7%), single-graft transplantectomy due to vascular thrombosis; 1 (2%), a retransplantation; 5 (8%), a lymphocele; 3 (5%) vescicoureteral reflux or stenosis requiring surgical correction. Cytomegalovirus infection was detected in five patients (8%). In three patients (5%) displayed de novo neoplasia. Three patients showed chronic rejection (5%), whereas we observed a cyclosporine-related toxicity in 7 (12%). Nine patients (15%) developed iatrogenic diabetes. Patient and graft survivals after 3 years from DKT were 93% and 86.3%, respectively. In this study, we applied successfully a widespread score to allocate organs to single kidney transplantation or DKT. In our experience, the score is suitable for the organ allocation but it may be overprotective, excluding potentially suitable organs for a single transplantation. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Prediction of Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem-Cell Transplantation Mortality 100 Days After Transplantation Using a Machine Learning Algorithm: A European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation Acute Leukemia Working Party Retrospective Data Mining Study.

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Shouval, Roni; Labopin, Myriam; Bondi, Ori; Mishan-Shamay, Hila; Shimoni, Avichai; Ciceri, Fabio; Esteve, Jordi; Giebel, Sebastian; Gorin, Norbert C; Schmid, Christoph; Polge, Emmanuelle; Aljurf, Mahmoud; Kroger, Nicolaus; Craddock, Charles; Bacigalupo, Andrea; Cornelissen, Jan J; Baron, Frederic; Unger, Ron; Nagler, Arnon; Mohty, Mohamad

2015-10-01

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT) is potentially curative for acute leukemia (AL), but carries considerable risk. Machine learning algorithms, which are part of the data mining (DM) approach, may serve for transplantation-related mortality risk prediction. This work is a retrospective DM study on a cohort of 28,236 adult HSCT recipients from the AL registry of the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. The primary objective was prediction of overall mortality (OM) at 100 days after HSCT. Secondary objectives were estimation of nonrelapse mortality, leukemia-free survival, and overall survival at 2 years. Donor, recipient, and procedural characteristics were analyzed. The alternating decision tree machine learning algorithm was applied for model development on 70% of the data set and validated on the remaining data. OM prevalence at day 100 was 13.9% (n=3,936). Of the 20 variables considered, 10 were selected by the model for OM prediction, and several interactions were discovered. By using a logistic transformation function, the crude score was transformed into individual probabilities for 100-day OM (range, 3% to 68%). The model's discrimination for the primary objective performed better than the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation score (area under the receiver operating characteristics curve, 0.701 v 0.646; Prisk evaluation of patients with AL before HSCT, and is available online (http://bioinfo.lnx.biu.ac.il/∼bondi/web1.html). It is presented as a continuous probabilistic score for the prediction of day 100 OM, extending prediction to 2 years. The DM method has proved useful for clinical prediction in HSCT. © 2015 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Anemia in kidney transplants without erythropoietic agents: levels of erythropoietin and iron parameters.

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Florit, E A; Hadad, F; Rodriguez Cubillo, B; De la Flor, J C; Valga, F; Perez Flores, I; Calvo Romero, N; Valero San Cecilio, R; Barrientos Guzman, A; Sanchez Fructuoso, A

2012-11-01

To study the association between hemoglobin, endogenous erythropoietin (EPO) levels and ferric parameters in kidney recipients not treated with EPO-stimulating agents. Transverse study of 219 kidney transplant outpatients. The median time after transplantation was 54 months (P(25-75), 23-107). We assessed blood counts, ferric parameters, EPO levels, renal function (MDRD-4), and adjuvant treatment. We performed a linear regression analysis to predict hemoglobin. Median EPO values were 14.05 mUI/mL (P(25-75) = 10.2-19.7). Applying the formulas described by Beguin, kidney transplant recipients showed a low observed/expected ratio of erythropoietin and of transferrin. Considering anemia to be an hemoglobin of calculate hemoglobin was: hemoglobin = 11829-0909 log (EPG level) - 0455 (if female) + 0.010 0.013 transferrin + 0.013 creatinine clearance (r = .424, P < .001). Treatment with ACEI and/or ARBs seemed to produce a defect in the synthesis of EPO, while those treated with mTORi, a hyporesponsive state. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Função sexual de homens submetidos a transplante hepático Sexual function of males subjected to liver transplantation

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Júlio Cezar Uili Coelho

2003-01-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Avaliar a qualidade de vida sexual masculina antes e depois do transplante hepático. MÉTODOS: Foi enviado questionário de avaliação para 56 doentes masculinos, que tinham idade superior a 18 anos e que sobreviveram mais de seis meses após o transplante hepático. O questionário continha 15 perguntas com cinco ou seis alternativas de resposta para mensurar a função sexual masculina segmentada por cinco componentes: função erétil, função orgástica, desejo sexual, satisfação com a relação sexual e satisfação com a vida sexual como um todo. As respostas geraram valores numéricos, os quais foram agrupados dentro de cada domínio e comparados antes e depois do transplante hepático. RESULTADOS: Vinte e cinco doentes responderam completamente o questionário. Todas os cinco componentes da função sexual melhoraram após o transplante hepático, sendo que o escore da função erétil aumentou de 21,12±8,07 para 26,52±5,22 (p=0,004, da função orgástica de 7,28±3,05 para 9,36±1,47 (p=0,008, da função desejo sexual de 6,64±2,58 para 8,68±1,35 (p=0,005, da satisfação com relação sexual de 9,16±3,83 para 12,52±2,65 (pBACKGROUND: Sexual dysfunction is very common in liver transplantation candidates. Our objective is to determine the sexual life quality of males before and after liver transplantation. METHODS: Questionnaire was sent to 56 males over 18 years of age with at least six-month survival after orthotopic liver transplantation. The self-administered questionnaire contained 15 questions with 5 or 6 alternatives to determine the male sexual function which may be divided into 5 domains: 1 erectile function; 2 orgasmic function; 3 sexual desire; 4 intercourse satisfaction; and 5 overall satisfaction with sexual life. Each answer received a score. Domains scores were computed by summing the scores for individual answers and they were compared before and after the liver transplantation. RESULTS: Twenty

Liver Transplantation: Evolving Patient Selection Criteria

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Andy S Yu

2001-01-01

Full Text Available The widespread recognition of the success of liver transplantation as a treatment for most types of acute and chronic liver failure has led to increased referrals for transplantation in the setting of a relatively fixed supply of cadaver donor organs. These events have led to a marked lengthening of the waiting time for liver transplantation, resulting in increased deaths of those on the waiting list and sicker patients undergoing transplantation. Nearly 5000 liver transplantations were performed in the United States in 2000, while the waiting list grew to over 17,000 patients. The mounting disparity between the number of liver transplant candidates and the limited supply of donor organs has led to reassessment of the selection and listing criteria for liver transplantation, as well as revision of organ allocation and distribution policies for cadaver livers. The development of minimal listing criteria for patients with chronic liver disease based on a specific definition for decompensation of cirrhosis has facilitated the more uniform listing of patients at individual centres across the United States. The United Network for Organ Sharing, under pressure from transplant professionals, patient advocacy groups and the federal government, has continuously revised allocation and distribution policies based on the ethical principles of justice for the individual patient versus optimal utility of the limited organ supply available annually. Beginning in 2002, it is likely that the Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD score will be implemented to determine disease severity and direct donor organs to the sickest patients rather than to those with the longest waiting times.

The role of splenectomy before liver transplantation in biliary atresia patients.

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Takahashi, Yoshiaki; Matsuura, Toshiharu; Yanagi, Yusuke; Yoshimaru, Koichiro; Taguchi, Tomoaki

2016-12-01

There is currently no unified view regarding whether liver transplantation or splenectomy should be performed for hypersplenism before liver transplantation in biliary atresia (BA) patients. We herein describe the efficacy of splenectomy before liver transplantation. Splenectomy was performed in ten patients with hypersplenism associated with BA. We retrospectively reviewed their perioperative and postoperative courses, the number of leukocytes and thrombocytes, and the MELD score. The mean age was 17.5±7.0years (range 11-31years), and the male-to-female ratio was 1:1. The platelet and leukocyte levels increased after splenectomy and returned to normal levels one month postoperatively. The mean MELD score after splenectomy was significantly decreased after splenectomy: 10±2.1 vs 7.6±1.8. In particular, PT-INR improved. Five patients underwent liver transplantation because of hepatopulmonary syndrome and repeated bouts of cholangitis, whereas the remaining five patients did not undergo liver transplantation because of improvements in the liver function (the mean follow-up period was 56months). The postoperative complications included portal vein thrombosis and intestinal perforation, but the patient survival rates remained at 100%. After splenectomy, both pancytopenia and the liver function clearly improved. Splenectomy should therefore be a treatment option for patients with hypersplenism before liver transplantation. Retrospective Comparative Study - Level III. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

New scoring system identifies kidney outcome with radiation therapy in acute renal allograft rejection

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Chen, Luci M.; Godinez, Juan; Thisted, Ronald A.; Woodle, E. Steve; Thistlewaite, J. Richard; Powers, Claire; Haraf, Daniel

2000-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate the role of radiation therapy for acute refractory renal rejection after failure of medical intervention, and to identify risk factors that influence graft survival following radiation therapy. Methods: Between June 1989 and December 1995, 53 renal transplant recipients (34 men and 19 women) were treated with localized radiation therapy for acute renal allograft rejection. Graft rejection was defined as an increase in serum creatinine with histologic evidence of rejection on renal biopsy. Ninety-one percent were cadaveric transplant recipients. The majority of patients who experienced acute graft rejection initially received corticosteroid therapy, except for 25% who were referred for radiation therapy and steroids for the first rejection. In more recent years, patients with moderate or severe steroid-resistant or recurrent rejection received OKT3, a polyclonal antilymphocyte antibody (ATGAM), tacrolimus (FK506), or mycophenolate mofetil (MMF). Patients who failed to respond to medical treatment were then referred for radiation therapy. Ultrasound was performed for kidney localization. Treatment consisted of a dose of 600 cGy given in 3 or 4 fractions using 6 MV photons, delivered AP or AP/PA. Results: The overall actuarial graft survival from the initiation of RT was 83% at 1 month, 60% at 1 year, and 36% at 5 years. The median follow-up from the date of transplant to the last follow-up was 22 months. The median time from the date of transplant to the initiation of radiotherapy was 3 months, and the median time from the initiation of radiotherapy to the last follow-up was 10 months. Variables evaluated were as follows: human leukocyte antigen matching on HLA-A, HLA-B, and HLA-DR, the transplant panel-reactive antibodies (PRA) at transplantation, number of acute rejection episodes, interval from the date of the transplant to the first rejection, serum creatinine levels at the time of the first radiation treatment, number of transplants, and

Magnetic targeting of iron-oxide-labeled fluorescent hepatoma cells to the liver

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Luciani, Alain [Universite Rene Descartes, Hopital Europeen Georges Pompidou, Laboratoire de Recherche en Imagerie, EA 4062, Paris (France); Imagerie Medicale, Faculte de Medecine Paris XII, CHU Henri Mondor, Creteil cedex (France); Wilhelm, Claire; Gazeau, Florence [Universite Paris Diderot, Batiment Condorcet, Laboratoire Matiere et Systemes Complexes, CNRS-UMR 7057, Paris Cedex (France); Bruneval, Patrick [Anatomopathologie, Hopital Europeen Georges Pompidou, Paris (France); Cunin, Patrick [Unite de Recherche Clinique, Faculte de Medecine Paris XII, CHU Henri Mondor, Creteil cedex (France); Autret, Gwennhael; Clement, Olivier [Universite Rene Descartes, Hopital Europeen Georges Pompidou, Laboratoire de Recherche en Imagerie, EA 4062, Paris (France); Rahmouni, Alain [Imagerie Medicale, Faculte de Medecine Paris XII, CHU Henri Mondor, Creteil cedex (France)

2009-05-15

The purpose of this study was to determine whether an external magnet field can induce preferential trafficking of magnetically labeled Huh7 hepatoma cells to the liver following liver cell transplantation. Huh7 hepatoma cells were labeled with anionic magnetic nanoparticles (AMNP) and tagged with a fluorescent membrane marker (PKH67). Iron-uptake was measured by magnetophoresis. Twenty C57Bl6 mice received an intrasplenic injection of 2 x 10{sup 6} labeled cells. An external magnet (0.29 T; 25 T/m) was placed over the liver of 13 randomly selected animals (magnet group), while the remaining 7 animals served as controls. MRI (1.5 T) and confocal fluorescence microscopy (CFM) were performed 10 days post-transplantation. The presence and location of labeled cells within the livers were compared in the magnet group and controls, and confronted with histological analysis representing the standard of reference. Mean iron content per cell was 6 pg. Based on histology, labeled cells were more frequently present within recipient livers in the magnet group (p < 0.01) where their distribution was preferentially peri-vascular (p<0.05). MRI and CFM gave similar results for the overall detection of transplanted cells (kappa=0.828) and for the identification of peri-vascular cells (kappa=0.78). Application of an external magnet can modify the trafficking of transplanted cells, especially by promoting the formation of perivascular aggregates. (orig.)

Risk Stratification of Patients With Current Generation Continuous-Flow Left Ventricular Assist Devices Being Bridged to Heart Transplantation.

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Guha, Ashrith; Nguyen, Duc; Cruz-Solbes, Ana S; Amione-Guerra, Javier; Schutt, Robert C; Bhimaraj, Arvind; Trachtenberg, Barry H; Park, Myung H; Graviss, Edward A; Gaber, Osama; Suarez, Erik; Montane, Eva; Torre-Amione, Guillermo; Estep, Jerry D

Patients bridged to transplant (BTT) with continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices (CF-LVADs) have increased in the past decade. Decision support tools for these patients are limited. We developed a risk score to estimate prognosis and guide decision-making. We included heart transplant recipients bridged with CF-LVADs from the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database and divided them into development (2,522 patients) and validation cohorts (1,681 patients). Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were performed. Variables that independently predicted outcomes (age, African American race, recipient body mass index [BMI], intravenous [IV] antibiotic use, pretransplant dialysis, and total bilirubin) were assigned weight using linear transformation, and risk scores were derived. Patients were grouped by predicted posttransplant mortality: low risk (≤ 38 points), medium risk (38-41 points), and high risk (≥ 42 points). We performed Cox proportional hazards analysis on wait-listed CF-LVAD patients who were not transplanted. Score significantly discriminated survival among the groups in the development cohort (6.7, 12.9, 20.7; p = 0.001), validation cohort (6.4, 10.1, 13.6; p assist device (LVAD) BTT risk score that effectively identifies CF-LVAD patients who are at higher risk for worse outcomes after heart transplant. This score may help physicians weigh the risks of transplantation in patients with CF-LVAD.

Objective evaluation of minimally invasive surgical skills for transplantation. Surgeons using a virtual reality simulator.

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Dănilă, R; Gerdes, B; Ulrike, H; Domínguez Fernández, E; Hassan, I

2009-01-01

The learning curve in laparoscopic surgery may be associated with higher patient risk, which is unacceptable in the setting of kidney donation. Virtual reality simulators may increase the safety and efficiency of training in laparoscopic surgery. The aim of this study was to investigate if the results of a training session reflect the actual skill level of transplantation surgeons and whether the simulator could differentiate laparoscopic experienced transplantation surgeon from advanced trainees. 16 subjects were assigned to one of two groups: 5 experienced transplantation surgeon and 11 advanced residents, with only assistant role during transplantation. The level of performance was measured by a relative scoring system that combines single parameters assessed by the computer. The higher the level of transplantation experience of a participant, the higher the laparoscopic performance. Experienced transplantation surgeons showed statistically significant better scores than the advanced group for time and precision parameters. Our results show that performance of the various tasks on the simulator corresponds to the respective level of experience in transplantation surgery in our research groups. This study confirms construct validity for the LapSim. It thus measures relevant skills and can be integrated in an endoscopic training and assessment curriculum for transplantations surgeons.

Feasibility of islet magnetic resonance imaging using ferumoxytol in intraportal islet transplantation.

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Jin, Sang-Man; Oh, Seung-Hoon; Oh, Bae Jun; Shim, Wooyoung; Choi, Jin Myung; Yoo, Dongkyeom; Hwang, Yong Hwa; Lee, Jung Hee; Lee, Dong Yun; Kim, Jae Hyeon

2015-06-01

There is a clinical need for an alternative labeling agent for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in islet transplantation. We aimed to evaluate the feasibility of islet MRI using ferumoxytol, which is the only clinically-available ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide. We compared islet function and viability of control islets and islets labeled with ferumoxytol and/or a heparin-protamine complex (HPF). Efficacy of ferumoxytol labeling was assessed in both ex vivo and in vivo models. Labeling for 48 h with HPF, but not up to 800 μg/mL ferumoxytol, deranged ex vivo islet viability and function. The T2∗ relaxation time was optimal when islets were labeled with 800 μg/mL of ferumoxytol for 48 h. Prussian blue stain, iron content assay, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) supported internalization of ferumoxytol particles. However, the labeling intensity in the ex vivo MRI of islets labeled with ferumoxytol was much weaker than that of islets labeled with ferucarbotran. In syngeneic intraportal islet transplantation, there was a correlation between the total area of visualized islets and the transplanted islet mass. In conclusion, islet MRI using ferumoxytol was feasible in terms of in vitro and in vivo efficacy and safety. However, the weak labeling efficacy is still a hurdle for the clinical application. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Phenotypic risk factors for new-onset diabetes mellitus (NODAT in renal transplant recipients

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Katarzyna Hap

2014-11-01

Full Text Available New-onset diabetes mellitus after transplantation (NODAT is defined as diabetes which developed after organ transplantation. NODAT occurs in approximately 16-20% of recipients one year after kidney transplantation and is the main factor for the increased mortality and morbidity, increased medical costs, progressive graft failure and decreased patients’ quality of life. Determination of phenotypic risk factors allows to define the scale of the risk of NODAT and can be helpful in detecting patients at risk of post-transplant diabetes. Overweight and obesity are well-known phenotypic risk factors that can be modified by lifestyle-change intervention. Adequate education about the principles of healthy lifestyle is one of the most important prevention factors. The medical staff should organize health education which should begin long before the planned transplantation, even at the stage of predialysis treatment or dialysis and be continued after transplantation. Early assessment of the risk of developing glucose metabolism disorders also allows the selection of immunosuppressive therapy less likely to affect carbohydrate metabolism. The article presents examples of simple risk scores and also principles of prevention and treatment of NODAT. The article presents the definition of NODAT, risk factors, especially overweight or obesity, risk scores and also principles of prevention and treatment of NODAT.

Factors predisposing to post-renal transplant erythrocytosis. A prospective matched-pair control study.

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Kessler, M; Hestin, D; Mayeux, D; Mertes, P M; Renoult, E

1996-02-01

We conducted a prospective study on 81 consecutive patients who had a kidney transplant with graft function for over 3 months to evaluate the prevalence of erythrocytosis following renal transplantation (PTE) and its potential risk factors. True PTE was defined as a RBC mass > 120% of the theoretical value allowing for sex, weight and height. 18 patients (22.2%) developed PTE (RBC mass = 157 +/- 21%) with no evidence of polycythemia vera (PV), or secondary polycythemia due to reduced arterial oxygen, kidney or hepatic tumors. PTE was more common in males (p = 0.041) and less common in patients treated with recombinant erythropoietin (rHEPO) prior to transplantation. 18 non-polycythemic patients (Hb 12.6 +/- 1.3 g/dl) matched for sex, age and renal function were used as case controls. Fewer PTE patients were transfused post-transplantation (p = 0.026). At the time of diagnosis, mean serum EPO was normal and similar to that of controls. PTE patients had lower serum ferritin (p = 0.005) and more commonly received iron supplementation when PTE occurred (p = 0.003). Other clinical factors did not differ significantly between the two groups. Two patients had a thrombotic event, 6 recovered spontaneously and 11 were successfully treated with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI). The normalization of Hb, hematocrit and RBC mass in ACEI treated patients was accompanied by a decline in serum EPO (p = 0.008). We conclude that true erythrocytosis is prevalent in cyclosporine-treated renal transplant patients. PTE seems to be an idiopathic erythrocytosis. Pretransplant rHEPO treatment may limit PTE by blunting the increased sensitivity of erythroid precursors to EPO and iron supplementation, which stimulates the development of PTE. ACEI treatment is effective and safe.

Functional and Psychosocial Outcomes of Hand Transplantation Compared with Prosthetic Fitting in Below-Elbow Amputees: A Multicenter Cohort Study.

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Stefan Salminger

Full Text Available Hand-transplantation and improvements in the field of prostheses opened new frontiers in restoring hand function in below-elbow amputees. Both concepts aim at restoring reliable hand function, however, the indications, advantages and limitations for each treatment must be carefully considered depending on level and extent of amputation. Here we report our findings of a multi-center cohort study comparing hand function and quality-of-life of people with transplanted versus prosthetic hands.Hand function in amputees with either transplant or prostheses was tested with Action Research Arm Test (ARAT, Southampton Hand Assessment Procedure (SHAP and the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand measure (DASH. Quality-of-life was compared with the Short-Form 36 (SF-36.Transplanted patients (n = 5 achieved a mean ARAT score of 40.86 ± 8.07 and an average SHAP score of 75.00 ± 11.06. Prosthetic patients (n = 7 achieved a mean ARAT score of 39.00 ± 3.61 and an average SHAP score of 75.43 ± 10.81. There was no significant difference between transplanted and prosthetic hands in ARAT, SHAP or DASH. While quality-of-life metrics were equivocal for four scales of the SF-36, transplanted patients reported significantly higher scores in "role-physical" (p = 0.006, "vitality" (p = 0.008, "role-emotional" (p = 0.035 and "mental-health" (p = 0.003.The indications for hand transplantation or prosthetic fitting in below-elbow amputees require careful consideration. As functional outcomes were not significantly different between groups, patient's best interests and the route of least harm should guide treatment. Due to the immunosuppressive side-effects, the indication for allotransplantation must still be restrictive, the best being bilateral amputees.

Dual-source CT coronary imaging in heart transplant recipients: image quality and optimal reconstruction interval

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bastarrika, Gorka; Arraiza, Maria; Pueyo, Jesus C.; Cecco, Carlo N. de; Ubilla, Matias; Mastrobuoni, Stefano; Rabago, Gregorio

2008-01-01

The image quality and optimal reconstruction interval for coronary arteries in heart transplant recipients undergoing non-invasive dual-source computed tomography (DSCT) coronary angiography was evaluated. Twenty consecutive heart transplant recipients who underwent DSCT coronary angiography were included (19 male, one female; mean age 63.1±10.7 years). Data sets were reconstructed in 5% steps from 30% to 80% of the R-R interval. Two blinded independent observers assessed the image quality of each coronary segments using a five-point scale (from 0 = not evaluative to 4=excellent quality). A total of 289 coronary segments in 20 heart transplant recipients were evaluated. Mean heart rate during the scan was 89.1±10.4 bpm. At the best reconstruction interval, diagnostic image quality (score ≥2) was obtained in 93.4% of the coronary segments (270/289) with a mean image quality score of 3.04± 0.63. Systolic reconstruction intervals provided better image quality scores than diastolic reconstruction intervals (overall mean quality scores obtained with the systolic and diastolic reconstructions 3.03±1.06 and 2.73±1.11, respectively; P<0.001). Different systolic reconstruction intervals (35%, 40%, 45% of RR interval) did not yield to significant differences in image quality scores for the coronary segments (P=0.74). Reconstructions obtained at the systolic phase of the cardiac cycle allowed excellent diagnostic image quality coronary angiograms in heart transplant recipients undergoing DSCT coronary angiography. (orig.)

Use of Renal Replacement Therapy May Influence Graft Outcomes following Liver Transplantation for Acute Liver Failure: A Propensity-Score Matched Population-Based Retrospective Cohort Study.

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Knight, Stephen R; Oniscu, Gabriel C; Devey, Luke; Simpson, Kenneth J; Wigmore, Stephen J; Harrison, Ewen M

2016-01-01

Acute kidney injury is associated with a poor prognosis in acute liver failure but little is known of outcomes in patients undergoing transplantation for acute liver failure who require renal replacement therapy. A retrospective analysis of the United Kingdom Transplant Registry was performed (1 January 2001-31 December 2011) with patient and graft survival determined using Kaplan-Meier methods. Cox proportional hazards models were used together with propensity-score based full matching on renal replacement therapy use. Three-year patient and graft survival for patients receiving renal replacement therapy were 77.7% and 72.6% compared with 85.1% and 79.4% for those not requiring renal replacement therapy (Prenal replacement therapy was a predictor of both patient death (hazard ratio (HR) 1.59, 95% CI 1.01-2.50, P = 0.044) but not graft loss (HR 1.39, 95% CI 0.92-2.10, P = 0.114). In groups fully matched on baseline covariates, those not receiving renal replacement therapy with a serum creatinine greater than 175 μmol/L had a significantly worse risk of graft failure than those receiving renal replacement therapy. In patients being transplanted for acute liver failure, use of renal replacement therapy is a strong predictor of patient death and graft loss. Those not receiving renal replacement therapy with an elevated serum creatinine may be at greater risk of early graft failure than those receiving renal replacement therapy. A low threshold for instituting renal replacement therapy may therefore be beneficial.

Stem cell transplantation for spinal cord injury: a meta-analysis of treatment effectiveness and safety

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Xiao Fan

2017-01-01

RESULTS: Ten studies comprising 377 patients were included in the analysis and the overall risk of bias was relatively low level. Four studies did not detail how random sequences were generated, two studies did not clearly state the blinding outcome assessment, two studies lacked blinding outcome assessment, one study lacked follow-up information, and four studies carried out selective reporting. Compared with rehabilitation therapy, stem cell transplantation significantly increased the lower limb light touch score (odds ratio (OR = 3.43, 95% confidence interval (CI: 0.01 – 6.86, P = 0.05, lower limb pinprick score (OR = 3.93, 95%CI: 0.74 – 7.12, P = 0.02, ASI grading rate (relative risk (RR = 2.95, 95%CI: 1.64 – 5.29, P = 0.0003, and notably reduced residual urine volume (OR = –8.10, 95%CI: –15.09 to –1.10, P = 0.02. However, stem cell transplantation did not significantly improve motor score (OR = 1.89, 95%CI: –0.25 to 4.03, P = 0.08 or activities of daily living score (OR = 1.12, 95%CI: –1.17 to 4.04, P = 0.45. Furthermore, stem cell transplantation caused a high rate of mild adverse effects (RR = 14.49, 95%CI: 5.34 – 34.08, P < 0.00001; however, these were alleviated in a short time. CONCLUSION: Stem cell transplantation was determined to be an efficient and safe treatment for SCI and simultaneously improved sensory and bladder functions. Although associated minor and temporary adverse effects were observed with transplanted stem cells, spinal cord repair and axon remyelination were apparent. More randomized controlled trials with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up times are needed to further validate the effectiveness of stem cell transplantation in the treatment of SCI.

A longitudinal assessment of adherence with immunosuppressive therapy following kidney transplantation from the Mycophenolic Acid Observational REnal Transplant (MORE) study.

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Tsapepas, Demetra; Langone, Anthony; Chan, Laurence; Wiland, Anne; McCague, Kevin; Chisholm-Burns, Marie

2014-04-17

Nonadherence with immunosuppressive therapy after renal transplantation is a major clinical concern, but longitudinal data are sparse. Adherence data were recorded during the Mycophenolic Acid Observational REnal Transplant (MORE) study to help inform compliance management decisions. Prospective data were analyzed from the four-year, observational MORE study of de novo adult renal transplant recipients receiving mycophenolic acid (MPA) as enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium (EC-MPS) or mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) at 40 US sites under routine management. Adherence was assessed using the Immunosuppressant Therapy Adherence Scale (ITAS): total score 0-12 (12, adherence; adherent recipients (p=0.59); graft loss was 4.7% (19/402) vs. 3.0% (12/406) (p=0.20); death was 1.5% (6/402) vs. 4.7% (19/406) (p=0.013). Adherence to the immunosuppressive regimen decreases over time, highlighting the need to monitor and encourage adherence even in long-term maintenance kidney transplant patients. Other than African American race, demographic factors may be of limited value in predicting nonadherence.

Matrix metalloproteinase-3 gene polymorphism in renal transplant patients with gingival overgrowth.

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Drozdzik, A; Kurzawski, M; Lener, A; Kozak, M; Banach, J; Drozdzik, M

2010-02-01

Gingival enlargement frequently occurs in transplant patients receiving immunosuppressive drugs. It was hypothesized that gingival enlargement associated with cyclosporine use results from reduced degradation of extracellular matrix in the gingiva. Matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) is involved in biodegradation of the extracellular matrix, and its inhibition may contribute to an abnormal accumulation of fibronectin and proteoglycans, which are MMP-3 substrates. The aim of this study was to investigate whether an association exists between MMP-3 genotypes and gingival enlargement in kidney transplant patients medicated with cyclosporine A. Sixty-four unrelated kidney transplant patients suffering from gingival overgrowth, as well as 111 control transplant patients without gingival overgrowth, were enrolled in the study. Gingival overgrowth was assessed 6 mo after transplantation. During the post-transplant period all patients were given cyclosporine A as a principal immunosuppressive agent. MMP-3 polymorphism was determined using a PCR restriction fragment length polymorphism assay. In kidney transplant patients suffering from gingival overgrowth the mean gingival overgrowth score was 1.35 +/- 0.57, whereas in control subjects the mean gingival overgrowth score was 0.0. The distribution of MMP-3-1178A/dupA alleles among all kidney transplant patients, as well as in the two study subgroups, did not differ significantly from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The frequency of the MMP-3-1171A/A genotype (28.1% for gingival overgrowth vs. 26.1% for controls) and of the MMP-3-1171dupA/dupA genotype (32.8% for gingival overgrowth vs. 22.5% for controls) was similar for both study groups. The risk of gingival overgrowth was lowest among patients carrying the MMP-3-1171A/dupA genotype (odds ratio 0.52), but this did not differ markedly from the other genotypes. No association between MMP-3 gene polymorphism and gingival overgrowth was revealed in kidney transplant patients

Transplantation after blunt trauma to the liver: a valuable option or just a "waste of organs"?

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Heuer M

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Objective Liver injury due to trauma is a rare indication for transplantation. The main indications in such cases were uncontrollable bleeding and insufficient hepatic function. Because of poor results, liver transplantation in these patients is occasionally described as "waste of organs", however based on insufficient data. This study aims to report our experience and to critically question the indication of transplantation in these patients. Methods All liver transplantations at our institution were reviewed retrospectively. This covered 1,529 liver transplants between September 1987 and December 2008. Of them, 6 transplants were performed due to motor-vehicle accidents which caused uncontrollable acute liver trauma in 4 patients. The patients' peri-operative course, short- and long-term outcomes were analyzed. Results Five deceased-donor liver transplantations (4 full size, 1 split and 1 living donor (right transplantation were performed. The median GCS score was 9/15; the median MELD score was 15. Postoperative complications were observed in 3 patients, requiring re-operation in 2. After a median (range follow-up of 32.95 (10.3-55.6 months, 2 patients are alive and remain well on immunosuppression. Conclusion Liver transplantation in patients with otherwise surgically uncontrollable acute liver injury can be indicated as a life saving procedure and can be performed successfully in highly selected cases.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Quality of Life, and the Subjective Experience in Liver Transplant Recipients.

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Paslakis, Georgios; Beckmann, Mingo; Beckebaum, Susanne; Klein, Christian; Gräf, Jan; Erim, Yesim

2018-03-01

A high prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among transplant recipients has been associated with a low adherence to treatment and poor survival. It is crucial to detect and prevent the development of posttraumatic stress in transplant settings. We examined the prevalence of posttraumatic stress symptoms in 3 liver transplant recipients by means of the Essen Trauma Inventory (ETI), a self-report questionnaire. The Short Form-36 was used to assess the perceived health-related quality of life. Patients were asked to indicate the most traumatic events within the context of the liver transplantation procedure. Five patients (4.9%) fulfilled the criteria for PTSD related to liver disease or transplantation (ETI score greater than 27). In these patients, diagnosis was confirmed by a structured clinical interview. Fourteen (13.6%) patients had a partial PTSD with the ETI score less than 27 and greater than 16. Posttraumatic stress symptoms were significantly associated with perceived poor physical and mental health-related quality of life. Patients reported that the physicians' disclosure of diagnosis was experienced as traumatic, followed by treatment in an intensive care unit and the liver transplantation itself. The ETI resulted in prevalence rates for PTSD comparable to previous studies in liver transplantation settings. Medical professionals requested additional training in how to deliver severe diagnoses to patients.

[Portal perfusion with right gastroepiploic vein flow in liver transplant].

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Mendoza-Sánchez, Federico; Javier-Haro, Francisco; Mendoza-Medina, Diego Federico; González-Ojeda, Alejandro; Cortés-Lares, José Antonio; Fuentes-Orozco, Clotilde

Liver transplantation in patients with liver cirrhosis, portal vein thrombosis, and cavernous transformation of the portal vein, is a complex procedure with high possibility of liver graft dysfunction. It is performed in 2-19% of all liver transplants, and has a significantly high mortality rate in the post-operative period. Other procedures to maintain portal perfusion have been described, however there are no reports of liver graft perfusion using right gastroepiploic vein. A 20 year-old female diagnosed with cryptogenic cirrhosis, with a Child-Pugh score of 7 points (class "B"), and MELD score of 14 points, with thrombosis and cavernous transformation of the portal vein, severe portal hypertension, splenomegaly, a history of upper gastrointestinal bleeding due to oesophageal varices, and left renal agenesis. The preoperative evaluation for liver transplantation was completed, and the right gastroepiploic vein of 1-cm diameter was observed draining to the infrahepatic inferior vena cava and right suprarenal vein. An orthotopic liver transplantation was performed from a non-living donor (deceased on January 30, 2005) using the Piggy-Back technique. Portal vein perfusion was maintained using the right gastroepiploic vein, and the outcome was satisfactory. The patient was discharged 13 days after surgery. Liver transplantation was performed satisfactorily, obtaining an acceptable outcome. In this case, the portal perfusion had adequate blood flow through the right gastroepiploic vein. Copyright © 2015 Academia Mexicana de Cirugía A.C. Publicado por Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.

Allogeneic stem cell transplantation for thalassemia major in India

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Vikram Mathews

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT is the only currently available curative treatment for thalassemia major. Since it was first done in 1981, several thousand patients have benefited from it and it is now possible to offer this treatment in different parts of the world with good results. With better risk stratification and supportive care, the results of allo-SCT are now very good even in high risk patients who have significant iron overload related organ dysfunction. The improvements have mainly been in the conditioning strategies with less toxic myeloablation and management of the complications of SCT. However, several challenges remain. Transplant related complications still cause significant morbidity and mortality. There is data to show that the results of transplantation as best if done in well transfused and chelated patients <7 years of age. As only a third of the patients will have a matched related donor, there is need for investigating SCT with alternative donors. Experience with SCT for thalassemia major from matched unrelated donors or haplo-identical donors is still limited but needs further exploration. Adequate management needs to be provided post-SCT for all pre-existing complications particularly iron chelation to prevent further organ dysfunction. Systematic follow-up is needed to measure long term outcomes. The biggest challenges in India are the cost of this treatment and access to centres capable of providing this treatment. With greater support from the government, health insurance and philanthropic programs, there has been a rapid increase in the number of SCTs for thalassemia major in India. The number centres providing this treatment are also increasing making this curative treatment more widely available in India.

Blood Donation, Being Asian, and a History of Iron Deficiency Are Stronger Predictors of Iron Deficiency than Dietary Patterns in Premenopausal Women

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Kathryn L. Beck

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This study investigated dietary patterns and nondietary determinants of suboptimal iron status (serum ferritin < 20 μg/L in 375 premenopausal women. Using multiple logistic regression analysis, determinants were blood donation in the past year [OR: 6.00 (95% CI: 2.81, 12.82; P<0.001], being Asian [OR: 4.84 (95% CI: 2.29, 10.20; P<0.001], previous iron deficiency [OR: 2.19 (95% CI: 1.16, 4.13; P=0.016], a “milk and yoghurt” dietary pattern [one SD higher score, OR: 1.44 (95% CI: 1.08, 1.93; P=0.012], and longer duration of menstruation [days, OR: 1.38 (95% CI: 1.12, 1.68; P=0.002]. A one SD change in the factor score above the mean for a “meat and vegetable” dietary pattern reduced the odds of suboptimal iron status by 79.0% [OR: 0.21 (95% CI: 0.08, 0.50; P=0.001] in women with children. Blood donation, Asian ethnicity, and previous iron deficiency were the strongest predictors, substantially increasing the odds of suboptimal iron status. Following a “milk and yoghurt” dietary pattern and a longer duration of menstruation moderately increased the odds of suboptimal iron status, while a “meat and vegetable” dietary pattern reduced the odds of suboptimal iron status in women with children.

In vivo MR imaging of nanometer magnetically labeled bone marrow stromal cells transplanted via portal vein in rat liver

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Ping; Wang Jianhua; Yan Zhiping; Hu Meiyu; Xu Pengju; Zhou Meiling; Ya Fuhua; Fan Sheung-tat; Luk John-m

2006-01-01

Objective: To evaluate in vivo magnetic resonance imaging with a conventional 1.5-T system for tracking of intra-portal vein transplantation nanometer magnetically labeled BMSCs in rat liver. Methods: BMSCs were isolated from 5 SD rats bone marrow with the density gradient centrifugation method. Then BMSCs were labeled with nanometer superpara-magnetic iron oxide and transfection agent. Cell labeling efficiency was assessed with determination of the percentage of Peris Prussian blue stain. Then BMSCs transplanted into normal rats' livers via portal vein. The receipts were divided into 5 groups ,including sham control,2 h ,3 d,7 d and 2 w after transplantation. Follow-up serial T 1 WI,T 2 WI and T 2 * -weighted gradient- echo MR imaging were performed at 1.5 T MRI system. MR imaging findings were compared with histology. Results: Cell labeling efficiency was more than 95% by Perls Prussian blue stain. After transplantation of labeled BMSCs via portal vein, liver's had diffuse granular signal intensity appearance in T 2 * WI MRI. Cells were detected for up to 2 w in receipts' liver's. At histologic analysis, signal intensity loss correlated with iron-loaded cells. Conclusion: MR imaging could aid in monitoring of magnetically labeled BMSCs administered via portal vein in vivo. (authors)

Are liver transplant recipients protected against hepatitis A and B?

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Andersson, D; Castedal, M; Friman, V

2013-04-01

Liver transplant recipients are at an increased risk for liver failure when infected with hepatitis A virus (HAV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV). Therefore, it is important to vaccinate these individuals. The aim of the study was to evaluate how well liver transplanted patients in our unit were protected against HAV and HBV infection. Furthermore we investigated the vaccination rate and the antibody response to vaccination in these liver transplanted patients. Patients liver transplanted from January 2007 until August 2010 with a posttransplant check-up during the period March-November 2010 were included (n = 51). Information considering diagnose, date of transplantation, Child-Pugh score, and vaccination were collected from the patient records. Anti-HAV IgG and anti-HBs titers in serum samples were analyzed and protective levels were registered. Of the patients 45% were protected against hepatitis A infection and 29% against hepatitis B infection after transplantation. Only 26% were vaccinated according to a complete vaccination schedule and these patients had a vaccine response for HAV and HBV of 50% and 31%, respectively. An additional 31% received ≥ 1 doses of vaccine, but not a complete vaccination and the vaccine response was much lower among these patients, stressing the importance of completing the vaccination schedule. Even when patients were fully vaccinated, they did not respond to the same degree as healthy individuals. Patients seemed to be more likely to respond to a vaccination if they had a lower Child-Pugh score, suggesting that patients should be vaccinated as early as possible in the course of their liver disease. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Quality of life of patients with graft-versus-host disease (GvHD post-hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

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Sibéli de Fátima Ferraz Simão Proença

Full Text Available Abstract OBJECTIVE Assessing the quality of life of adult patients with hematological cancer in the 100 days after transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells and verifying whether the variable graft-versus-host disease (GvHD is predictive of worse results. METHOD An observational correlational and quantitative study with 36 adult participants diagnosed with hematologic cancer who underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation from September 2013 to June 2015. RESULT The mean age was 37 years, 52.78% were female, and 61.11% were diagnosed with leukemia. Quality of life scores showed a significant impact between pre-transplantation and pre-hospital discharge, and also within the 100 days post-transplantation. The statistical analysis between the scores for the groups with and without GvHD showed a significant difference between the presence of the complication and worse results. CONCLUSION Quality of life is altered as a result of hematopoietic stem cells transplantation, especially in patients who have graft-versus-host disease.

The impact of HLA matching on long-term transplant outcome after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for CLL: a retrospective study from the EBMT registry

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Michallet, M; Sobh, M; Milligan, D

2010-01-01

We analyzed 368 chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation reported to the EBMT registry between 1995 and 2007. There were 198 human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-identical siblings; among unrelated transplants, 31 were well matched in high...... worsened significantly when EBMT risk score increased. HLA matching had no significant impact on relapse (siblings: 24% (21-27); WMUD: 35% (26-44), P=0.11 and MM: 21% (18-24), P=0.81); alemtuzumab T-cell depletion and stem cell source (peripheral blood) were associated with an increased risk. Our findings...... support the use of WMUD as equivalent alternative to HLA-matched sibling donors for allogeneic HSCT in CLL, and justify the application of EBMT risk score in this disease....

Extended criteria donor kidney transplantation: comparative outcome analysis between single versus double kidney transplantation at 5 years.

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Lucarelli, G; Bettocchi, C; Battaglia, M; Impedovo, S V; Vavallo, A; Grandaliano, G; Castellano, G; Schena, F P; Selvaggi, F P; Ditonno, P

2010-05-01

Dual kidney transplantation (DKT), using extended criteria donor (ECD) grafts not suitable for single kidney transplantation (SKT), has been suggested to expand the kidney donor pool. Herein, we reviewed the long-term outcomes of DKT to assess its results versus a control group of 179 ECD SKTs. The allocation policy was based on a Remuzzi score obtained from a pretransplant biopsy. We analyzed SKT in 179 (31.8%) and DKT in 41 (7.3%) of 563 cadaveric transplants from 2000 to 2008. Patients with DKT versus SKT showed mean recipient ages of 54 versus 51 years. We performed 17 ipsilateral and 24 bilateral DKT. The mean score was 2.78 for SKT and 4.3/4.6 for DKT. Delayed graft function requiring dialysis occurred in 23 (56.1%) DKT and 70 (39.1%) SKT recipients. Primary nonfunction was observed in 1 (2.4%) DKT and 7 (3.9%) SKT recipients respectively. One DKT patient underwent monolateral transplantectomy. In the DKT versus SKT group, patient survivals were 92% versus 95%, 89% versus 93%, and 89 versus 91% at 12, 36, and 60 months, respectively (P = .3). Graft survivals were 100% versus 94%, 95% versus 90%, and 89% versus 78% at 12, 36, and 60 months, respectively (P DKT. ECD graft survival using DKT provided better results compared with SKT, despite the use of organs from higher-risk donors. At 5 years follow-up, DKT was a safe strategy to face the organ shortage. To optimize the use of available kidneys, the criteria for DKT require further refinement and standardization. Preimplantation evaluation must maximize transplant success and protect recipients from receiving organs at increased risk of premature failure. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Percutaneous Dilational Tracheotomy in Solid-Organ Transplant Recipients.

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Ozdemirkan, Aycan; Ersoy, Zeynep; Zeyneloglu, Pinar; Gedik, Ender; Pirat, Arash; Haberal, Mehmet

2015-11-01

Solid-organ transplant recipients may require percutaneous dilational tracheotomy because of prolonged mechanical ventilation or airway issues, but data regarding its safety and effectiveness in solid-organ transplant recipients are scarce. Here, we evaluated the safety, effectiveness, and benefits in terms of lung mechanics, complications, and patient comfort of percutaneous dilational tracheotomy in solid-organ transplant recipients. Medical records from 31 solid-organ transplant recipients (median age of 41.0 years [interquartile range, 18.0-53.0 y]) who underwent percutaneous dilational tracheotomy at our hospital between January 2010 and March 2015 were analyzed, including primary diagnosis, comorbidities, duration of orotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation, length of intensive care unit and hospital stays, the time interval between transplant to percutaneous dilational tracheotomy, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score, tracheotomy-related complications, and pulmonary compliance and ratio of partial pressure of arterial oxygen to fraction of inspired oxygen. The median Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score on admission was 24.0 (interquartile range, 18.0-29.0). The median interval from transplant to percutaneous dilational tracheotomy was 105.5 days (interquartile range, 13.0-2165.0 d). The only major complication noted was left-sided pneumothorax in 1 patient. There were no significant differences in ratio of partial pressure of arterial oxygen to fraction of inspired oxygen before and after procedure (170.0 [interquartile range, 102.2-302.0] vs 210.0 [interquartile range, 178.5-345.5]; P = .052). However, pulmonary compliance results preprocedure and postprocedure were significantly different (0.020 L/cm H2O [interquartile range, 0.015-0.030 L/cm H2O] vs 0.030 L/cm H2O [interquartile range, 0.020-0.041 L/cm H2O); P = .001]). Need for sedation significantly decreased after tracheotomy (from 17 patients [54.8%] to

Functional principal component analysis of glomerular filtration rate curves after kidney transplant.

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Dong, Jianghu J; Wang, Liangliang; Gill, Jagbir; Cao, Jiguo

2017-01-01

This article is motivated by some longitudinal clinical data of kidney transplant recipients, where kidney function progression is recorded as the estimated glomerular filtration rates at multiple time points post kidney transplantation. We propose to use the functional principal component analysis method to explore the major source of variations of glomerular filtration rate curves. We find that the estimated functional principal component scores can be used to cluster glomerular filtration rate curves. Ordering functional principal component scores can detect abnormal glomerular filtration rate curves. Finally, functional principal component analysis can effectively estimate missing glomerular filtration rate values and predict future glomerular filtration rate values.

Pre-transplant immune state defined by serum markers and alloreactivity predicts acute rejection after living donor kidney transplantation.

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Vondran, Florian W R; Timrott, Kai; Kollrich, Sonja; Steinhoff, Ann-Kristin; Kaltenborn, Alexander; Schrem, Harald; Klempnauer, Juergen; Lehner, Frank; Schwinzer, Reinhard

2014-09-01

Acute rejection (AR) remains a major cause for long-term kidney allograft failure. Reliable immunological parameters suitable to define the pre-transplant immune state and hence the individual risk of graft rejection are highly desired to preferably adapt the immunosuppressive regimen in advance. Donor and third party alloreactivities were determined by mixed lymphocyte cultures. Soluble forms of CD25, CD30, and CD44 were detected in patients' serum by ELISA. Various lymphocyte subpopulations were measured using flow cytometry. All patients received triple immunosuppression (tacrolimus/mycophenolate mofetil/steroids) and were grouped according to biopsy results within the first year: rejection-free (RF, n = 13), borderline (BL, n = 5), or acute rejection (AR, n = 7). Patients with AR showed the highest pre-transplant alloreactivities and serum levels (sCD25/sCD30/sCD44) according to the pattern RF transplant frequencies of CD4(+) /CD8(+) T cells lacking CD28, but lower numbers of CD8(+) CD161(bright) T cells and NK cells than RF individuals. Pre-transplant immune state defined by alloreactivity, serum markers, and particular lymphocyte subsets seems to correlate with occurrence of graft rejection after kidney transplantation. A prognostic score based on pre-transplant serum levels has shown great potential for prediction of rejection episodes and should be further evaluated. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Dual Kidney Transplantation: Is It Worth It?

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Snanoudj, Renaud; Timsit, Marc-Olivier; Rabant, Marion; Tinel, Claire; Lazareth, Hélène; Lamhaut, Lionel; Martinez, Frank; Legendre, Christophe

2017-03-01

Use of expanded criteria donor (ECD) kidneys, which are associated with a reduced graft survival rate, has become widely adopted in elderly recipients in an old-to-old allocation system. However, the results are frequently unsatisfactory, and a high proportion of these ECD kidneys are discarded. Dual kidney transplantation (DKT) is an underused way to expand the pool of ECD kidneys and to rapidly transplant elderly patients with satisfactory results because of the transplantation of double the nephronic mass. In this overview, we summarize the results of the main studies on DKT. DKT suffers from a prejudice of heaviness and is considered to be useless by transplant centers that do not perform it. The literature is often biased by the heterogeneity of the criteria leading to a DKT and the common refusal of kidneys that are judged too marginal. In fact, we show that when strictly allocated according to reliable clinical or histological scores, dual and single ECD transplantations yield similar results in terms of patient and graft survival rates despite significant differences in donors' characteristics. DKTs are not associated with a higher proportion of surgical complications, except in some studies showing thrombosis of 1 of the 2 grafts. The benefits of dual transplantation are particularly evident for kidneys coming from most ECDs. There is still a need for more studies to find the best allocation criteria that would permit transplantation to the highest number of patients with similar outcomes in recipients of single and dual ECD kidneys.

Iron overload in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes: An updated overview.

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Moukalled, Nour M; El Rassi, Fuad A; Temraz, Sally N; Taher, Ali T

2018-06-15

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) encompass a heterogeneous group of clonal hematopoietic stem cell disorders characterized by a broad clinical spectrum related to ineffective hematopoiesis leading to unilineage or multilineage cytopenias, with a high propensity for transformation to acute myeloid leukemia. Iron overload has been recently identified as one of the important conditions complicating the management of these diverse disorders. The accumulation of iron is mainly related to chronic transfusions; however, evidence suggests a possible role for ineffective erythropoiesis and increased intestinal absorption of iron, related to altered hepcidin and growth differentiation factor-15 levels in the development of hemosiderosis in patients with MDS. In addition to its suggested role in the exacerbation of ineffective erythropoiesis, multiple reports have identified a prognostic implication for the development of iron overload in patients with MDS, with an improvement in overall survival after the initiation of iron chelation therapy. This review includes a detailed discussion of iron overload in patients with MDS whether they are undergoing supportive therapy or curative hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, with a focus on the mechanism, diagnosis, and effect on survival as well as the optimal management of this highly variable complication. Cancer 2018. © 2018 American Cancer Society. © 2018 American Cancer Society.

Cognitive and emotional outcome after pediatric liver transplantation.

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Adebäck, Petra; Nemeth, Antal; Fischler, Björn

2003-10-01

The aim of the study was to evaluate the cognitive and emotional development after pediatric liver transplantation. A total of 21 patients, aged 4-16.9 yr (median 9.6 yr) were tested 1-9 yr (median 4.2 yr) after the transplantation. The pretransplant diagnoses included biliary atresia (eight patients), various metabolic diseases (n = 6), acute liver failure (n = 3), and miscellaneous (n = 4). The cognitive functions were tested with Wechsler preschool and primary scale of intelligence (WPPSI)-R or Wechsler intelligence scale for children (WISC)-III according to age. The Piers-Harris self-concept scale and the evaluation of human figure drawings according to Koppitz were used to detect emotional problems. All tests in all patients were performed by the same psychologist. A significantly lower result on cognitive tests was seen when compared with the expected normal values (p emotional problems were found in the human figure drawings of 50% of the patients. To some extent, low cognitive scores coincided with low scores on self-concept scale and indicators of emotional difficulties. We conclude that the high degree of cognitive and emotional problems after liver transplantation is an important argument for routine psychologic follow-up and support in these patients.

Factors that determine self-reported immunosuppressant adherence in kidney transplant recipients: a correlational study.

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Weng, Li-Chueh; Yang, Ya-Chen; Huang, Hsiu-Li; Chiang, Yang-Jen; Tsai, Yu-Hsia

2017-01-01

To determine the factors related to immunosuppressant therapy adherence in kidney transplant recipients in Taiwan. Adherence to immunosuppressant treatment is critical after kidney transplantation. Thus, the factors associated with self-reported medication adherence in kidney transplant recipients warrant investigation. The study used a cross-sectional and correlation design. A convenience sample of 145 kidney transplant recipients was included. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data during 2012-2013. Multivariate linear regression was used to examine the factors related to immunosuppressant therapy adherence. Over half of the participants were female (54·5%), mean age was 45·5 years, and mean year after transplant was 7·4. The mean score for medication adherence was 29·73 (possible score range 7-35). The results of the multivariate linear regression analysis showed that gender (male), low income with a high school or college education, years after transplantation and concerns about medication taking were negatively associated with adherence. Medication self-efficacy was positively associated with adherence. Therapy-related factors, partnerships with healthcare professionals and having private healthcare insurance did not significantly relate to immunosuppressant therapy adherence. Kidney transplant recipients demonstrated a high level of adherence. Strategies to enhance patients' self-efficacy and alleviate concerns about medication may promote medication adherence. Male patients, those with a lower income and those with a higher education level, should be a focus of efforts to maintain adherence to the medication regimen. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Scandiatransplant acceptable mismatch program (STAMP) a bridge to transplanting highly immunized patients.

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Koefoed-Nielsen, P; Weinreich, I; Bengtsson, M; Lauronen, J; Naper, C; Gäbel, M; Sørensen, S S; Wennberg, L; Reisaeter, A V; Møller, B K

2017-07-01

Highly immunized patients are a challenge for organ transplantation programs. One way of increasing the likelihood of transplantation in this group of patients is to expand the possible donations by defining acceptable HLA mismatches. In the Scandiatransplant Acceptable Mismatch Program (STAMP), a de-centralized approach has been implemented in 2009. The program has been improved during the years from utilizing HLA-A, -B, -DR matching only to include typing of all deceased donors for HLA-A, -B, -C, -DRB1 and -DQB1. The calculation of a transplantability score (TS) has been introduced in order to take both HLA and AB0 into consideration resulting in a more realistic picture of the transplantability chance. Patients were selected for eligibility and results of immunisation status were prepared in each of the 9 tissue typing laboratories, while access to the program is finally governed by a common steering group of immunologists and clinicians. In the period from March 2009 until February 2015, 96 patients were transplanted within this program. The mean recipient age was 49 years and 57% were females, 30% of the patients were first transplants and of these 93% were females. The majority of the patients had 2-5 HLA-A, -B. -DR mismatches. The allograft survival at 60 months was 79.1%. Applying the TS to the cohort confirmed that patients with a low TS score had longer waiting times. The program has matured during the years and now proves to be a valid approach for transplanting highly immunized patients. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Successful orthotopic liver transplantation in an adult patient with sickle cell disease and review of the literature

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Morey Blinder

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Sickle cell disease can lead to hepatic complications ranging from acute hepatic crises to chronic liver disease including intrahepatic cholestasis, and iron overload. Although uncommon, intrahepatic cholestasis may be severe and medical treatment of this complication is often ineffective. We report a case of a 37 year-old male patient with sickle cell anemia, who developed liver failure and underwent successful orthotopic liver transplantation. Both pre and post-operatively, he was maintained on red cell transfusions. He remains stable with improved liver function 42 months post transplant. The role for orthotopic liver transplantation is not well defined in patients with sickle cell disease, and the experience remains limited. Although considerable challenges of post-transplant graft complications remain, orthotopic liver transplantation should be considered as a treatment option for sickle cell disease patients with end-stage liver disease who have progressed despite conventional medical therapy. An extended period of red cell transfusion support may lessen the post-operative complications.

Psychological benefits for children and adolescents who have undergone transplantation of the heart from participation in the British Transplant Games.

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Wray, Jo; Lunnon-Wood, Tracy

2008-04-01

The British Transplant Games are held annually for children and adults who have received transplanted organs. The aim of our pilot study was to determine whether participation in such an event had an impact on psychological well-being. We asked 26 children participating in the Games to complete a specifically designed questionnaire before and after the event. The 13 questions covered areas such as state of mood, perceived physical health, fatigue, anxiety, and confidence. There were mean improvements over time on 10 of the 13 questions, and the change in overall score was significant (p = .036). For the majority of young people, participation in the Transplant Games was associated with a positive impact on psychological functioning in the short term. Further evaluation is now required to determine whether such benefits are maintained in the longer term.

Serum vitamin D levels in kidney transplant recipients: the importance of an immunosuppression regimen and sun exposure.

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Eyal, Ophir; Aharon, Michal; Safadi, Rifaat; Elhalel, Michal Dranitzki

2013-10-01

Vitamin D deficiency was shown to be prevalent among renal transplant recipients in northern countries, but little is known regarding risk factors. To test vitamin D levels in kidney transplant recipients residing closer to the equator, compare them to levels in liver transplant recipients and hemodialysis patients, and identify possible risk factors. In a cross-sectional study 103 kidney transplant recipients, 27 liver transplant recipients and 50 hemodialysis patients followed at our institute were tested for vitamin D levels. Demographic data, medical history and current treatment were recorded from the medical files. Inadequate vitamin D levels (Vitamin D levels were higher among dialysis patients than transplant recipients, though deficiency rates were similar. No association was found between kidney function and vitamin deficiency. Deficiency was associated with higher prednisone doses, use of mycophenolate sodium, tacrolimus, and iron supplements, or lower doses of vitamin D supplementation. Despite potential higher ultraviolet B exposure, inadequate vitamin D levels were prevalent in our study group. Importantly, some immunosuppressive medications were associated with vitamin D deficiency and high doses of vitamin D were associated with less deficiency.

Prevalence of silent gastrointestinal complications in maintenance renal transplant population

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Teplitsky Susan

2010-01-01

Full Text Available This study aims to determine the prevalence of silent GI complications within a stable renal transplant population and to investigate whether the conversion to enteric-coated myco-phenolate sodium (EC-MPS, Myfortic; would improve symptom scores. This was a single-center, open-label, non-randomized, prospective study. Patients without any history of GI com-plaints were evaluated by means of the gastrointestinal symptom rating scale (GSRS, with subse-quent switch to EC-MPS in a group of patients. Silent complications were defined as patients who voiced no GI complaints at clinic visits despite a score of ≥ 2 on GSRS scale. A total of 236 stable patients participated in the trial. The prevalence of baseline scores ≥ 2 was relatively high with abdominal pain 29.66%, reflux 37.28%, indigestion 50%, constipation 58.47% and diarrhea 33.4%. Of 236 patients, 80 were converted to EC-MPS. There was statistically significant improvement on all scales in the subgroup of patients with GSRS score ≥ 2 (P< 0.05. In conclusion, the GSRS scale identified a high percentage of silent gastrointestinal complications in this renal transplant population. The converted patients with higher GSRS scores reported a sustained improvement.

Perception of Hair Transplant for Androgenetic Alopecia.

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Bater, Kristin L; Ishii, Masaru; Joseph, Andrew; Su, Peiyi; Nellis, Jason; Ishii, Lisa E

2016-12-01

Hair transplant is among the most common cosmetic services sought by men, with more than 11 000 procedures performed in 2014. Despite its growing popularity, the effect of hair transplant on societal perceptions of youth, attractiveness, or facets of workplace and social success is unknown. To determine whether hair transplant improves observer ratings of age, attractiveness, successfulness, and approachability in men treated for androgenetic alopecia and to quantify the effect of hair transplant on each of these domains. A randomized controlled experiment was conducted from November 10 to December 6, 2015, using web-based surveys featuring photographs of men before and after hair transplant. One hundred twenty-two participants recruited through various social media platforms successfully completed the survey. Observers were shown 2 side-by-side images of each man and asked to compare the image on the left with the one on the right. Of 13 pairs of images displayed, 7 men had undergone a hair transplant procedure and 6 had served as controls. Observers evaluated each photograph using various metrics, including age, attractiveness, successfulness, and approachability. A multivariate analysis of variance was performed to understand the effect of hair transplant on observer perceptions. Planned posthypothesis testing was used to identify which variables changed significantly as a result of the transplant. Observer ratings of age (in number of years younger) and attractiveness, successfulness, and approachability (on a scale of 0 to 100; scores higher than 50 indicate a positive change). Of the 122 participants in the survey, 58 were men (47.5%); mean (range) age was 27.1 (18-52) years. The initial multivariate analysis of variance revealed a statistically significant multivariate effect for transplant (Wilks λ = 0.9646; P hair transplant on observers' perceptions of age (mean [SD] number of years younger, 3.6 [2.9] years; P hair transplant. Participants also

Physical activity levels early after lung transplantation.

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Wickerson, Lisa; Mathur, Sunita; Singer, Lianne G; Brooks, Dina

2015-04-01

Little is known of the early changes in physical activity after lung transplantation. The purposes of this study were: (1) to describe physical activity levels in patients up to 6 months following lung transplantation and (2) to explore predictors of the change in physical activity in that population. This was a prospective cohort study. Physical activity (daily steps and time spent in moderate-intensity activity) was measured using an accelerometer before and after transplantation (at hospital discharge, 3 months, and 6 months). Additional functional measurements included submaximal exercise capacity (measured with the 6-Minute Walk Test), quadriceps muscle torque, and health-related quality of life (measured with the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey 36 [SF-36] and the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire). Thirty-six lung transplant recipients (18 men, 18 women; mean age=49 years, SD=14) completed posttransplant measurements. Before transplant, daily steps were less than a third of the general population. By 3 months posttransplant, the largest improvement in physical activity had occurred, and level of daily steps reached 55% of the general population. The change in daily steps (pretransplant to 3 months posttransplant) was inversely correlated with pretransplant 6-minute walk distance (r=-.48, P=.007), daily steps (r=-.36, P=.05), and SF-36 physical functioning (SF-36 PF) score (r=-.59, P=.0005). The SF-36 PF was a significant predictor of the change in physical activity, accounting for 35% of the variation in change in daily steps. Only individuals who were ambulatory prior to transplant and discharged from the hospital in less than 3 months were included in the study. Physical activity levels improve following lung transplantation, particularly in individuals with low self-reported physical functioning. However, the majority of lung transplant recipients remain sedentary between 3 to 6 months following transplant. The role of exercise

Benefits of Transplant Procurement Management (TPM) specialized training on professional competence development and career evolutions of health care workers in organ donation and transplantation.

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Istrate, Melania G; Harrison, Tyler R; Valero, Ricard; Morgan, Susan E; Páez, Gloria; Zhou, Quan; Rébék-Nagy, Gábor; Manyalich, Martí

2015-04-01

Training on organ donation and transplantation is relevant for transplantation improvement. This study aimed at investigating the perceived benefits of Transplant Procurement Management training programs on professional competence development and career evolutions of health care workers in organ donation and transplantation. An online survey was developed in 5 languages (Spanish, English, Italian, French, and Portuguese) and its link was emailed to 6839 individuals. They were asked to forward it to other professionals in organ donation and transplantation. The link was also shared on Facebook and at relevant congresses. Two research questions on the perceived influence of specialized training programs were identified. A total of 1102 participants (16.1%) took the survey; 87% reported participating in Transplant Procurement Management training programs, of which 95% selected Transplant Procurement Management courses as the most influential training they had participated in. For research question one, 98% reported influence on knowledge (score 4.5 [out of 5]), 93% on technical (4.2) and communication skills (4.1), 89% on attitude toward organ donation and transplantation (4.1), 92% on motivation to work (4.2), 91% on desire to innovate (4.0), 87% and 79% on ability to change organ donation and trans plantation practices (3.9) and policies (3.5). For research question 2, main and interaction effects for position at the time of training and type of training were reported. Transplant Procurement Management training programs had positive perceived effects.

Lung transplantation for high-risk patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

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De Oliveira, Nilto C; Julliard, Walker; Osaki, Satoru; Maloney, James D; Cornwell, Richard D; Sonetti, David A; Meyer, Keith C

2016-10-07

Survival for patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and high lung allocation score (LAS) values may be significantly reduced in comparison to those with lower LAS values. To evaluate outcomes for high-risk IPF patients as defined by LAS values ≥46 (N=42) versus recipients with LAS values pulmonary complications was increased for the higher LAS group versus recipients with LAS <46, 30-day mortality and actuarial survival did not differ between the two cohorts. Although lung transplantation in patients with IPF and high LAS values is associated with increased risk of early post-transplant complications, long-term post-transplant survival for our high-LAS cohort was equivalent to that for the lower LAS recipients.

Preoperative Comorbidity Correlates Inversely with Survival after Intestinal and Multivisceral Transplantation in Adults

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Rajesh Sivaprakasam

2013-01-01

Full Text Available We investigated the relationship between preoperative comorbidity and postoperative survival after intestinal transplantation. Each patient received a score for preoperative comorbidity. Each comorbidity was given a score based on the degree it impaired function (score range 0–3. A total score was derived from the summation of individual comorbidity scores. Patients (72 adults (M : F, 33 : 39 received an isolated intestinal graft (27 or a cluster graft (45. Mean (standard deviation survival was 1501 (1444 days. The Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed a significant inverse association between survival and comorbidity score (logrank test for trend, . Patients grouped into comorbidity scores of 0 and 1, 2 and 3, 4 and 5, 6, and above had hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals for death (compared to group 0 + 1, which increased with comorbidity scores: 1.945 (0.7622–5.816, 5.075 (3.314–36.17, and 13.77 (463.3–120100, respectively, (. Receiver-operator curves at 1, 3, 5, and 10 years postoperative had “C” statistics of 0.88, 0.85, 0.88, and 0.92, respectively. When evaluating patients for transplantation, the degree of comorbidity should be considered as a major factor influencing postoperative survival.

The Changing Financial Landscape of Renal Transplant Practice: A National Cohort Analysis.

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Axelrod, D A; Schnitzler, M A; Xiao, H; Naik, A S; Segev, D L; Dharnidharka, V R; Brennan, D C; Lentine, K L

2017-02-01

Kidney transplantation has become more resource intensive as recipient complexity has increased and average donor quality has diminished over time. A national retrospective cohort study was performed to assess the impact of kidney donor and recipient characteristics on transplant center cost (exclusive of organ acquisition) and Medicare reimbursement. Data from the national transplant registry, University HealthSystem Consortium hospital costs, and Medicare payments for deceased donor (N = 53 862) and living donor (N = 36 715) transplants from 2002 to 2013 were linked and analyzed using multivariate linear regression modeling. Deceased donor kidney transplant costs were correlated with recipient (Expected Post Transplant Survival Score, degree of allosensitization, obesity, cause of renal failure), donor (age, cause of death, donation after cardiac death, terminal creatinine), and transplant (histocompatibility matching) characteristics. Living donor costs rose sharply with higher degrees of allosensitization, and were also associated with obesity, cause of renal failure, recipient work status, and 0-ABDR mismatching. Analysis of Medicare payments for a subsample of 24 809 transplants demonstrated minimal correlation with patient and donor characteristics. In conclusion, the complexity in the landscape of kidney transplantation increases center costs, posing financial disincentives that may reduce organ utilization and limit access for higher-risk populations. © Copyright 2016 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

Transplante de intestino delgado Small intestine transplantation

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Flávio Henrique Ferreira Galvão

2003-06-01

Full Text Available RACIONAL: Avanços da biotecnologia e o desenvolvimento de novas drogas imunossupressoras melhoraram os resultados do transplante de intestino delgado. Esse transplante é atualmente indicado para casos especiais da falência intestinal. OBJETIVO: A presente revisão realça os recentes desenvolvimentos na área do transplante de intestino delgado. MATERIAL E MÉTODO: Mais de 600 publicações de transplante de intestino delgado foram revisadas. O desenvolvimento da pesquisa, novas estratégias de imunossupressão, monitorização do enxerto e do receptor, e avanços na técnica cirúrgica são discutidos. RESULTADOS: Realizaram-se cerca de 700 transplante de intestino delgado em 55 centros: 44% intestino-fígado, 41% enxerto intestinal isolado e 15% transplante multivisceral. Rejeição e infecção são as principais limitações desse transplante. Sobrevida de 5 anos na experiência internacional é de 46% para o transplante de intestino isolado, 43% para o intestino-fígado e de cerca de 30% para o transplante multivisceral. Sobrevidas prolongadas são mais freqüentes nos centros com maior experiência. Em série de 165 transplantes intestinais na Universidade de Pittsburgh, PA, EUA, foi relatada sobrevida do paciente maior do que 75% no primeiro ano, 54% em 5 anos e 42% em 10 anos. Mais de 90% desses pacientes assumem dieta oral irrestrita. CONCLUSÃO: O transplante de intestino delgado evoluiu de estratégia experimental para uma alternativa viável no tratamento da falência intestinal permanente. Promover o refinamento da terapia imunossupressora, do manejo e prevenção de infecções, da técnica cirúrgica e da indicação e seleção adequada dos pacientes é crucial para melhorar a sobrevida desse transplante.BACKGROUND: Significant progress has been made in clinical small bowel transplantation over the last decade mainly due advances in biotechnology and new immunosuppressive regiments. This transplantation has now been indicated

Clinical impact of preoperative brain MR angiography and MR imaging in candidates for liver transplantation: a propensity score-matching study in a single institution

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Chung, Mi Sun; Kim, Ho Sung; Jung, Seung Chai; Choi, Choong Gon; Kim, Sang Joon [University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology, Song pa-gu, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Lim, Young-Suk [University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Department of Gastroenterology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Jeon, Sang-Beom [University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Department of Neurology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Seon-Ok [University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Hwa Jung [University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Department of Preventive Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Hwang, Shin [University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Division of Liver Transplantation and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Department of Surgery, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2017-08-15

To investigate the prevalence of cerebrovascular stenosis and white matter lesions on preoperative magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in liver transplantation candidates. This retrospective study included 1,460 consecutive patients with liver cirrhosis (LC) who underwent MRA with/without brain MRI for pretransplantation evaluation. These patients were matched with 5,331 controls using propensity scores, and the prevalences of significant cerebrovascular stenosis and white matter lesions were compared. A matched analysis of 1,264 pairs demonstrated that the prevalence of significant stenosis was comparable between LC patients and controls (2.2% vs. 1.4%, P = 0.143). LC and most of LC-related parameters were not associated with stenosis. Significant white matter lesions were more common in LC patients (2.8% vs. 1.3%, P = 0.036). A high Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score (OR 1.11, CI 1.03-1.20, P = 0.008, for infarction; OR 1.1, CI 1.04-1.16, P = 0.001, for haemorrhage) and stroke history (OR 179.06, CI 45.19-709.45, P < 0.001) were predictors of perioperative stroke. LC patients and control subjects demonstrated similar cerebrovascular stenosis prevalences, whereas white matter lesions were more common in LC patients. A high MELD score and stroke history contribute as predictors of perioperative stroke. (orig.)

Impact of Procedure-Related Complications on Long-term Islet Transplantation Outcome.

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Caiazzo, Robert; Vantyghem, Marie-Christine; Raverdi, Violeta; Bonner, Caroline; Gmyr, Valery; Defrance, Frederique; Leroy, Clara; Sergent, Geraldine; Hubert, Thomas; Ernst, Oliver; Noel, Christian; Kerr-Conte, Julie; Pattou, François

2015-05-01

Pancreatic islet transplantation offers a promising biotherapy for the treatment of type 1 diabetes, but this procedure has met significant challenges over the years. One such challenge is to address why primary graft function still remains inconsistent after islet transplantation. Several variables have been shown to affect graft function, but the impact of procedure-related complications on primary and long-term graft functions has not yet been explored. Twenty-six patients with established type 1 diabetes were included in this study. Each patient had two to three intraportal islet infusions to obtain 10,000 islet equivalent (IEQ)/kg in body weight, equaling a total of 68 islet infusions. Islet transplantation consisted of three sequential fresh islet infusions within 3 months. Islet infusions were performed surgically or under ultrasound guidance, depending on patient morphology, availability of the radiology suite, and patient medical history. Prospective assessment of adverse events was recorded and graded using "Common Terminology Criteria for adverse events in Trials of Adult Pancreatic Islet Transplantation." There were no deaths or patients dropouts. Early complications occurred in nine of 68 procedures. β score 1 month after the last graft and optimal graft function (β score ≥7) rate were significantly lower in cases of procedure-related complications (P = 0.02, P = 0.03). Procedure-related complications negatively impacted graft function (P = 0.009) and was an independent predictive factor of long-term graft survival (P = 0.033) in multivariate analysis. Complications occurring during radiologic or surgical intraportal islet transplantation significantly impair primary graft function and graft survival regardless of their severity.

Liver transplant

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Hepatic transplant; Transplant - liver; Orthotopic liver transplant; Liver failure - liver transplant; Cirrhosis - liver transplant ... The donated liver may be from: A donor who has recently died and has not had liver injury. This type of ...

Hair Transplants

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... Search Skin Experts Skin Treatments Hair Transplants Share » HAIR TRANSPLANTS Before (left) and after (right) - front of ... transplant. Photo courtesy of N. Sadick What are hair transplants? In punch transplanting, a plug containing hair ...

HO-1 gene overexpression enhances the beneficial effects of superparamagnetic iron oxide labeled bone marrow stromal cells transplantation in swine hearts underwent ischemia/reperfusion: an MRI study.

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Jiang, Yibo; Chen, Lijuan; Tang, Yaoliang; Ma, Genshan; Shen, Chengxing; Qi, Chunmei; Zhu, Qi; Yao, Yuyu; Liu, Naifeng

2010-05-01

To determine the effect of intracoronary transfer of superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) labeled heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) overexpressed bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) in a porcine myocardial ischemia/reperfusion model. Cell apoptosis was assayed and supernatant cytokine concentrations were measured in BMSCs that underwent hypoxia/reoxygen in vitro. Female mini-swines that underwent 1 h LAD occlusion followed by 1 h reperfusion were randomly allocated to receive intracoronary saline (control), 1 x 10(7) SPIO-labeled BMSCs transfected with pcDNA3.1-Lacz plasmid (Lacz-BMSCs), pcDNA3.1-human HO-1 (HO-1-BMSCs), pcDNA3.1-hHO-1 pretreated with a HO inhibitor, tin protoporphyrin (SnPP, n = 10 each). MRI and postmortem histological analysis were made at 1 week or 3 months thereafter. Post hypoxia/reoxygen in vitro, apoptosis was significantly reduced, supernatant VEGF significantly increased while TNF-alpha and IL-6 significantly reduced in HO-1-BMSCs group compared with Lacz-BMSCs group (all p < 0.05). Myocardial expression of VEGF was significantly higher in HO-1-BMSCs than in Lacz-BMSCs group at 1 week post transplantation (all p < 0.05). Signal voids induced by the SPIO were detected in the peri-infarction region in all BMSC groups at 1 week but not at 3 months post transplantation and the extent of the hypointense signal was the highest in HO-1-BMSCs group, and histological analysis showed that signal voids represented cardiac macrophages that engulfed the SPIO-labeled BMSCs. Pretreatment with SnPP significantly attenuated the beneficial effects of HO-1-BMSCs. Transplantation of HO-1-overexpressed BMSCs significantly enhanced the beneficial effects of BMSCs on improving cardiac function in this model.

Successful Pregnancies in Two Orthotopic Liver Transplant (OLT) Recipients in Iran; Two Case Reports.

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Zahra, Tayebi; Seyyed Alireza, Taqhavi; Shirin, Shahbazi

2009-10-01

Pregnancy and parenting have been part of human life throughout history and liver transplant recipients are not any exception. This paper reports successful pregnancies in two liver transplant recipients in Iran. The first case was a 34-year old woman who had undergone orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) at Shiraz Namazi Educational Hospital in 2002. She decided to get pregnant seven years after the operation. During pregnancy, immunosuppressive therapy continued, except Mycophenolate Mofetil which has an absolute contra-indication in pregnancy. The patient was followed up during pregnancy by the transplant team as well as a gynecologist. She faced no significant complications and the liver function was stable during pregnancy. She later underwent a Cesarean section in the 38(th) week of gestation and the newborn was a healthy girl weighing 2480g with an Apgar score of 8 at the time of birth. There were no evidences of prematurity or structural abnormalities in the newborn. The second case was a 31-year old primipara who had received an orthotopic liver transplant (OLT) in Shiraz in 2002. She had a smooth pregnancy without any complications and the newborn was a boy weighing 3100g with Apgar scores of 8 and 10 at the time of birth and 5 minutes thereafter, respectively. As the number of transplant recipients is growing along with the number of recipients who are in their fertility years, it is vital to ensure a proper medical care by a coordinated multidisciplinary team during pregnancy.

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in Switzerland: a comprehensive quality control report on centre effect.

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Passweg, Jakob; Baldomero, Helen; Stern, Martin; Bargetzi, Mario; Ghielmini, Michele; Leibundgut, Kurt; Duchosal, Michel; Hess, Urs; Seger, Reinhard; Buhrfeind, Eva; Schanz, Urs; Gratwohl, Alois

2010-06-12

Interest groups advocate centre-specific outcome data as a useful tool for patients in choosing a hospital for their treatment and for decision-making by politicians and the insurance industry. Haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) requires significant infrastructure and represents a cost-intensive procedure. It therefore qualifies as a prime target for such a policy. We made use of the comprehensive database of the Swiss Blood Stem Cells Transplant Group (SBST) to evaluate potential use of mortality rates. Nine institutions reported a total of 4717 HSCT - 1427 allogeneic (30.3%), 3290 autologous (69.7%) - in 3808 patients between the years 1997 and 2008. Data were analysed for survival- and transplantation-related mortality (TRM) at day 100 and at 5 years. The data showed marked and significant differences between centres in unadjusted analyses. These differences were absent or marginal when the results were adjusted for disease, year of transplant and the EBMT risk score (a score incorporating patient age, disease stage, time interval between diagnosis and transplantation, and, for allogeneic transplants, donor type and donor-recipient gender combination) in a multivariable analysis. These data indicate comparable quality among centres in Switzerland. They show that comparison of crude centre-specific outcome data without adjustment for the patient mix may be misleading. Mandatory data collection and systematic review of all cases within a comprehensive quality management system might, in contrast, serve as a model to ascertain the quality of other cost-intensive therapies in Switzerland.

Anti-Inflammatory Mechanism of Neural Stem Cell Transplantation in Spinal Cord Injury

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Zhijian Cheng

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Neural stem cell (NSC transplantation has been proposed to promote functional recovery after spinal cord injury. However, a detailed understanding of the mechanisms of how NSCs exert their therapeutic plasticity is lacking. We transplanted mouse NSCs into the injured spinal cord seven days after SCI, and the Basso Mouse Scale (BMS score was performed to assess locomotor function. The anti-inflammatory effects of NSC transplantation was analyzed by immunofluorescence staining of neutrophil and macrophages and the detection of mRNA levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α, interleukin-1β (IL-1β, interleukin-6 (IL-6 and interleukin-12 (IL-12. Furthermore, bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs were co-cultured with NSCs and followed by analyzing the mRNA levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-10 with quantitative real-time PCR. The production of TNF-α and IL-1β by BMDMs was examined using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA. Transplanted NSCs had significantly increased BMS scores (p < 0.05. Histological results showed that the grafted NSCs migrated from the injection site toward the injured area. NSCs transplantation significantly reduced the number of neutrophils and iNOS+/Mac-2+ cells at the epicenter of the injured area (p < 0.05. Meanwhile, mRNA levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-12 in the NSCs transplantation group were significantly decreased compared to the control group. Furthermore, NSCs inhibited the iNOS expression of BMDMs and the release of inflammatory factors by macrophages in vitro (p < 0.05. These results suggest that NSC transplantation could modulate SCI-induced inflammatory responses and enhance neurological function after SCI via reducing M1 macrophage activation and infiltrating neutrophils. Thus, this study provides a new insight into the mechanisms responsible for the anti-inflammatory effect of NSC transplantation after SCI.

The impact of the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD on liver transplantation in one center in Brazil O impacto do MELD no transplante de fígado em um centro no Brasil

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Alexandre Coutinho Teixeira de Freitas

2010-09-01

Full Text Available CONTEXT: Presently the MELD score is used as the waiting list criterion for liver transplantation in Brazil. In this method more critical patients are considered priority to transplantation. OBJECTIVE: To compare the results of liver transplantation when the chronologic waiting list was the criterion for organ allocation (pre-MELD era with MELD score period (MELD era in one liver transplantation unit in Brazil. METHODS: The charts of the patients subjected to liver transplantation at the Hospital de Clínicas da Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil, were reviewed from January of 2001 to August of 2008. Patients were divided into two groups: pre-MELD era and MELD era. They were compared in relation to demographics of donors and receptors, etiology of cirrhosis, cold and warm ischemia time, presence of hepatocellular carcinoma, MELD score and Child-Pugh score and classification at the time of transplantation, units of red blood cells transfused during the transplantation, intensive care unit stay, total hospital stay and 3 month and 1 year survival. RESULTS: Initially, 205 liver transplantations were analyzed. Ninety four were excluded and 111 were included: 71 on the pre-MELD era and 40 on the MELD era. The two groups were comparable in relation to donors and receptors age and sex, etiology of cirrhosis and cold and warm ischemia time. The receptors of the MELD era had more hepatocellular carcinoma than those of the pre-MELD era (37.5% vs 16.9%. Patients with hepatocellular carcinoma had less advanced cirrhosis on both eras. The MELD score was the same on both eras. Excluding the cases of hepatocellular carcinoma, MELD era score was higher than pre-MELD score (18.2 vs 15.8. There were an increased number of transplants on Child-Pugh A and C and a decreased number on Child-Pugh B receptors on MELD era. Both eras had the same need of red blood cells transfusion, intensive care unit stay and hospital stay. Also, 3 month and 1 year

Immediate re-transplantation following early kidney transplant thrombosis.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Phelan, Paul J

2012-02-01

Allograft thrombosis is a devastating early complication of renal transplantation that ultimately leads to allograft loss. We report here on our experience of nine cases of immediate re-transplantation following early kidney transplant thrombosis at a single centre between January 1990 and June 2009. The mean age was 42.9 years at time of transplant. For seven patients, the allograft thrombosis was their first kidney transplant and seven of the nine cases had a deceased donor transplant. The initial transplants functioned for a mean of 1.67 days and the patients received a second allograft at a mean of 3.1 days after graft failure. All of the re-transplants worked immediately. Four allografts failed after a mean of 52.5 months (2-155 months). Two of these died with a functioning allograft, one failed owing to chronic allograft nephropathy and one owing to persistent acute cellular rejection. The remaining five patients still have a functioning allograft after a mean of 101.8 months (7-187 months). One year allograft and patient survival after re-transplantation were 87.5% and 100% respectively (after 5 years, both were 57%). Immediate re-transplantation following early kidney transplant thrombosis can be a success. It may be considered in selected cases after allograft thrombosis.

Detection of the immunologic rejection after xeno-islet transplantation: a study by MR imaging enhanced with superparamagnetic iron oxide marking CD4+ T cell antibody

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nie Wei; Tang Yiya; Rong Pengfei; Ye Bin; Ye Zheng; Tong Qiongjuan; Wang Wei

2008-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of the diagnosis of the early immunologic rejection after xeno-islet transplantation by MR imaging enhanced with superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) marking CD4 + T cell antibody. Methods: Two thousand neonatal porcine islets (NPI)were transplanted under the left renal capsule of BALB/C nude mice. When the grafts could be observed by MRI, 10 7 human PBMC was intraperitoneal injected to nude mouse models to reconstitute the human immunologic system, 20 mice were reconstituted. Before and 3,7,14 days after reconstitution of human immunologic system on BALB/C nude mice, MRI imaging was performed half an hour after intravenous injection of nano-immunomagnetic beads via vena caudatis to observe the grafts' MRI signal. BALB/C nude mice were sacrificed after MRI scanning immediately, the histopathologic examination was assessed on grafts, the results were compared with MRI results. And calculate the sensitivity, specificity, Youden index number and coincidence of the MRI for immunologic rejection. Results: Grafts can be observed by MRI 3 weeks after islet cell transplantation (before immunologic rejection modeling), there is no abnormal MRI signal detected in nude mice' graft region after microbeads injected. Seven days after building of immunologic rejection model, MRI hypo-signal in graft site is shown in the T 2 WI sequence after nano-bioprober injected. Histopathologic assessments were employed on grafts in nude mice immediately (HE and immunohistochemistry staining), the results shown that there are a lot of T lymphocyts infiltrated in graft region, implying the occurrence of immunologic rejection. And the sensitivity, specificity, Youden index number and coincidence is: (72.96±0.24)%, 100%, 0.73±0.24, (88.46±0.13)% respectively. The correct Kappa between the MRI and the imunohistochemistry staining was 0.76. Conclusion: The cellular immunological rejection to xeno-islet grarts can be assessed with nano-bioprobe with anti-CD4

Serotonergic dysfunctions and abnormal iron metabolism: Relevant to mental fatigue of Parkinson disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Zuo, Li-Jun; Yu, Shu-Yang; Hu, Yang; Wang, Fang; Piao, Ying-Shan; Lian, Teng-Hong; Yu, Qiu-Jin; Wang, Rui-Dan; Li, Li-Xia; Guo, Peng; Du, Yang; Zhu, Rong-Yan; Jin, Zhao; Wang, Ya-Jie; Wang, Xiao-Min; Chan, Piu; Chen, Sheng-Di; Wang, Yong-Jun; Zhang, Wei

2016-12-21

Fatigue is a very common non-motor symptom in Parkinson disease (PD) patients. It included physical fatigue and mental fatigue. The potential mechanisms of mental fatigue involving serotonergic dysfunction and abnormal iron metabolism are still unknown. Therefore, we evaluated the fatigue symptoms, classified PD patients into fatigue group and non-fatigue group, and detected the levels of serotonin, iron and related proteins in CSF and serum. In CSF, 5-HT level is significantly decreased and the levels of iron and transferrin are dramatically increased in fatigue group. In fatigue group, mental fatigue score is negatively correlated with 5-HT level in CSF, and positively correlated with the scores of depression and excessive daytime sleepiness, and disease duration, also, mental fatigue is positively correlated with the levels of iron and transferrin in CSF. Transferrin level is negatively correlated with 5-HT level in CSF. In serum, the levels of 5-HT and transferrin are markedly decreased in fatigue group; mental fatigue score exhibits a negative correlation with 5-HT level. Thus serotonin dysfunction in both central and peripheral systems may be correlated with mental fatigue through abnormal iron metabolism. Depression, excessive daytime sleepiness and disease duration were the risk factors for mental fatigue of PD.

Growth in children following irradiation for bone marrow transplantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bushhouse, S.; Ramsay, N.K.; Pescovitz, O.H.; Kim, T.; Robison, L.L.

1989-01-01

Longitudinal height data from 46 pediatric bone marrow transplant (BMT) patients, including 18 with aplastic anemia (AA), 19 with acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia (ANLL), and 9 with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), were analyzed to assess growth posttransplantation. Patients were prepared for BMT with high-dose cyclophosphamide followed by 7.5 Gy single-dose irradiation; AA patients received total lymphoid irradiation (TLI), and leukemia patients received total body irradiation (TBI). AA patients demonstrated reduced height posttransplant as reflected in a negative mean standard deviation score. The observed reduction was statistically significant only at 3 years following transplant. In contrast, leukemia patients showed a significant loss in relative height that was first visible at 1 year post-BMT and continued until at least 4 years post-BMT. Mean growth velocities in the leukemia patients were significantly below median for the 3 years following transplant. With a median follow-up of 4 years, antithymocyte globulin plus steroids in combination with methotrexate as graft vs. host prophylaxis was associated with less severe growth suppression than methotrexate alone, while there were no significant associations between growth during the first 2 years following transplant and prepubertal status at transplant (as defined by age), graft vs. host disease, thyroid or gonadal function, or previous therapies received by the leukemia patients. Children undergoing marrow transplantation, particularly those receiving TBI, are at significant risk of subsequent growth suppression

USPIO-enhanced MR imaging of macrophage infiltration in native and transplanted kidneys: initial results in humans

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hauger, Olivier; Grenier, Nicolas [Service d' Imagerie Diagnostique et Therapeutique de l' Adulte, Groupe Hospitalier Pellegrin, Bordeaux Cedex (France); Laboratoire d' Imagerie Moleculaire et Fonctionnelle, ERT CNRS/Universite Victor Segalen Bordeaux 2, Bordeaux (France); Deminere, Colette [Service d' Anatomo-pathologie, Groupe Hospitalier Pellegrin, Bordeaux (France); Lasseur, Catherine; Delmas, Yahsou; Merville, Pierre; Combe, Christian [Departement de Nephrologie, Groupe Hospitalier Pellegrin, Bordeaux (France)

2007-11-15

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the detection and characterization of macrophage infiltration in native and transplanted kidneys using ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide particles (USPIO). Among 21 patients initially enrolled, 12 scheduled for renal biopsy for acute or rapidly progressive renal failure (n = 7) or renal graft rejection (n = 5) completed the study. Three magnetic resonance (MR) sessions were performed with a 1.5-T system, before, immediately after and 72 h after i.v. injection of USPIO at doses of 1.7-2.6 mg of iron/kg. Signal intensity change was evaluated visually and calculated based on a region of interest (ROI) positioned on the kidney compartments. Histological examination showed cortical macrophage infiltration in four patients (>5 macrophages/mm{sup 2}), two in native kidneys (proliferative extracapillary glomerulonephritis) and two in transplants (acute rejection). These patients showed a 33 {+-} 18% mean cortical signal loss on T2*-weighted images. In the remaining eight patients, with <5 macrophages/mm{sup 2}, there was no cortical signal loss. However, in three of these, presenting with ischemic acute tubular necrosis, a strong (42 {+-} 18%) signal drop was found in the medulla exclusively. USPIO-enhanced MR imaging can demonstrate infiltration of the kidneys by macrophages both in native and transplanted kidneys and may help to differentiate between kidney diseases. (orig.)

Immediate re-transplantation following early kidney transplant thrombosis.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Phelan, Paul J

2011-08-01

Allograft thrombosis is a devastating early complication of renal transplantation that ultimately leads to allograft loss. We report here on our experience of nine cases of immediate re-transplantation following early kidney transplant thrombosis at a single centre between January 1990 and June 2009. The mean age was 42.9 years at time of transplant. For seven patients, the allograft thrombosis was their first kidney transplant and seven of the nine cases had a deceased donor transplant. The initial transplants functioned for a mean of 1.67 days and the patients received a second allograft at a mean of 3.1 days after graft failure. All of the re-transplants worked immediately. Four allografts failed after a mean of 52.5 months (2-155 months). Two of these died with a functioning allograft, one failed owing to chronic allograft nephropathy and one owing to persistent acute cellular rejection. The remaining five patients still have a functioning allograft after a mean of 101.8 months (7-187 months). One year allograft and patient survival after re-transplantation were 87.5% and 100% respectively (after 5 years, both were 57%). Immediate re-transplantation following early kidney transplant thrombosis can be a success. It may be considered in selected cases after allograft thrombosis.

Prevalence and outcomes of heart transplantation in children with intellectual disability.

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Wightman, Aaron; Bartlett, Heather L; Zhao, Qianqian; Smith, Jodi M

2017-03-01

Heart transplantation in children with intellectual disability is a controversial issue. We sought to describe the prevalence and outcomes of heart transplantation in children with intellectual disability and hypothesized that recipients with intellectual disability have comparable short-term outcomes compared to recipients without intellectual disability. We performed a retrospective cohort analysis of children receiving a first heart-alone transplant in the UNOS STAR database from 2008 to 2013. Recipients with intellectual disability were compared to those without using chi-square tests. Kaplan-Meier curves were constructed for patient and graft survival. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate the association between intellectual disability and graft failure and patient survival. Over the study period, 107 children with intellectual disability underwent initial heart transplantation, accounting for 8.9% of first pediatric heart transplants (total=1204). There was no difference in the incidence of acute rejection between groups in the first year after transplant. Mean functional status scores at follow-up improved in both groups after transplantation, but tended to be lower among children with intellectual disability than children without. Log-rank tests did not suggest significant differences in graft survival between those with and without intellectual disability during the first 4 years following transplantation. Children with intellectual disability constitute a significant portion of total heart transplants with short-term outcomes comparable to children without intellectual disability. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Clinical Experience of Total Intravenous Anesthesia in 77 Renal Transplant Patients

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Pinar Ergenoglu

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Purpose:Renal transplantation significantly improves quality of life compared to hemodialysis in patients with end-stage renal failure. In end-stage renal failure anesthetic technique should be planned carefully, due to changes in volume distribution, drug metabolism, excretion. Results of total intravenous anesthesia, inhalation anesthesia, regional techniques are being investigated. Aim of this study was to present our experience in total intravenous anesthesia in 77 patients, who underwent live and cadaveric donor renal transplantation at Baskent University Faculty of Medicine Adana Teaching and Research Center. Material and Methods:Induction of anesthesia was performed with propofol(2mg/kg and fentanyl(1μg/kg, and rocuronium bromide(0.4-0.5mg/kg was given before intubation. Anesthesia was maintained with total intravenous anesthesia(propofol,50 mcg/kg/min; remifentanil,0.25 mcg/kg/min infusion. Intraoperative fluid, urine volumes were recorded. For preemptive multimodal analgesia, pre-incisional intravenous paracetamol(15mg/kg, intramuscular morphine(0.1mg/kg were given. Postoperative analgesia was maintained with intravenous patient-controlled analgesia(meperidine 10 mg bolus, with a lockout time of 20 minutes. Postoperative pain was recorded using Visual Analogue Scale, level of sedation was assessed by Ramsey Sedation Scale. Results:Study included 64(83.1% live donor transplantations and 13(16.9% cadaveric donor transplantations. Mean total fluid administration was similar between live and cadaveric donor kidney transplantation patients however mean intraoperative urine output was significantly higher in live donor kidney transplantation patients(p<0.001. 57.1% of patients had no pain at 5. minutes postoperatively(Visual Analog Scale Score=0, at 15. minutes postoperatively mean visual analog scale score was 2.6 and the first analgesic requirements were recorded at 39.6 minutes. According to Ramsey Sedation Scale, majority of patients(54

Genetic and clinic predictors of new onset diabetes mellitus after transplantation.

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Saigi-Morgui, Núria; Quteineh, Lina; Bochud, Pierre-Yves; Crettol, Severine; Kutalik, Zoltán; Mueller, Nicolas J; Binet, Isabelle; Van Delden, Christian; Steiger, Jürg; Mohacsi, Paul; Dufour, Jean-Francois; Soccal, Paola M; Pascual, Manuel; Eap, Chin B

2017-12-27

New Onset Diabetes after Transplantation (NODAT) is a frequent complication after solid organ transplantation, with higher incidence during the first year. Several clinical and genetic factors have been described as risk factors of Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM). Additionally, T2DM shares some genetic factors with NODAT. We investigated if three genetic risk scores (w-GRS) and clinical factors were associated with NODAT and how they predicted NODAT development 1 year after transplantation. In both main (n = 725) and replication (n = 156) samples the clinical risk score was significantly associated with NODAT (OR main : 1.60 [1.36-1.90], p = 3.72*10 -8 and OR replication : 2.14 [1.39-3.41], p = 0.0008, respectively). Two w-GRS were significantly associated with NODAT in the main sample (OR w-GRS 2 :1.09 [1.04-1.15], p = 0.001 and OR w-GRS 3 :1.14 [1.01-1.29], p = 0.03) and a similar OR w-GRS 2 was found in the replication sample, although it did not reach significance probably due to a power issue. Despite the low OR of w-GRS on NODAT compared to clinical covariates, when integrating w-GRS 2 and w-GRS 3 in the clinical model, the Area under the Receiver Operating Characteristics curve (AUROC), specificity, sensitivity and accuracy were 0.69, 0.71, 0.58 and 0.68, respectively, with significant Likelihood Ratio test discrimination index (p-value 0.0004), performing better in NODAT discrimination than the clinical model alone. Twenty-five patients needed to be genotyped in order to detect one misclassified case that would have developed NODAT 1 year after transplantation if using only clinical covariates. To our knowledge, this is the first study extensively examining genetic risk scores contributing to NODAT development.

Geographic disparity in kidney transplantation under KAS.

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Zhou, Sheng; Massie, Allan B; Luo, Xun; Ruck, Jessica M; Chow, Eric K H; Bowring, Mary G; Bae, Sunjae; Segev, Dorry L; Gentry, Sommer E

2017-12-12

The Kidney Allocation System fundamentally altered kidney allocation, causing a substantial increase in regional and national sharing that we hypothesized might impact geographic disparities. We measured geographic disparity in deceased donor kidney transplant (DDKT) rate under KAS (6/1/2015-12/1/2016), and compared that with pre-KAS (6/1/2013-12/3/2014). We modeled DSA-level DDKT rates with multilevel Poisson regression, adjusting for allocation factors under KAS. Using the model we calculated a novel, improved metric of geographic disparity: the median incidence rate ratio (MIRR) of transplant rate, a measure of DSA-level variation that accounts for patient casemix and is robust to outlier values. Under KAS, MIRR was 1.75 1.81 1.86 for adults, meaning that similar candidates across different DSAs have a median 1.81-fold difference in DDKT rate. The impact of geography was greater than the impact of factors emphasized by KAS: having an EPTS score ≤20% was associated with a 1.40-fold increase (IRR =  1.35 1.40 1.45 , P geographic disparities with KAS (P = .3). Despite extensive changes to kidney allocation under KAS, geography remains a primary determinant of access to DDKT. © 2017 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

Successful Pregnancies Post Renal Transplantation

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Alfi Adnan

2008-01-01

Full Text Available To evaluate the maternal and fetal outcomes in renal transplant female recipients who became pregnant from 1989 to 2005 in our center, we retrospectively studied 20 incident pregnancies in 12 renal transplant recipients; 5 (41.7 % of them from living related, 4 (33.3% from deceased, and 3 (25% from living unrelated donors. The mean age at pregnancy was 30.5 ± 4.5 years and mean interval from transplantation to pregnancy was 21 ± 5.7 months with the interval was < 1 year in one patient. The mean serum creatinine (SCr before pregnancy vs 6 months post delivery was 110 ± 24.3, and 156 ± 190 µmol/ L, respectively, (p = 0.2. All patients were normotensive during the prenatal period except two who were hypertensive, none was markedly proteinuric, and only one acute rejection episode occurred during one pregnancy. Graft loss one year post delivery occurred in 2 patients; one with elevated prenatal SCr > 132 µmol/L, and another with short interval from transplantation to pregnancy < 1 year, while the remaining 10 patients revealed current mean SCr of 105 ± 18.2 µmol/L. Complications during pregnancy inclu-ded pre-eclampsia in (25%, UTI (25%, preterm delivery < 37 weeks (30%, however, none of the pregnancies ended by abortion. Normal vaginal delivery vs cesarean section was 70% vs 30%, respectively. Gestational age at delivery was 36.3 ± 3.9 weeks, and mean fetal birth weight was 2349 ± 574 gm. Apgar score was 9-10 in all of the 20 babies, and none revealed intrauterine growth retardation or congenital anomalies. We conclude that consecutive pregnancies demons-trate long-term maternal and fetal survival and function. The major risk factors are elevated starting serum creatinine, hypertension, and short time interval from transplantation to pregnancy.

Liver transplantation in New Orleans: parity in a world of disparity?

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Smith, Alison A; Darden, Michael; Al-Qurayshi, Zaid; Paramesh, Anil S; Killackey, Mary; Kandil, Emad; Parker, Geoffrey; Balart, Luis; Friedlander, Paul; Buell, Joseph F

2017-09-01

Racial disparity in access to liver transplantation among African Americans (AA) compared to Caucasians (CA) has been well described. The aim of this investigation was to examine the presentation of AA liver transplant recipients in a socioeconomically challenged region. 680 adult liver transplant candidates and 233 resultant recipients between 2007 and 2015 were analyzed using univariate and multivariate analyses to evaluate factors significant for transplantation. Percentages of wait list patients transplanted were similar between CA and AA (34.9% vs. 32.2%, p = 0.5205). AA were younger (50.4 ± 1.8 vs. 56.3 ± 0.7 yrs, p = 0.0003) with higher average MELD scores (22.9 ± 1.6 vs. 19.4 ± 0.7, p = 0.0230). Overall patient mortality was similar (AA 22.7% vs. CA 26.3%, p = 0.5931). A multiple linear regression showed that male gender was strongly associated with transplantation. Equal access to liver transplantation remains challenging for racial minorities. At our institution, AA were accepted and transplanted at an equivalent rate as CA despite a higher AA population, HCV rate and diagnosed HCC. AA were younger and sicker at the time of transplant, but overall had similar outcomes compared to CA. Our study highlights the need for studies to delineate the underpinnings of disparity in transplantation access. Copyright © 2017 International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cartilage Repair With Autologous Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation: Review of Preclinical and Clinical Studies.

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Yamasaki, Shinya; Mera, Hisashi; Itokazu, Maki; Hashimoto, Yusuke; Wakitani, Shigeyuki

2014-10-01

Clinical trials of various procedures, including bone marrow stimulation, mosaicplasty, and autologous chondrocyte implantation, have been explored to treat articular cartilage defects. However, all of them have some demerits. We focused on autologous culture-expanded bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSC), which can proliferate without losing their capacity for differentiation. First, we transplanted BMSC into the defective articular cartilage of rabbit and succeeded in regenerating osteochondral tissue. We then applied this transplantation in humans. Our previous reports showed that treatment with BMSC relieves the clinical symptoms of chondral defects in the knee and elbow joint. We investigated the efficacy of BMSC for osteoarthritic knee treated with high tibial osteotomy, by comparing 12 BMSC-transplanted patients with 12 cell-free patients. At 16-month follow-up, although the difference in clinical improvement between both groups was not significant, the arthroscopic and histological grading score was better in the cell-transplanted group. At the over 10-year follow-up, Hospital for Special Surgery knee scores improved to 76 and 73 in the BMSC-transplanted and cell-free groups, respectively, which were better than preoperative scores. Additionally, neither tumors nor infections were observed in all patients, and in the clinical study, we have never observed hypertrophy of repaired tissue, thereby guaranteeing the clinical safety of this therapy. Although we have never observed calcification above the tidemark in rabbit model and human histologically, the repair cartilage was not completely hyaline cartilage. To elucidate the optimum conditions for cell therapy, other stem cells, culture conditions, growth factors, and gene transfection methods should be explored.

The effect of Saccharomyces boulardii in patients eligible for liver transplantation.

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Liboredo, Juliana Costa; Ferrari, Maria de Lourdes Abreu; Vilela, Eduardo Garcia; Lima, Agnaldo Soares; Correia, Maria Isabel Toulson Davisson

2014-09-12

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of Saccharomyces boulardii on the intestinal permeability, laboratory parameters and MELD and Child-Pugh severity scores in cirrhotic patients eligible for liver transplantation. Eighteen patients followed in a Transplant Outpatient Clinic were evaluated immediately before the beginning of treatment, after a 30-day period of treatment period with probiotics and at the end of the second study month (after a thirty-day period without probiotics). Fifteen healthy controls also underwent the intestinal permeability test (lactulose/mannitol). Before the probiotic, the median lactulose/ mannitol ratio was greater in the cirrhotic patients (0.0209, range 0.0012-0.1984) compared to the healthy controls (0.0030, range 0.0020-0.0013) (p boulardii, there was no improvement in intestinal permeability or significant differences in the laboratory parameters for the three evaluations. Patients eligible for liver transplants presented with increased intestinal permeability compared to healthy controls. A thirty-day treatment with S. boulardii did not improve this intestinal permeability or the severity scores, nor did it impact the laboratory parameters. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

Change in platelet count in patients with hypersplenism subjected to liver transplantation

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Júlio Cezar Uili Coelho

2011-09-01

Full Text Available CONTEXT: Most patients subjected to liver transplantation presents hypersplenism, which is reversed after the operation. However, some patients remain with moderate to intense hypersplenism. OBJECTIVES: To study the effect of liver transplantation on platelet count in patients with hypersplenism. METHOD: Of a total of 233 patients who underwent liver transplantation, 162 were excluded from the present study because of occurrence of steroid-resistant rejection, absence of hypersplenism before the transplantation, absence of follow-up for at least 2 years or incomplete exams data. The electronic study protocols of the remaining 71 patients were reviewed to determine the demographics, etiology of cirrhosis, and results of pathologic examination of the explanted liver. Serial platelet count was obtained from the study protocol on the day before liver transplantation and 1, 2, 4, and 6 months and 1 year after liver transplantation. Statistical analysis was performed using the Student's t-test, chi-square test, and Spearman's correlation test. RESULTS: Posttransplant platelet count at all time intervals was significantly higher than the pretransplant value (P100,000/mm³ in 58 patients (81.7% 1 month after liver transplantation. Twelve patients (16.9% remained with thrombocytopenia 1 year after liver transplantation. Three patients (4.2% had recurrence of thrombocytopenia within 1 year after liver transplantation. There was no correlation between pretransplant platelet count and the Child-Pugh class or the MELD score. CONCLUSION: Liver transplantation reverses hypersplenism in most patients.

Assessing bone status in patients awaiting liver transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Wibaux, Cécile; Legroux-Gerot, Isabelle; Dharancy, Sébastien; Boleslawski, Emmanuel; Declerck, Nicole; Canva, Valérie; Mathurin, Philippe; Pruvot, François-René; Cortet, Bernard

2011-07-01

Osteoporosis is common in liver transplant recipients as a result of both iatrogenic factors and preexisting hepatic osteodystrophy. To assess the prevalences of osteoporosis and fractures and to identify risk factors for these two abnormalities in patients awaiting liver transplantation for end-stage liver disease. Between January 2006 and December 2007, patients on a liver transplant waiting list underwent a routine evaluation comprising the identification of risk factors for osteoporosis, radiographs of the spine, bone mineral density measurements (BMD), and laboratory tests (phosphate and calcium levels, hormone assays, liver function tests, and bone turnover markers). We studied 99 patients (70 males and 20 females; mean age, 55 ± 8 years) including 75% with alcohol-induced cirrhosis with or without hepatocarcinoma. Among them, 36% had radiographic vertebral fractures, 38% had osteoporosis, 35% had osteopenia, and 88% had vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency (25(OH)vitamin D3bone resorption markers correlated negatively with BMD at the spine and hip. The Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score correlated negatively with hip BMD. Our findings suggest high prevalences of low BMD values and vertebral fractures among patients awaiting liver transplantation. Bone status should be evaluated routinely in candidates to liver transplantation. Copyright © 2011 Société française de rhumatologie. Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

Three-year post-transplant medicare payments in kidney transplant recipients: Associations with pre-transplant comorbidities

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Gerardo Machnicki

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Little is known about the influence of pre-transplant comorbidities on post-transplant expenditures. We estimated the associations between pre-transplant comorbidities and post-transplant Medicare costs, using several comorbidity classification systems. We included recipients of first-kidney deceased donor transplants from 1995 through 2002 for whom Medicare was the primary payer for at least one year pre-transplant (N = 25,175. We examined pre-transplant comorbidities as classified by International Classification of Diseases (ICD-9-CM codes from Medicare claims with the Clinical Cla-ssifications Software (CCS and Charlson and Elixhauser algorithms. Post-transplant costs were calcu-lated from payments on Medicare claims. We developed models considering Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN variables plus: 1 CCS categories, 2 Charlson, 3 Elixhauser, 4 num-ber of Charlson and 5 number of Elixhauser comorbidities, independently. We applied a novel regression methodology to account for censoring. Costs were estimated at individual and population levels. The comorbidities with the largest impact on mean Medicare payments included cardiovascular disease, ma-lignancies, cerebrovascular disease, mental conditions and functional limitations. Skin ulcers and infec-tions, rheumatic and other connective tissue disease and liver disease also contributed to payments and have not been considered or described previously. A positive graded relationship was found between costs and the number of pre-transplant comorbidities. In conclusion, we showed that expansion beyond the usually considered pre-transplant comorbidities with inclusion of CCS and Charlson or Elixhauser comorbidities increased the knowledge about comorbidities related to augmented Medicare payments. Our expanded methodology can be used by others to assess more accurately the financial implications of renal transplantation to Medicare and individual transplant centers.

Personality predictors of mortality in cardiac transplant candidates and recipients.

Science.gov (United States)

Brandwin, M; Trask, P C; Schwartz, S M; Clifford, M

2000-08-01

Emotional factors are generally recognized as impacting the care of end-stage heart disease and mortality following cardiac transplants. Equally important, however, are predictors of pretransplant mortality. The current study examined the utility of the Millon Behavioral Health Inventory (MBHI) as a predictor of pre- and posttransplant mortality. A total of 103 cardiac transplant candidates were assessed with the MBHI as part of a pretransplant evaluation that included baseline demographic variables and cardiac status. Time to transplant and mortality status at 1 and 5 years was also obtained. Cluster analysis of MBHI response scores elicited two clusters characterized by high and low distress. Cluster membership predicted survival status at 1-year and 5-year follow-up, with high distress cluster patients having significantly higher mortality in both the total sample and a subgroup of patients who did receive a heart transplant. These results support the value of the MBHI for assessing personality attributes that may dispose toward unfavorable outcome in heart transplant candidates. Further understanding of psychosocial contributions to illness course and outcome may enable more effective selection of treatment interventions with cardiac patients.

Potentially inappropriate liver transplantation in the era of the "sickest first" policy - A search for the upper limits.

Science.gov (United States)

Linecker, Michael; Krones, Tanja; Berg, Thomas; Niemann, Claus U; Steadman, Randolph H; Dutkowski, Philipp; Clavien, Pierre-Alain; Busuttil, Ronald W; Truog, Robert D; Petrowsky, Henrik

2017-11-11

Liver transplantation has emerged as a highly efficient treatment for a variety of acute and chronic liver diseases. However, organ shortage is becoming an increasing problem globally, limiting the applicability of liver transplantation. In addition, potential recipients are becoming sicker, thereby increasing the risk of losing the graft during transplantation or in the initial postoperative period after liver transplantation (three months). This trend is challenging the model for end-stage liver disease allocation system, where the sickest candidates are prioritised and no delisting criteria are given. The weighting of the deontological demand for "equity", trying to save every patient, regardless of the overall utility; and "efficiency", rooted in utilitarianism, trying to save as many patients as possible and increase the overall quality of life of patients facing the same problem, has to be reconsidered. In this article we are aiming to overcome the widespread concept of futility in liver transplantation, providing a definition of potentially inappropriate liver transplantation and giving guidance on situations where it is best not to proceed with liver transplantation, to decrease the mortality rate in the first three months after transplantation. We propose "absolute" and "relative" conditions, where early post-transplant mortality is highly probable, which are not usually captured in risk scores predicting post-transplant survival. Withholding liver transplantation for listed patients in cases where liver transplant is not deemed clearly futile, but is potentially inappropriate, is a far-reaching decision. Until now, this decision had to be discussed extensively on an individual basis, applying explicit communication and conflict resolution processes, since the model for end-stage liver disease score and most international allocation systems do not include explicit delisting criteria to support a fair delisting process. More work is needed to better

Risk factors for frequent readmissions and barriers to transplantation in patients with cirrhosis.

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Swaytha Ganesh

Full Text Available Hospital readmission rate is receiving increasing regulatory scrutiny. Patients with cirrhosis have high hospital readmissions rates but the relationship between frequent readmissions and barriers to transplantation remains unexplored. The goal of this study was to determine risk factors for frequent readmissions among patients with cirrhosis and identify barriers to transplantation in this population.We retrospectively reviewed medical records of 587 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of cirrhosis admitted to a large tertiary care center between May 1, 2008 and May 1, 2009. Demographics, clinical factors, and outcomes were recorded. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify risk factors for high readmission rates. Transplant-related factors were assessed for patients in the high readmission group.The 587 patients included in the study had 1557 admissions during the study period. A subset of 87 (15% patients with 5 or more admissions accounted for 672 (43% admissions. The factors associated with frequent admissions were non-white race (OR = 2.45, p = 0.01, diabetes (OR = 2.04, p = 0.01, higher Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD score (OR = 35.10, p30 and younger age (OR = 0.98, p = 0.02. Among the 87 patients with ≥5 admissions, only 14 (16% underwent liver transplantation during the study period. Substance abuse, medical co-morbidities, and low (<15 MELD scores were barriers to transplantation in this group.A small group of patients with cirrhosis account for a disproportionately high number of hospital admissions. Interventions targeting this high-risk group may decrease frequent hospital readmissions and increase access to transplantation.

Factors influencing long-term quality of life and depression in German liver transplant recipients: a single-centre cross-sectional study.

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Zahn, Alexandra; Seubert, Lisa; Jünger, Jana; Schellberg, Dieter; Weiss, Karl Heinz; Schemmer, Peter; Stremmel, Wolfgang; Sauer, Peter; Gotthardt, Daniel Nils

2013-06-26

Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) following orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) has become increasingly important. Therefore, we aimed to identify factors affecting HRQOL after OLT. This cross-sectional, single-centre study surveyed 281 OLT patients. Survey tools included the Short Form (SF-36) Health Survey, the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ9), and a self-designed employment questionnaire. Patient medical records were reviewed. Participants included 187 men (mean age at OLT: 50 [± 11; 13-69] years). Primary indications for OLT were viral hepatitis (28%), alcoholic liver disease (35%), cholestatic liver disease (11%), and others (26%). Follow-up ranged from 2 to 136 months. Clinical factors associated with improved HRQOL were age ≤ 45 years at OLT and current MELD score <=≤ 13. Time after OLT and indication for transplantation affected SF-36 HRQOL. SF-36 physical component summary scales plateaued at 3-years post-OLT and then stabilized. For the SF-36 HRQOL, scores were the lowest in all domains for OLT recipients transplanted for chronic viral hepatitis and for unemployed patients, whereas sex and number of transplantations showed no significant differences. The PHQ9 results showed that depression was significantly more frequent among patients with current MELD score ≥ 13 or impaired liver function and those transplanted for chronic viral hepatitis or unemployed patients. Age and sex did not influence PHQ9 results. Medical and psychosocial support is crucial for long-term HRQOL after OLT. Developing multidisciplinary interventions to address issues such as employment, age, MELD score, and liver function may improve long-term HRQOL in these patients.

Serum iron parameters in liver cirrhosis

Science.gov (United States)

Siregar, G. A.; Maail, W.

2018-03-01

The liver plays a fundamental role in iron homeostasis. Iron parameters change, especially ferritin, need to be evaluated in patients with liver cirrhosis. Serum ferritin could predict the prognosis of patients with decompensated cirrhosis since it reflects immunemediated and infectious stimuli. Ferritin could express the severity of liver disease and possible subsequent complications. Finally, it might reflect an iron overload condition resulting in significant morbidity and early mortality. 70 patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis divided into three Child-Pugh subgroups. Serum iron parameters include serum iron (SI), total iron binding capacity (TIBC) and ferritin was measured in these groups. From these 70 patients, 30 (42.9%) with HbsAg positive, 26 (37.1%) with anti-HCV positive and 14 (20%) with both HbsAg and anti-HCV positive. Of the 70 patients, 14 (20%) had CTP Class A cirrhosis, 17 (24.3%) had CTP Class B cirrhosis, and 39 (55.7%) had CTP C cirrhosis. The median (range) value of serum iron was 36 (10-345) μg/dl, TIBC was 160 (59-520) μg/dl, Ferritin was 253.5 (8-6078) ng/ml and the transferrin saturation was 22.9 (3.65-216.98) %.We found a significant difference in serum ferritin level with CTP score. Ferritin levels increased as Child-Pugh class progressed (p<0.001).

Fresh osteochondral allograft transplantation for isolated patellar cartilage injury.

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Gracitelli, Guilherme C; Meric, Gokhan; Pulido, Pamela A; Görtz, Simon; De Young, Allison J; Bugbee, William D

2015-04-01

The treatment of patellofemoral cartilage injuries can be challenging. Osteochondral allograft (OCA) transplantation has been used as a treatment option for a range of cartilage disorders. To evaluate functional outcomes and survivorship of the grafts among patients who underwent OCA for patellar cartilage injuries. Case series; Level of evidence, 4. An institutional review board-approved OCA database was used to identify 27 patients (28 knees) who underwent isolated OCA transplantation of the patella between 1983 and 2010. All patients had a minimum 2-year follow-up. The mean age of the patients was 33.7 years (range, 14-64 years); 54% were female. Twenty-six (92.9%) knees had previous surgery (mean, 3.2 procedures; range, 1-10 procedures). The mean allograft area was 10.1 cm(2) (range, 4.0-18.0 cm(2)). Patients returned for clinical evaluation or were contacted via telephone for follow-up. The number and type of reoperations were assessed. Any reoperation resulting in removal of the allograft was considered a failure of the OCA transplantation. Patients were evaluated pre- and postoperatively using the modified Merle d'Aubigné-Postel (18-point) scale, the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) pain, function, and total scores, and the Knee Society function (KS-F) score. Patient satisfaction was assessed at latest follow-up. Seventeen of the 28 knees (60.7%) had further surgery after the OCA transplantation; 8 of the 28 knees (28.6%) were considered OCA failures (4 conversions to total knee arthroplasty, 2 conversions to patellofemoral knee arthroplasty, 1 revision OCA, 1 patellectomy). Patellar allografting survivorship was 78.1% at 5 and 10 years and 55.8% at 15 years. Among the 20 knees (71.4%) with grafts in situ, the mean follow-up duration was 9.7 years (range, 1.8-30.1 years). Pain and function improved from the preoperative visit to latest follow-up, and 89% of patients were extremely satisfied or satisfied with the results of the OCA

Liver transplantation for acute liver failure: a 5 years experience Transplante hepático na hepatite fulminante: uma experiência de 5 anos

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cyntia Ferreira Gomes Viana

2008-09-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Fulminant hepatic failure carries a high morbidity and mortality. Liver transplantation has markedly improved the prognosis of patients with fulminant hepatic failure. AIM: To evaluate the outcome of 20 patients with acute liver failure and indication for liver transplantation. METHODS: A retrospective review of 20 patients with acute liver failure and indication for liver transplantation was performed. Patients were divided into two groups: group A with 12 patients who underwent liver transplantation and group B with 8 patients who did not receive liver transplantation. Both groups were analyzed according to age, sex, ABO blood type, etiology of acute liver failure, time on list until transplantation or death, and survival rates. Group A patients were additionally analyzed according to preoperative INR, AST, and ALT peak values and MELD (Model for End-stage Liver Disease scores; intraoperative red blood cells and plasma transfusion and cold ischemia time; postoperative lenght of intensive care unit and hospital stay, and needed for dialysis. RESULTS: Group A: there were four men and eight women with an average age of 24.6 years. The average liver waiting time period was 3.4 days and MELD score 36. Seven patients are alive with good hepatic function at a medium follow-up of 26.2 months. The actuarial survival rate was 65.2% at 1 year. Group B: There were two men and six women with an average age of 30.9 years. The mean waiting time on list until death was 7.4 days. All patients died while waiting for a liver donor. CONCLUSION: Despite the improvements in intensive care management, most patients with acute liver failure and indication for liver transplantation ca not survive long without transplant. Liver transplantation is potentially the only curative modality and has markedly improved the prognosis of those patients.RACIONAL: OBJETIVO: Avaliar a evolução de 20 pacientes com insuficiência hepática aguda e indicação de

Splenectomy before adult liver transplantation: a retrospective study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kong, LingXiang; Li, Ming; Li, Lei; Jiang, Li; Yang, Jiayin; Yan, Lvnan

2017-04-20

A considerable number of patients with portal hypertension (PHT) have to undergo splenectomy because they do not meet the requirements for liver transplantation (LT) or cannot find a suitable liver donor. However, it is not known whether pre-transplantation splenectomy may create occult difficulties for patients who require LT in future. We analyzed 1059 consecutive patients who underwent adult liver transplantation (ADLT). Patients with pre-transplantation splenectomy Sp(+) and without splenectomy Sp(-) were compared using a propensity score analysis to create the best match between groups. There were no differences between patients in group Sp(+) and group Sp(-) with respect to the main post-operative infections (12.20% vs. 15.85%, P = 0.455), and the incidence of major complications (6.10% vs. 10.98%, P = 0.264). The post-operative platelet count was significantly higher in group Sp(+) (P = 0.041), while group Sp(-) had a higher rate of post-operative thrombocytopenia (91.46% vs. 74.39%, P = 0.006) and early allograft dysfunction (EAD) (23.20% vs. 10.98%, P = 0.038). The 5-year overall survival rates were similar in groups Sp(-) and Sp(+) (69.7% vs. 67.6%, P = 0.701). Compared with Sp(-), the risk of infection and post-operative complications in group Sp(+) was not increased, while group Sp(-) had a higher rate of post-operative EAD. Moreover, pre-transplantation splenectomy is very effective for the prevention of thrombocytopenia after LT. Pre-transplantation splenectomy is recommended in cases with risky PHT patients without appropriate source of liver for LT.

Derivation of a Predictive Model for Graft Loss Following Acute Kidney Injury in Kidney Transplant Recipients.

Science.gov (United States)

Molnar, Amber O; van Walraven, Carl; Fergusson, Dean; Garg, Amit X; Knoll, Greg

2017-01-01

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is common in the kidney transplant population. To derive a multivariable survival model that predicts time to graft loss following AKI. Retrospective cohort study using health care administrative and laboratory databases. Southwestern Ontario (1999-2013) and Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (1996-2013). We included first-time kidney only transplant recipients who had a hospitalization with AKI 6 months or greater following transplant. AKI was defined using the Acute Kidney Injury Network criteria (stage 1 or greater). The first episode of AKI was included in the analysis. Graft loss was defined by return to dialysis or repeat kidney transplant. We performed a competing risk survival regression analysis using the Fine and Gray method and modified the model into a simple point system. Graft loss with death as a competing event was the primary outcome of interest. A total of 315 kidney transplant recipients who had a hospitalization with AKI 6 months or greater following transplant were included. The median (interquartile range) follow-up time was 6.7 (3.3-10.3) years. Graft loss occurred in 27.6% of the cohort. The final model included 6 variables associated with an increased risk of graft loss: younger age, increased severity of AKI, failure to recover from AKI, lower baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate, increased time from kidney transplant to AKI admission, and receipt of a kidney from a deceased donor. The risk score had a concordance probability of 0.75 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.69-0.82). The predicted 5-year risk of graft loss fell within the 95% CI of the observed risk more than 95% of the time. The CIs of the estimates were wide, and model overfitting is possible due to the limited sample size; the risk score requires validation to determine its clinical utility. Our prognostic risk score uses commonly available information to predict the risk of graft loss in kidney transplant patients hospitalized with AKI. If validated

Pilot study of comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) in allogeneic transplant: CGA captures a high prevalence of vulnerabilities in older transplant recipients.

Science.gov (United States)

Muffly, Lori S; Boulukos, Melissa; Swanson, Kate; Kocherginsky, Masha; Cerro, Paula Del; Schroeder, Linda; Pape, Lisa; Extermann, Martine; Van Besien, Koen; Artz, Andrew S

2013-03-01

Comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) is frequently used in oncology to measure the health status of older adults with cancer, but it has not been studied in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). We conducted a prospective pilot study of CGA in allogeneic HCT recipients aged ≥50 years to examine the prevalence of vulnerabilities in this population. Patients aged ≥50 years eligible for HCT were enrolled. CGA consisted mainly of self-reported, performance-based, and chart-extracted measures evaluating domains of comorbidity, physical and mental function, frailty, disability, and nutrition. Of 238 eligible patients, 166 completed CGA and underwent HCT. Only 1% had a Zubrod Performance Status score >1; 44% had high comorbidity defined by the Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Comorbidity Index, and 66% had high comorbidity defined by the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale-Geriatrics. The presence of additional vulnerability was frequent. Disability was present in 40% by Instrumental Activities of Daily Living. Self-reported physical and mental function were significantly lower than population age group norms, 58% were pre-frail, and 25% were frail. Among those with Zubrod Performance Status score of 0, 28% demonstrated disability, 58% were pre-frail, 15% were frail, 35% reported low physical function, and 55% reported low mental function. CGA uncovers a substantial prevalence of undocumented impairments in functional status, frailty, disability, and mental health in older allogeneic HCT recipients. Copyright © 2013 American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Factors Predicting Risk for Antibody-mediated Rejection and Graft Loss in Highly Human Leukocyte Antigen Sensitized Patients Transplanted After Desensitization.

Science.gov (United States)

Vo, Ashley A; Sinha, Aditi; Haas, Mark; Choi, Jua; Mirocha, James; Kahwaji, Joseph; Peng, Alice; Villicana, Rafael; Jordan, Stanley C

2015-07-01

Desensitization with intravenous immunoglobulin and rituximab (I+R) significantly improves transplant rates in highly sensitized patients, but antibody-mediated rejection (ABMR) remains a concern. Between July 2006 and December 2012, 226 highly sensitized patients received transplants after desensitization. Most received alemtuzumab induction and standard immunosuppression. Two groups were examined: ABMR (n = 181) and ABMR (n = 45, 20%). Risk factors for ABMR, pathology, and outcomes were assessed. Significant risks for ABMR included previous transplants and pregnancies as sensitizing events, donor-specific antibody (DSA) relative intensity scores greater than 17, presence of both class I and II DSAs at transplant and time on waitlist. The ABMR showed a significant benefit for graft survival and glomerular filtration rate at 5 years (P desensitized with I+R who remain ABMR have long-term graft and patient survival. The ABMR patients have significantly reduced graft survival and glomerular filtration rate at 5 years, especially TMA. Severe ABMR episodes benefit from treatment with PLEX + Eculizumab. The DSA-relative intensity scores at transplant was a strong predictor of ABMR. Donor-specific antibody avoidance and reduction strategies before transplantation are critical to avoiding ABMR and improving long-term outcomes.

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder following kidney transplantation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Maksten, Eva Futtrup; Vase, Maja Ølholm; Kampmann, Jan

2016-01-01

after long-term post-transplantation follow-up. A retrospective population-based cohort study including all kidney transplant recipients at two Danish centres (1990-2011; population covered 3.1 million; 2175 transplantations in 1906 patients). Pathology reports were reviewed for all patient biopsies...

Predictors of renal recovery in patients with pre-orthotopic liver transplant (OLT) renal dysfunction

OpenAIRE

Iglesias, Jose; Frank, Elliot; Mehandru, Sushil; Davis, John M; Levine, Jerrold S

2013-01-01

Background Renal dysfunction occurs commonly in patients awaiting orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) for end-stage liver disease. The use of simultaneous liver-kidney transplantation has increased in the MELD scoring era. As patients may recover renal function after OLT, identifying factors predictive of renal recovery is a critical issue, especially given the scarcity of available organs. Methods Employing the UNOS database, we sought to identify donor- and patient-related predictors of ...

Patent foramen ovale does not have a negative impact on early outcomes in patients undergoing liver transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Alba, Ana Carolina; Verocai Flaman, F; Granton, J; Delgado, D H

2011-01-01

To identify the impact of the presence of patent foramen ovale (PFO) in patients undergoing liver transplantation. Twenty-seven pre-liver transplant patients who had a PFO (PFO group) were identified and compared with 61 patients without PFO (NoPFO group). Patients were matched according to age, gender and cause of liver disease. The diagnosis of PFO was made by transthoracic echocardiography prior to liver transplantation. Patient baseline characteristics and complications during the early post-transplant period were analyzed. The mean age in the PFO group was 47 ± 14 (range 18-68) yr and 50 ± 11 (range 12-65) yr in the NoPFO group. The PFO group had a mean model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score of 15 ± 10 whereas in the NoPFO group the MELD score was 19 ± 10 (p = 0.08). There were non-significant differences in echocardiographic parameters between groups. Duration of mechanical ventilation and the incidence of neurological complications were similar. Thirty-day mortality rate was similar in both groups; only one patient in the NoPFO group died within the first 30 days post-transplantation. The presence of PFO in patients with end-stage liver disease undergoing liver transplantation does not appear to affect patient outcomes during the peri-operative period. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Correlations between abnormal iron metabolism and non-motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Wu; Zhi, Yan; Yuan, Yongsheng; Zhang, Bingfeng; Shen, Yuting; Zhang, Hui; Zhang, Kezhong; Xu, Yun

2018-07-01

Despite a growing body of evidence suggests that abnormal iron metabolism plays an important role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD), few studies explored its role in non-motor symptoms (NMS) of PD. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between abnormal iron metabolism and NMS of PD. Seventy PD patients and 64 healthy controls were consecutively recruited to compare serum iron, ceruloplasmin, ferritin, and transferrin levels. We evaluated five classic NMS, including depression, anxiety, pain, sleep disorder, and autonomic dysfunction in PD patients using the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD), the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA), the short form of the McGill Pain Questionnaire, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the Scale for Outcomes in Parkinson's disease for Autonomic Symptoms, respectively. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to investigate the correlations between abnormal iron metabolism and NMS. No differences in serum ceruloplasmin and ferritin levels were examined between PD patients and healthy controls, but we observed significantly decreased serum iron levels and increased serum transferrin levels in PD patients in comparison with healthy controls. After eliminating confounding factors, HAMD scores and HAMA scores were both negatively correlated with serum iron levels and positively correlated with serum transferrin levels. In summary, abnormal iron metabolism might play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of depression and anxiety in PD. Serums levels of iron and transferrin could be peripheral markers for depression and anxiety in PD.

Liver transplantations in Bulgaria--initial experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Vladov, N; Mihaylov, V; Takorov, I; Vasilevski, I; Lukanova, T; Odisseeva, E; Katzarov, K; Simonova, M; Tomova, D; Konakchieva, M; Petrov, N; Mladenov, N; Sergeev, S; Mutafchiiski, V

2014-01-01

The filed of liver transplantation (LT) continues to evolve and is highly effective therapy for many patients with acute and chronic liver failure resulting from a variety of causes. Improvement of perioperative care, surgical technique and immunosuppression in recent years has led to its transformation into a safe and routine procedure with steadily improving results. The aim of this paper is to present the initial experience of the transplant team at Military Medical Academy - Sofia, Bulgaria. For the period of April 2007 - August 2014 the team performed 38 liver transplants in 37 patients (one retransplantation). Patients were followed up prospectively and retrospectively. In 36 (95%) patients a graft from a cadaveric donor was used and in two cases--a right liver grafts from live donor. The mean MELD score of the transplanted patients was 17 (9-40). The preferred surgical technique was "piggyback" with preservation of inferior vena cava in 33 (86%) of the cases and classical technique in 3 (8%) patients. The overall complication rate was 48%. Early mortality rate was 13% (5 patients). The overall 1- and 5-year survival is 81% and 77% respectivelly. The setting of a new LT program is a complex process which requires the effort and effective colaboration of a wide range of speciacialists (hepatologists, surgeons, anesthesiologists, psychologists, therapists, coordinators, etc.) and institutions. The good results are function of a proper selection of the donors and the recipients. Living donation is an alternative in the shortage of cadaveric donors.

Effect of intravenous transplantation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells on neurotransmitters and synapsins in rats with spinal cord injury

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Shaoqiang; Wu, Bilian; Lin, Jianhua

2012-01-01

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were isolated, purified and cultured in vitro by Percoll density gradient centrifugation combined with the cell adherence method. Passages 3–5 bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were transplanted into rats with traumatic spinal cord injury via the caudal vein. Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan scores indicate that neurological function of experimental rats was significantly improved over transplantation time (1–5 weeks). Expressions of choline acetyltransferase, glutamic acid decarboxylase and synapsins in the damaged spinal cord of rats was significantly increased after transplantation, determined by immunofluorescence staining and laser confocal scanning microscopy. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells that had migrated into the damaged area of rats in the experimental group began to express choline acetyltransferase, glutamic acid decarboxylase and synapsins, 3 weeks after transplantation. The Basso-Beattie- Bresnahan scores positively correlated with expression of choline acetyltransferase and synapsins. Experimental findings indicate that intravenously transplanted bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells traverse into the damaged spinal cord of rats, promote expression of choline acetyltransferase, glutamic acid decarboxylase and synapsins, and improve nerve function in rats with spinal cord injury. PMID:25657678

Labeling of pancreatic islets with iron oxide nanoparticles for in vivo detection with magnetic resonance

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Berková, Z.; Jirák, D.; Zacharovová, K.; Kříž, J.; Lodererová, A.; Girman, P.; Koblas, T.; Dovolilová, E.; Vancová, Marie; Hájek, M.; Saudek, F.

2008-01-01

Roč. 85, č. 1 (2008), s. 155-159 ISSN 0041-1337 R&D Projects: GA MŠk 2B06175; GA MŠk LN00A065 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60220518 Keywords : pancreatic islet s * islet s transplantation * iron nanoparticles Subject RIV: FB - Endocrinology, Diabetology, Metabolism, Nutrition Impact factor: 3.816, year: 2008

Dispositional optimism and coping strategies in patients with a kidney transplant.

Science.gov (United States)

Costa-Requena, Gemma; Cantarell-Aixendri, M Carmen; Parramon-Puig, Gemma; Serón-Micas, Daniel

2014-01-01

 Dispositional optimism is a personal resource that determines the coping style and adaptive response to chronic diseases. The aim of this study was to assess the correlations between dispositional optimism and coping strategies in patients with recent kidney transplantation and evaluate the differences in the use of coping strategies in accordance with the level of dispositional optimism.  Patients who were hospitalised in the nephrology department were selected consecutively after kidney transplantation was performed. The evaluation instruments were the Life Orientation Test-Revised, and the Coping Strategies Inventory. The data were analysed with central tendency measures, correlation analyses and means were compared using Student’s t-test.   66 patients with a kidney transplant participated in the study. The coping styles that characterised patients with a recent kidney transplantation were Social withdrawal and Problem avoidance. Correlations between dispositional optimism and coping strategies were significant in a positive direction in Problem-solving (p<.05) and Cognitive restructuring (p<.01), and inversely with Self-criticism (p<.05). Differences in dispositional optimism created significant differences in the Self-Criticism dimension (t=2.58; p<.01).  Dispositional optimism scores provide differences in coping responses after kidney transplantation. Moreover, coping strategies may influence the patient’s perception of emotional wellbeing after kidney transplantation.

A Study on Adherence to Follow-up, Quality of Life, and Associated Factors Among Renal Transplant Recipients in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, L; Yan, J; Yang, G-L; Liu, Y

Adherence to follow-up is vital for the medical surveillance of the postoperative blood concentration, but relatively little research has examined it, and there is less study on relationships between adherence to follow-up and quality of life (QoL). We investigated the status of adherence to follow-up and QoL and associated factors among kidney transplantation recipients in China. A cross-sectional study with the use of a Kidney Transplantation Recipient's Adherence to Follow-Up Questionnaire and a Quality of Life of Kidney Transplantation Recipients Questionnaire was conducted among 250 kidney transplantation recipients in Changsha, China, from January to March in 2015. The mean score for adherence to follow-up was 54.71 ± 6.46. Time after transplantation was the only factor affecting adherence to follow-up scores (β = -0.210; P adherence to follow-up, economic level, job status, donor source, and original disease affected with QoL. Adherence to follow-up decreases with time after transplantation, and better compliance is associated with better QoL in all areas. Improvements in adherence to follow-up, income and reimbursement, psychologic guidance, and social support may increase QoL of kidney transplantat recipients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Information about liver transplantation on the World Wide Web.

Science.gov (United States)

Hanif, F; Sivaprakasam, R; Butler, A; Huguet, E; Pettigrew, G J; Michael, E D A; Praseedom, R K; Jamieson, N V; Bradley, J A; Gibbs, P

2006-09-01

Orthotopic liver transplant (OLTx) has evolved to a successful surgical management for end-stage liver diseases. Awareness and information about OLTx is an important tool in assisting OLTx recipients and people supporting them, including non-transplant clinicians. The study aimed to investigate the nature and quality of liver transplant-related patient information on the World Wide Web. Four common search engines were used to explore the Internet by using the key words 'Liver transplant'. The URL (unique resource locator) of the top 50 returns was chosen as it was judged unlikely that the average user would search beyond the first 50 sites returned by a given search. Each Web site was assessed on the following categories: origin, language, accessibility and extent of the information. A weighted Information Score (IS) was created to assess the quality of clinical and educational value of each Web site and was scored independently by three transplant clinicians. The Internet search performed with the aid of the four search engines yielded a total of 2,255,244 Web sites. Of the 200 possible sites, only 58 Web sites were assessed because of repetition of the same Web sites and non-accessible links. The overall median weighted IS was 22 (IQR 1 - 42). Of the 58 Web sites analysed, 45 (77%) belonged to USA, six (10%) were European, and seven (12%) were from the rest of the world. The median weighted IS of publications originating from Europe and USA was 40 (IQR = 22 - 60) and 23 (IQR = 6 - 38), respectively. Although European Web sites produced a higher weighted IS [40 (IQR = 22 - 60)] as compared with the USA publications [23 (IQR = 6 - 38)], this was not statistically significant (p = 0.07). Web sites belonging to the academic institutions and the professional organizations scored significantly higher with a median weighted IS of 28 (IQR = 16 - 44) and 24(12 - 35), respectively, as compared with the commercial Web sites (median = 6 with IQR of 0 - 14, p = .001). There

Lesion Size Does Not Predict Outcomes in Fresh Osteochondral Allograft Transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Tírico, Luis E P; McCauley, Julie C; Pulido, Pamela A; Bugbee, William D

2018-03-01

Cartilage repair algorithms use lesion size to choose surgical techniques when selecting a cartilage repair procedure. The association of fresh osteochondral allograft (OCA) size with graft survivorship and subjective patient outcomes is still unknown. To determine if lesion size (absolute or relative) affects outcomes after OCA transplantation. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. The study included 156 knees in 143 patients who underwent OCA transplantation from 1998 to 2014 for isolated femoral condyle lesions. The mean age was 29.6 ± 11.4 years, and 62.9% were male. The majority of patients (62.2%) presented for cartilage repair because of osteochondritis dissecans. The mean graft area, used as a surrogate for absolute size of the lesion, was 6.4 cm 2 (range, 2.3-11.5 cm 2 ). The relative size of the lesion was calculated as the tibial width ratio (TWR; ratio of graft area to tibial width) and affected femoral condyle ratio (AFCR; ratio of graft area to affected femoral condyle width) using preoperative radiographs. All patients had a minimum follow-up of 2 years. Further surgical procedures were documented, and graft failure was defined as revision OCA transplantation or conversion to arthroplasty. International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) pain, function, and total scores were obtained. Satisfaction with OCA transplantation was assessed. The mean follow-up among patients with grafts remaining in situ was 6.0 years (range, 1.9-16.5 years). The OCA failure rate was 5.8%. Overall survivorship of the graft was 97.2% at 5 years and 93.5% at 10 years. No difference in postoperative outcomes between groups was found in absolute or relative size. Change in IKDC scores (from preoperative to latest follow-up) was greater for knees with large lesions compared to knees with small lesions, among all measurement methods. Overall satisfaction with the results of OCA transplantation was 89.8%. The size of the lesion, either absolute or relative, does not influence

The relative validity and reproducibility of an iron food frequency questionnaire for identifying iron-related dietary patterns in young women.

Science.gov (United States)

Beck, Kathryn L; Kruger, Rozanne; Conlon, Cathryn A; Heath, Anne-Louise M; Coad, Jane; Matthys, Christophe; Jones, Beatrix; Stonehouse, Welma

2012-08-01

Using food frequency data to identify dietary patterns is a newly emerging approach to assessing the relationship between dietary intake and iron status. Food frequency questionnaires should be assessed for validity and reproducibility before use. We aimed to investigate the relative validity and reproducibility of an iron food frequency questionnaire (FeFFQ) specifically designed to identify iron-related dietary patterns. Participants completed the FeFFQ at baseline (FeFFQ1) and 1 month later (FeFFQ2) to assess reproducibility. A 4-day weighed diet record (4DDR) was completed between these assessments to determine validity. Foods appearing in the 4DDR were classified into the same 144 food groupings as the FeFFQ. Factor analysis was used to determine dietary patterns from FeFFQ1, FeFFQ2, and the 4DDR. A convenience sample of women (n=115) aged 18 to 44 years living in Auckland, New Zealand, during 2009. Agreement between diet pattern scores was compared using correlation coefficients, Bland-Altman analysis, cross-classification, and the weighted κ statistic. A "healthy" and a "sandwich and drinks" dietary pattern were identified from all three dietary assessments. Correlation coefficients between FeFFQ1 and the 4DDR diet pattern scores (validity) were 0.34 for the healthy, and 0.62 for the sandwich and drinks pattern (both Ps50% of participants into the correct tertile and <10% into the opposite tertile for both the healthy and sandwich and drinks diet pattern scores when compared with the 4DDR and FeFFQ2. The FeFFQ appears to be a reproducible and relatively valid method for identifying dietary patterns, and could be used to investigate the relationship between dietary patterns and iron status. Copyright © 2012 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Fitness and quality of life in kidney transplant recipients: case-control study].

Science.gov (United States)

Hernández Sánchez, Sonsoles; Carrero, Juan J; García López, David; Herrero Alonso, Juan Azael; Menéndez Alegre, Héctor; Ruiz, Jonatan R

2016-04-15

We analyzed the levels of fitness, muscle structure and quality of life of adults after kidney transplant and healthy adults. A total of 16 kidney transplant patients and 21 healthy controls performed several fitness test, isokinetic evaluation of knee flexion and extension and ultrasonography muscle thickness assessment. They also completed the quality of life questionnaire SF-36. Physical fitness, muscle structure and quality of life of the kidney transplant recipients were significantly poorer than the controls. The transplant patients performed less well in the "get up and go" and "sit to stand" test (p<.001) as well as in assessments of muscle structure, strength and power. The patients had a poorer score in their quality of life assessments, differing from the controls in domains of physical function, physical role, general health and social function (p<.001). Fitness, strength and muscle mass are diminished in kidney transplant patients, resulting in a poorer quality of life which might entail an increased risk to their health. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Can soluble transferrin receptor be used in diagnosing iron deficiency anemia and assessing iron response in infants with moderate acute malnutrition?

Science.gov (United States)

Büyükkaragöz, Bahar; Akgun, Necat A; Bulus, Ayse D; Durmus Aydogdu, Sultan; Bal, Cengiz

2017-04-01

To evaluate the efficacy of soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) in diagnosing iron deficiency anemia (IDA) and evaluating iron response in infants with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM). Infants with hemoglobin (Hb) levels lower than threshold values for anemia for their ages and hypochromic/ microcytic anemia on peripheral smear were recruited. MAM was defined as weight/height z score iron parameters and sTfR were compared among 41 infants with MAM and anemia (MA group), 32 infants with anemia without MAM (group A), and healthy controls (n= 30). Following anemia and malnutrition treatment, tests were repeated. Besides hematological indices compatible with IDA, serum iron (Fe) and transferrin saturation (TS) were significantly lower, while transferrin was significantly higher in MA and A groups compared to controls (p 0.05) and significantly higher than controls (p iron treatment, sTfR decreased in both MA and A groups (p iron treatment, we believe that this parameter was not influenced by MAM or inflammation; and it alone can be used to detect IDA and monitor treatment response in infants with MAM.

Arthroscopic Transplantation of Synovial Stem Cells Improves Clinical Outcomes in Knees With Cartilage Defects.

Science.gov (United States)

Sekiya, Ichiro; Muneta, Takeshi; Horie, Masafumi; Koga, Hideyuki

2015-07-01

Transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is one possible strategy to achieve articular cartilage repair. We previously reported that synovial MSCs were highly proliferative and able to undergo chondrogenesis. We also found that placing a suspension of synovial MSCs on a cartilage defect for 10 minutes promoted cartilage repair in rabbit and pig models. However, the in vivo efficacy of this approach has not been tested clinically. We asked whether transplantation of synovial MSCs improves (1) MRI features, (2) histologic features, and (3) clinical evaluation scores in patients with cartilage defects in the knee? Patients with a symptomatic single cartilage lesion of the femoral condyle were indicated for inclusion in our study, and between April 2008 and April 2011, 10 patients were enrolled in this study. All patients completed followups of 3 years or more. The average followup period was 52 months (range, 37-80 months). Synovial MSCs were expanded with 10% autologous human serum for 14 days after digestion. For transplantation, the patient was positioned so that the cartilage defect was facing upward, and synovial MSC suspension was placed on the cartilage defect with a syringe under arthroscopic control. The defect with the applied suspension then was held in the upward position for 10 minutes. Five patients underwent concomitant ACL reconstructions, among whom two had meniscus suturing performed simultaneously. For MRI quantification, the cartilage defect was scored from 0 to 5. Second-look arthroscopy was performed for four patients and biopsy specimens were evaluated histologically. Clinical outcome was assessed using the Lysholm score and Tegner Activity Level Scale at final followup. Comparisons of MRI and Lysholm scores before and after treatment for each patient were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. MRI score (median ± 95% CI) was 1.0 ± 0.3 before and 5.0 ± 0.7 after, and increased after treatment in each patient (p = 0.005). Second

Human umbilical cord blood mononuclear cell transplantation for delayed encephalopathy after carbon monoxide intoxication

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gong D

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Dianrong Gong,1 Haiyan Yu,1 Weihua Wang,2 Haixin Yang,1 Fabin Han1,21Department of Neurology, 2Centre for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Liaocheng People's Hospital, The Affiliated Liaocheng Hospital, Taishan Medical University, Shandong, People's Republic of ChinaAbstract: Stem cell transplantation is one of the potential treatments for neurological disorders. Since human umbilical cord stem cells have been shown to provide neuroprotection and promote neural regeneration, we have attempted to transplant the human umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells (hUCB-MNCs to treat patients with delayed encephalopathy after carbon monoxide intoxication (DEACOI. The hUCB-MNCs were isolated from fresh umbilical cord blood and were given to patients subarachnoidally. Physical examinations, mini-mental state examination scores, and computed tomography scans were used to evaluate the improvement of symptoms, signs, and pathological changes of the patient's brain before and after hUCB-MNC transplantation. A total of 12 patients with DEACOI were treated with hUCB-MNCs in this study. We found that most of the patients have shown significant improvements in movement, behavior, and cognitive function, and improved brain images in 1–4 months from the first transplantation of hUCB-MNCs. None of these patients have been observed to have any severe adverse effects. Our study suggests that the hUCB-MNC transplantation may be a safe and effective treatment for DEACOI. Further studies and clinical trials with more cases, using more systematic scoring methods, are needed to evaluate brain structural and functional improvements in patients with DEACOI after hUCB-MNC therapy.Keywords: human umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells, transplantation, delayed encephalopathy after carbon monoxide intoxication, MMSE

Patient factors associated with lung transplant referral and waitlist for patients with cystic fibrosis and pulmonary fibrosis.

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Liu, Yuan; Vela, Monica; Rudakevych, Tanya; Wigfield, Christopher; Garrity, Edward; Saunders, Milda R

2017-03-01

Since 2005, the Lung Allocation Score (LAS) has prioritized patient benefit and post-transplant survival, reducing waitlist to transplant time to fibrosis (CF) and pulmonary fibrosis (PF). We analyzed the times from transplant eligibility to referral, work-up and waitlisting using Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank tests. Overall, the referral rate for transplant-eligible patients was 64%. Of those referred, approximately 36% reach the lung transplant waitlist. Referred CF patients were significantly more likely to reach the transplant waitlist than PF patients (CF 60% vs PF 22%, p < 0.05). In addition, CF patients had a shorter wait from transplant eligibility to waitlist than PF patients (329 vs 2,369 days, respectively [25th percentile], p < 0.05). Patients with PF and CF both faced delays from eligibility to referral and waitlist. Quality improvement efforts are needed to better identify and refer appropriate patients for lung transplant evaluation. Targeted interventions may facilitate more efficient evaluation completion and waitlist appearance. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Update for 2014 on clinical cardiology, geriatric cardiology, and heart failure and transplantation.

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Barón-Esquivias, Gonzalo; Manito, Nicolás; López Díaz, Javier; Martín Santana, Antonio; García Pinilla, José Manuel; Gómez Doblas, Juan José; Gómez Bueno, Manuel; Barrios Alonso, Vivencio; Lambert, José Luis

2015-04-01

In the present article, we review publications from the previous year in the following 3 areas: clinical cardiology, geriatric cardiology, and heart failure and transplantation. Among the new developments in clinical cardiology are several contributions from Spanish groups on tricuspid and aortic regurgitation, developments in atrial fibrillation, syncope, and the clinical characteristics of heart disease, as well as various studies on familial heart disease and chronic ischemic heart disease. In geriatric cardiology, the most relevant studies published in 2014 involve heart failure, degenerative aortic stenosis, and data on atrial fibrillation in the geriatric population. In heart failure and transplantation, the most noteworthy developments concern the importance of multidisciplinary units and patients with preserved systolic function. Other notable publications were those related to iron deficiency, new drugs, and new devices and biomarkers. Finally, we review studies on acute heart failure and transplantation, such as inotropic drugs and ventricular assist devices. Copyright © 2014 Sociedad Española de Cardiología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Hepatic encephalopathy before and neurological complications after liver transplantation have no impact on the employment status 1 year after transplantation

OpenAIRE

Pflugrad, Henning; Tryc, Anita B; Goldbecker, Annemarie; Strassburg, Christian P; Barg-Hock, Hannelore; Klempnauer, J?rgen; Weissenborn, Karin

2017-01-01

AIM To investigate the impact of hepatic encephalopathy before orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) and neurological complications after OLT on employment after OLT. METHODS One hundred and fourteen patients with chronic liver disease aged 18-60 years underwent neurological examination to identify neurological complications, neuropsychological tests comprising the PSE-Syndrome-Test yielding the psychometric hepatic encephalopathy score, the critical flicker frequency and the Repeatable Batt...

Unrelated alternative donor transplantation for severe acquired aplastic anemia: a study from the French Society of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cell Therapies and the EBMT Severe Aplastic Anemia Working Party.

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Devillier, Raynier; Dalle, Jean-Hugues; Kulasekararaj, Austin; D'aveni, Maud; Clément, Laurence; Chybicka, Alicja; Vigouroux, Stéphane; Chevallier, Patrice; Koh, Mickey; Bertrand, Yves; Michallet, Mauricette; Zecca, Marco; Yakoub-Agha, Ibrahim; Cahn, Jean-Yves; Ljungman, Per; Bernard, Marc; Loiseau, Pascale; Dubois, Valérie; Maury, Sébastien; Socié, Gérard; Dufour, Carlo; Peffault de Latour, Regis

2016-07-01

Unrelated allogeneic transplantation for severe aplastic anemia is a treatment option after immunosuppressive treatment failure in the absence of a matched sibling donor. Age, delay between disease diagnosis and transplantation, and HLA matching are the key factors in transplantation decisions, but their combined impact on patient outcomes remains unclear. Using the French Society of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cell Therapies registry, we analyzed all consecutive patients (n=139) who underwent a first allogeneic transplantation for idiopathic severe aplastic anemia from an unrelated donor between 2000 and 2012. In an adjusted multivariate model, age over 30 years (Hazard Ratio=2.39; P=0.011), time from diagnosis to transplantation over 12 months (Hazard Ratio=2.18; P=0.027) and the use of a 9/10 mismatched unrelated donor (Hazard Ratio=2.14; P=0.036) were independent risk factors that significantly worsened overall survival. Accordingly, we built a predictive score using these three parameters, considering patients at low (zero or one risk factors, n=94) or high (two or three risk factors, n=45) risk. High-risk patients had significantly shorter survival (Hazard Ratio=3.04; Paplastic anemia. Copyright© Ferrata Storti Foundation.

Kidney transplant

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... always take your medicine as directed. Alternative Names Renal transplant; Transplant - kidney Patient Instructions Kidney removal - discharge Images Kidney anatomy Kidney - blood and urine flow Kidneys Kidney transplant - ...

Pancreatic Islet Cell Transplantation: A new era in transplantation

OpenAIRE

Warnock, Garth L.; Rajotte, Ray V.

1992-01-01

Transplantation of insulin-producing tissue offers a physiologic approach to restoration of glycemic control. Whereas transplantation of vascularized pancreatic grafts has recently achieved encouraging results, pancreatic islet cell transplantation holds the promise of low morbidity and reduced requirements for agressive immunosuppression for recipients. Islet cell transplantation was recently demonstrated to induce euglycemia with insulin independence.

Iron and stony-iron meteorites

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ruzicka, Alex M.; Haack, Henning; Chabot, Nancy L.

2017-01-01

By far most of the melted and differentiated planetesimals that have been sampled as meteorites are metal-rich iron meteorites or stony iron meteorites. The parent asteroids of these meteorites accreted early and differentiated shortly after the solar system formed, producing some of the oldest...... and interpretations for iron and stony iron meteorites (Plate 13.1). Such meteorites provide important constraints on the nature of metal-silicate separation and mixing in planetesimals undergoing partial to complete differentiation. They include iron meteorites that formed by the solidification of cores...... (fractionally crystallized irons), irons in which partly molten metal and silicates of diverse types were mixed together (silicate-bearing irons), stony irons in which partly molten metal and olivine from cores and mantles were mixed together (pallasites), and stony irons in which partly molten metal...

The Impact of Splenectomy in Myelofibrosis Patients before Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

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Robin, Marie; Zine, Maryem; Chevret, Sylvie; Meignin, Véronique; Munoz-Bongrand, Nicolas; Moatti, Hannah; Xhaard, Aliénor; Sicre de Fontbrune, Flore; Peffault de Latour, Régis; Sarfati, Emile; Socié, Gérard

2017-06-01

Performing a pretransplantation splenectomy in patients with myelofibrosis (MF) is a matter of debate, as while the procedure improves hematological recovery, it may lead to severe morbidities. We retrospectively analyzed data from 85 consecutive patients who underwent transplantation in our center for MF, including 39 patients who underwent splenectomy before their transplantation. A majority of them had primary MF (78%), were considered high-risk patients (84% dynamic international prognostic scoring system intermediate-2 or higher), and had received transplants from HLA-matched sibling donors (56%) after a reduced-intensity conditioning regimen (82%). One-half of all splenectomized patients presented surgical or postsurgical morbidities, most frequently thrombosis and hemorrhage. After adjustment using Cox models, pretransplantation splenectomy was not associated with nonrelapse mortality or post-transplantation relapse but with an improved overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS). We conclude that some patients with huge splenomegaly may undergo pretransplantation splenectomy without a deleterious impact on post-transplantation outcomes. OS and EFS improvement should in confirmed in controlled study. Copyright © 2017 The American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Transplantation of dedifferentiated fat cell-derived micromass pellets contributed to cartilage repair in the rat osteochondral defect model.

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Shimizu, Manabu; Matsumoto, Taro; Kikuta, Shinsuke; Ohtaki, Munenori; Kano, Koichiro; Taniguchi, Hiroaki; Saito, Shu; Nagaoka, Masahiro; Tokuhashi, Yasuaki

2018-03-20

Mature adipocyte-derived dedifferentiated fat (DFAT) cells possesses the ability to proliferate effectively and the potential to differentiate into multiple linages of mesenchymal tissue; similar to adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs). The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of DFAT cell transplantation on cartilage repair in a rat model of osteochondral defects. Full-thickness osteochondral defects were created in the knees of Sprague-Dawley rats bilaterally. Cartilage-like micromass pellets were prepared from green fluorescent protein (GFP)-labeled rat DFAT cells and subsequently transplanted into the affected right knee of these rats. Defects in the left knee were used as a control. Macroscopic and microscopic changes of treated and control defects were evaluated up to 12 weeks post-treatment with DFAT cells. To observe the transplanted cells, sectioned femurs were immunostained for GFP and type II collagen. DFAT cells formed micromass pellets expressing characteristics of immature cartilage in vitro. In the DFAT cell-transplanted limbs, the defects were completely filled with white micromass pellets as early as 2 weeks post-treatment. These limbs became smooth at 4 weeks. Conversely, the defects in the control limbs were still not repaired by 4 weeks. Macroscopic ICRS scores at 2 and 4 weeks were significantly higher in the DFAT cells-transplanted limbs compared to those of the control limbs. The modified O'Driscol histological scores for the DFAT cell-transplanted limbs were significantly higher than those of the control limbs at corresponding time points. GFP-positive DAFT cells were detected in the transplanted area at 2 weeks but hardly visible at 12 weeks post-operation. Transplantation of DFAT cell-derived micromass pellets contribute to cartilage repair in a rat osteochondral defect model. DFAT cell transplantation may be a viable therapeutic strategy for the repair of osteochondral injuries. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by

A Multistep, Consensus-Based Approach to Organ Allocation in Liver Transplantation: Toward a "Blended Principle Model".

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Cillo, U; Burra, P; Mazzaferro, V; Belli, L; Pinna, A D; Spada, M; Nanni Costa, A; Toniutto, P

2015-10-01

Since Italian liver allocation policy was last revised (in 2012), relevant critical issues and conceptual advances have emerged, calling for significant improvements. We report the results of a national consensus conference process, promoted by the Italian College of Liver Transplant Surgeons (for the Italian Society for Organ Transplantation) and the Italian Association for the Study of the Liver, to review the best indicators for orienting organ allocation policies based on principles of urgency, utility, and transplant benefit in the light of current scientific evidence. MELD exceptions and hepatocellular carcinoma were analyzed to construct a transplantation priority algorithm, given the inequity of a purely MELD-based system for governing organ allocation. Working groups of transplant surgeons and hepatologists prepared a list of statements for each topic, scoring their quality of evidence and strength of recommendation using the Centers for Disease Control grading system. A jury of Italian transplant surgeons, hepatologists, intensivists, infectious disease specialists, epidemiologists, representatives of patients' associations and organ-sharing organizations, transplant coordinators, and ethicists voted on and validated the proposed statements. After carefully reviewing the statements, a critical proposal for revising Italy's current liver allocation policy was prepared jointly by transplant surgeons and hepatologists. © Copyright 2015 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

Oral Valganciclovir as a Preemptive Treatment for Cytomegalovirus (CMV Infection in CMV-Seropositive Liver Transplant Recipients.

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Jong Man Kim

Full Text Available Cytomegalovirus (CMV infections in liver transplant recipients are common and result in significant morbidity and mortality. Intravenous ganciclovir or oral valganciclovir are the standard treatment for CMV infection. The present study investigates the efficacy of oral valganciclovir in CMV infection as a preemptive treatment after liver transplantation.Between 2012 and 2013, 161 patients underwent liver transplantation at Samsung Medical Center. All patients received tacrolimus, steroids, and mycophenolate mofetil. Patients with CMV infection were administered oral valganciclovir (VGCV 900mg/day daily or intravenous ganciclovir (GCV 5mg/kg twice daily as preemptive treatment. Stable liver transplant recipients received VGCV.Eighty-three patients (51.6% received antiviral therapy as a preemptive treatment because of CMV infection. The model for end-stage liver disease (MELD score and the proportions of Child-Pugh class C, hepatorenal syndrome, and deceased donor liver transplantation in the CMV infection group were higher than in the no CMV infection group. Sixty-one patients received GCV and 22 patients received VGCV. The MELD scores in the GCV group were higher than in the VGCV group, but there were no statistical differences in the pretransplant variables between the two groups. AST, ALT, and total bilirubin levels in the GCV group were higher than in the VGCV group when CMV infection occurred. The incidences of recurrent CMV infection in the GCV and VGCV groups were 14.8% and 4.5%, respectively (P=0.277.Oral valganciclovir is feasible as a preemptive treatment for CMV infection in liver transplant recipients with stable graft function.

Performance of long-term CT monitoring in diagnosing bronchiolitis obliterans after lung transplantation

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Berstad, Audun E. [Department of Radiology, Rikshospitalet University Hospital, Sognsvannsveien 20, N-0027 Oslo (Norway)]. E-mail: a.e.berstad@medisin.uio.no; Aalokken, Trond Mogens [Department of Radiology, Rikshospitalet University Hospital, Sognsvannsveien 20, N-0027 Oslo (Norway); Kolbenstvedt, Alf [Department of Radiology, Rikshospitalet University Hospital, Sognsvannsveien 20, N-0027 Oslo (Norway); Bjortuft, Oystein [Department of Thoracic Medicine, Rikshospitalet University Hospital, Sognsvannsveien 20, N-0027 Oslo (Norway)

2006-04-15

Aim: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the ability of CT, including expiratory scans with minimum intensity projection in predicting the development of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome after lung transplantation. Materials and methods: Forty consecutive patients, 29 bilateral and 11 single lung transplanted, were followed-up with regular scans for a median of 36 months. Air trapping was evaluated on expiratory scans constructed from two short spiral scans with minimum intensity projection-technique, one at the level of the carina and the other midway between the right diaphragm and the carina. Air trapping was scored on a 16-point scale. Bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome was diagnosed according to established clinical criteria and quantified spirometrically. Results: Bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome developed in 17 patients (43%) after a median of 12 months. Air trapping and bronchiectasis was seen before the diagnosis of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome in only two and one patient, respectively. Interobserver agreement for air trapping score was good (kappa = 0.65). Air trapping scores performed significantly better than that achieved by chance alone in determining the presence of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (P = 0.0025). An air trapping score of 4 or more provided the best results with regard to sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of an air trapping of 4 or more in the diagnosis of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome were 77, 74, 68 and 81%, respectively. Conclusion: Expiratory CT scans with minimum intensity projection-reconstruction did not predict the development of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome in most patients. The findings seriously limit the clinical usefulness of long-term CT monitoring for diagnosing bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome after lung transplantation.

Intestine Transplant

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... After the transplant Preventing rejection Post-transplant medications Types of immunosuppressants Switching immunosuppressants Side effects Other medications Generic and brand name drugs Post-transplant tests Infections and immunity Lifestyle changes Health concerns Back to work or ...

The analgesic efficacy of continuous transversus abdominis plane block in renal transplant recipients

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Beena Kandarp Parikh

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background and Aims: Transversus abdominis plane (TAP block is suitable for operations where parietal pain is a major cause of pain. Renal transplant recipients are ideally suited to gain maximum benefit from TAP block as the incision classically involves the lower abdomen. This study was conducted to evaluate the analgesic efficacy of continuous TAP block in transplant recipients. Material and Methods: In a prospective double-blind study, 40 chronic renal failure patients undergoing open renal transplant were randomly divided into two groups. At the end of surgery during closure, a multiorifice epidural catheter was placed in TAP plane. Study group (Group S received Inj bupivacaine bolus 1 mg/kg (0.25% followed by infusion 0.25 mg/kg (0.125% through the catheter, whereas control group (Group C received normal saline through the catheter. Inj pentazocine (0.3 mg/kg was given as rescue analgesic at visual analogue score (VAS > 3 in any group at rest or on movement. The analgesic efficacy was judged by VAS, time of first rescue analgesic, and total analgesic consumption in 24 h. Results: Patients in Group S had significant lower VAS scores, longer time to first rescue analgesic (270 ± 347.96 vs. 42.85 ± 32.27 min and lower pentazocine consumption (9.75 ± 13.95 vs. 56.42 ± 12.46 mg in 24 h. There was significant sedation in Group C. Conclusion: The TAP catheter technique for postoperative pain control after renal transplant has proved to be effective in relieving the postoperative pain after renal transplant with less pentazocine requirement and less sedation.

Chemoembolization Decreases Drop-Off Risk of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients on the Liver Transplant List

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frangakis, Constantine; Geschwind, Jean-Francois; Kim, Daniel; Chen, Yong; Koteish, Ayman; Hong, Kelvin; Liapi, Eleni; Georgiades, Christos S.

2011-01-01

Introduction: The drop-off risk for patients awaiting liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is 22%. Transplant liver availability is expected to worsen, resulting in longer waiting times and increased drop-off rates. Our aim was to determine whether chemoembolization can decrease this risk. Patients and Methods: Eighty-seven consecutive HCC patients listed for liver transplant (Milan criteria) underwent statistical comparability adjustments using the propensity score (Wilcoxon, Fisher’s, and chi-square tests). Forty-three nonchemoembolization patients and 22 chemoembolization patients were comparable for Child-Pugh and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease scores, tumor size and number, alpha fetoprotein (AFP) levels, and cause of cirrhosis. We calculated the risk of dropping off the transplant list by assigning a transplant time to those who dropped off (equal probability with patients who were on the list longer than the patient in question). The significance level was obtained by calculating the simulation distribution of the difference compared with the permutations of chemoembolization versus nonchemoembolization assignment of the patients. Kaplan–Meier estimators (log-rank test) were used to determine survival rates. Results: Median follow-up was 187 ± 110 weeks (range 38 to 435, date of diagnosis). The chemoembolization group had an 80% drop-off risk decrease (15% nonchemoembolization versus 3% chemoembolization, p = 0.04). Although survival was better for the chemoembolization group, it did not reach statistical significance. Two-year survival for the nonchemoembolization and chemoembolization group was 57.3% ± 7.1% and 76.0% ± 7.9%, respectively (p = 0.078). Conclusions: Chemoembolization appears to result in a significant decrease in the risk of dropping off liver transplant list for patients with HCC and results in a tendency toward longer survival.

Investigation on Abnormal Iron Metabolism and Related Inflammation in Parkinson Disease Patients with Probable RBD

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Hu, Yang; Yu, Shu-Yang; Zuo, Li-Jun; Piao, Ying-Shan; Cao, Chen-Jie; Wang, Fang; Chen, Ze-Jie; Du, Yang; Lian, Teng-Hong; Liu, Gai-Fen; Wang, Ya-Jie; Chan, Piu; Chen, Sheng-Di; Wang, Xiao-Min; Zhang, Wei

2015-01-01

Objective To investigate potential mechanisms involving abnormal iron metabolism and related inflammation in Parkinson disease (PD) patients with probable rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (PRBD). Methods Total 210 PD patients and 31 controls were consecutively recruited. PD patients were evaluated by RBD Screening Questionnaire (RBDSQ) and classified into PRBD and probable no RBD (NPRBD) groups. Demographics information were recorded and clinical symptoms were evaluated by series of rating scales. Levels of iron and related proteins and inflammatory factors in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum were detected. Comparisons among control, NPRBD and PRBD groups and correlation analyses between RBDSQ score and levels of above factors were performed. Results (1)The frequency of PRBD in PD patients is 31.90%. (2)PRBD group has longer disease duration, more advanced disease stage, severer motor symptoms and more non-motor symptoms than NPRBD group. (3)In CSF, levels of iron, transferrin, NO and IL–1β in PRBD group are prominently increased. RBDSQ score is positively correlated with the levels of iron, transferrin, NO and IL–1β in PD group. Iron level is positively correlated with the levels of NO and IL–1β in PD group. (4)In serum, transferrin level is prominently decreased in PRBD group. PGE2 level in PRBD group is drastically enhanced. RBDSQ score exhibits a positive correlation with PGE2 level in PD group. Conclusions PRBD is common in PD patients. PRBD group has severer motor symptoms and more non-motor symptoms. Excessive iron in brain resulted from abnormal iron metabolism in central and peripheral systems is correlated with PRBD through neuroinflammation. PMID:26431210

Reconstruction of Multiple Facial Nerve Branches Using Skeletal Muscle-Derived Multipotent Stem Cell Sheet-Pellet Transplantation.

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Kosuke Saito

Full Text Available Head and neck cancer is often diagnosed at advanced stages, and surgical resection with wide margins is generally indicated, despite this treatment being associated with poor postoperative quality of life (QOL. We have previously reported on the therapeutic effects of skeletal muscle-derived multipotent stem cells (Sk-MSCs, which exert reconstitution capacity for muscle-nerve-blood vessel units. Recently, we further developed a 3D patch-transplantation system using Sk-MSC sheet-pellets. The aim of this study is the application of the 3D Sk-MSC transplantation system to the reconstitution of facial complex nerve-vascular networks after severe damage. Mouse experiments were performed for histological analysis and rats were used for functional examinations. The Sk-MSC sheet-pellets were prepared from GFP-Tg mice and SD rats, and were transplanted into the facial resection model (ST. Culture medium was transplanted as a control (NT. In the mouse experiment, facial-nerve-palsy (FNP scoring was performed weekly during the recovery period, and immunohistochemistry was used for the evaluation of histological recovery after 8 weeks. In rats, contractility of facial muscles was measured via electrical stimulation of facial nerves root, as the marker of total functional recovery at 8 weeks after transplantation. The ST-group showed significantly higher FNP (about three fold scores when compared to the NT-group after 2-8 weeks. Similarly, significant functional recovery of whisker movement muscles was confirmed in the ST-group at 8 weeks after transplantation. In addition, engrafted GFP+ cells formed complex branches of nerve-vascular networks, with differentiation into Schwann cells and perineurial/endoneurial cells, as well as vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells. Thus, Sk-MSC sheet-pellet transplantation is potentially useful for functional reconstitution therapy of large defects in facial nerve-vascular networks.

Reconstruction of Multiple Facial Nerve Branches Using Skeletal Muscle-Derived Multipotent Stem Cell Sheet-Pellet Transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Saito, Kosuke; Tamaki, Tetsuro; Hirata, Maki; Hashimoto, Hiroyuki; Nakazato, Kenei; Nakajima, Nobuyuki; Kazuno, Akihito; Sakai, Akihiro; Iida, Masahiro; Okami, Kenji

2015-01-01

Head and neck cancer is often diagnosed at advanced stages, and surgical resection with wide margins is generally indicated, despite this treatment being associated with poor postoperative quality of life (QOL). We have previously reported on the therapeutic effects of skeletal muscle-derived multipotent stem cells (Sk-MSCs), which exert reconstitution capacity for muscle-nerve-blood vessel units. Recently, we further developed a 3D patch-transplantation system using Sk-MSC sheet-pellets. The aim of this study is the application of the 3D Sk-MSC transplantation system to the reconstitution of facial complex nerve-vascular networks after severe damage. Mouse experiments were performed for histological analysis and rats were used for functional examinations. The Sk-MSC sheet-pellets were prepared from GFP-Tg mice and SD rats, and were transplanted into the facial resection model (ST). Culture medium was transplanted as a control (NT). In the mouse experiment, facial-nerve-palsy (FNP) scoring was performed weekly during the recovery period, and immunohistochemistry was used for the evaluation of histological recovery after 8 weeks. In rats, contractility of facial muscles was measured via electrical stimulation of facial nerves root, as the marker of total functional recovery at 8 weeks after transplantation. The ST-group showed significantly higher FNP (about three fold) scores when compared to the NT-group after 2-8 weeks. Similarly, significant functional recovery of whisker movement muscles was confirmed in the ST-group at 8 weeks after transplantation. In addition, engrafted GFP+ cells formed complex branches of nerve-vascular networks, with differentiation into Schwann cells and perineurial/endoneurial cells, as well as vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells. Thus, Sk-MSC sheet-pellet transplantation is potentially useful for functional reconstitution therapy of large defects in facial nerve-vascular networks.

Islet alloautotransplantation: Allogeneic pancreas transplantation followed by transplant pancreatectomy and islet transplantation.

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Nijhoff, M F; Dubbeld, J; van Erkel, A R; van der Boog, P J M; Rabelink, T J; Engelse, M A; de Koning, E J P

2018-04-01

Simultaneous pancreas-kidney (SPK) transplantation is an important treatment option for patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Due to complications, in up to 10% of patients, allograft pancreatectomy is necessary shortly after transplantation. Usually the donor pancreas is discarded. Here, we report on a novel procedure to rescue endocrine tissue after allograft pancreatectomy. A 39-year-old woman with T1D and ESRD who had undergone SPK transplantation required emergency allograft pancreatectomy due to bleeding at the vascular anastomosis. Islets were isolated from the removed pancreas allograft, and almost 480 000 islet equivalents were infused into the portal vein. The patient recovered fully. After 3 months, near-normal mixed meal test (fasting glucose 7.0 mmol/L, 2-hour glucose 7.5 mmol/L, maximal stimulated C-peptide 3.25 nmol/L, without insulin use in the preceding 36 hours) was achieved. Glycated hemoglobin while taking a low dose of long-acting insulin was 32.7 mmol/mol hemoglobin (5.3%). When a donor pancreas is lost after transplantation, rescue β cell therapy by islet alloautotransplantation enables optimal use of scarce donor pancreata to optimize glycemic control without additional HLA alloantigen exposure. © 2017 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

Impact of anti-insulin antibodies on islet transplantation outcome: data from the GRAGIL Network.

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Lablanche, Sandrine; Borot, Sophie; Thaunat, Olivier; Bayle, Francois; Badet, Lionel; Morelon, Emmanuel; Thivolet, Charles; Wojtusciszyn, Anne; Frimat, Luc; Kessler, Laurence; Penfornis, Alfred; Brault, Coralie; Colin, Cyrille; Bosco, Domenico; Berney, Thierry; Benhamou, Pierre Y

2014-08-27

In patients with type 1 diabetes, insulin antibodies (IA), altering the pharmacokinetics of circulating insulin, might be associated with high glucose concentration, prolonged hypoglycemia, and higher insulin requirement. The impact of IA on islet transplantation has never been explored. Our aim was to evaluate islet transplantation results at 1 year according to the presence of IA. Our work is a retrospective, case-control study, comparing IA-negative and IA-positive patients among the cohort of patients with type 1 diabetes transplanted within the Swiss-French GRAGIL network between 2003 and 2010. Data about IA were available for 17 patients. Before islet transplantation, 10 patients (59%) were screened positive for IA. At 12 months after transplantation, IA-positive patients reached insulin independence less frequently than IA-negative patients (cumulative incidence of insulin independence, 22.2% vs. 71.4%; P=0.02); β score was ≥7 in 43% of IA-negative patients versus 0% in IA-positive patients (P=0.022). When comparing IA-positive patients with IA-negative patients, insulin dose was 0.15 U/kg (0.10-0.18 U/kg) versus 0.01 U/kg (0-0.09 U/kg) (P=0.2); HbA1c was 6.1% (5.8%-6.3%) versus 6.1% (5.9%-6.8%) (P=0.16); basal C-peptide level was 460 ρmol/L (350-510 ρmol/L) versus 265 ρmol/L (177-405 ρmol/L) (P=0.28); occurrence of hypoglycemia was 12.5% versus 16.5% (P=0.9); and homeostatic model assessment insulin resistance was 1.25 (1-2.4) versus 0.7 (0.52-0.92) (P=0.01). After islet transplantation, IA-positive patients achieved insulin independence less frequently, exhibiting lower β score and higher homeostatic model assessment insulin resistance compared with IA-negative patients. However, in both groups, islet transplantation restored good glycemic control and drastically reduced hypoglycemia and insulin requirements.

Transplant tourism among kidney transplant patients in Eastern Nigeria.

Science.gov (United States)

Okafor, U H

2017-07-05

Transplant tourism entails movement of recipient, donor or both to a transplant centre outside their country of residence. This has been reported in many countries; and has variously been associated with organ trade. The objective of this study is to determine the frequency and pattern of transplant tourism among transplant patients in Eastern Nigeria. This is a non randomized cross sectional study. All kidney transplant patients who presented at Enugu State University Teaching Hospital Parklane Enugu and Hilton Clinics Port Harcourt in Nigeria were recruited. The clinical parameters including the transplant details of all the patients were documented. The data obtained was analysed using SPSS package. A total of one hundred and twenty six patients were studied, 76.2% were males with M:F ratio of 3.2:1 and mean age of 46.9 ± 13.3 years. Fifty four and 58.7% of the patients were managed in a tertiary hospital and by a nephrologist respectively before referral for kidney transplant. Only 15.8% of the patients had their kidney transplant without delay: finance, lack of donor, logistics including delay in obtaining travelling documents were the common causes of the delay. Ninety percent of the patients had their transplant in India with majority of them using commercial donors. India was also the country with cheapest cost ($18,000.00). 69.8% were unrelated donors, 68.2% were commercial donors and 1.6% of the donors were spouse. All the commercial donors received financial incentives and each commercial donor received mean of 7580 ± 1280 dollars. Also 30.2% of the related donors demanded financial incentive. Transplant tourism is prevalent in eastern Nigeria.

Disaster preparation in kidney transplant recipients: a questionnaire-based cohort study from a large United States transplant center
.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharief, Shimi; Freitas, Daniel; Adey, Deborah; Wiley, James

2018-04-01

Few quantitative assessments have assessed disaster preparation in kidney transplant patients. This is a survey-based assessment of disaster preparedness of 200 patients at the University of California San Francisco, USA. Patients answered questionnaires assessing their level of preparedness as well as barriers to preparation. Preparedness was scored based on response to 7 questions. Univariate analyses compared participant characteristics extracted from the medical chart against three tertiles of preparedness: low (scores 0 - 2), medium (scores 3 - 4), and high (scores 5 - 7). California counties were coded and mapped by average preparedness scores. Only 30% of patients were highly prepared for disasters. Participants were prepared with available medication for 2 weeks (78.5%) and least prepared in having a medical ID bracelet (13%). Significant minorities of patients (40% of patients or more) were unprepared with lists of medications, important phone numbers and disaster kits. Preparedness was not associated with demographic and clinical characteristics. Monterey County was the most prepared of the 31 California counties sampled (score of 4.25 out of 7). All patients should be educated regarding disaster preparation. County and medical services should collaborate to address specialized populations in general preparedness planning.
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Iron storage disease (hemochromatosis) and hepcidin response to iron load in two species of pteropodid fruit bats relative to the common vampire bat.

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Stasiak, Iga M; Smith, Dale A; Ganz, Tomas; Crawshaw, Graham J; Hammermueller, Jutta D; Bienzle, Dorothee; Lillie, Brandon N

2018-07-01

Hepcidin is the key regulator of iron homeostasis in the body. Iron storage disease (hemochromatosis) is a frequent cause of liver disease and mortality in captive Egyptian fruit bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus), but reasons underlying this condition are unknown. Hereditary hemochromatosis in humans is due to deficiency of hepcidin or resistance to the action of hepcidin. Here, we investigated the role of hepcidin in iron metabolism in one species of pteropodid bat that is prone to iron storage disease [Egyptian fruit bat (with and without hemochromatosis)], one species of pteropodid bat where iron storage disease is rare [straw-colored fruit bat (Eidolon helvum)], and one species of bat with a natural diet very high in iron, in which iron storage disease is not reported [common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus)]. Iron challenge via intramuscular injection of iron dextran resulted in significantly increased liver iron content and histologic iron scores in all three species, and increased plasma iron in Egyptian fruit bats and straw-colored fruit bats. Hepcidin mRNA expression increased in response to iron administration in healthy Egyptian fruit bats and common vampire bats, but not in straw-colored fruit bats or Egyptian fruit bats with hemochromatosis. Hepcidin gene expression significantly correlated with liver iron content in Egyptian fruit bats and common vampire bats, and with transferrin saturation and plasma ferritin concentration in Egyptian fruit bats. Induction of hepcidin gene expression in response to iron challenge is absent in straw-colored fruit bats and in Egyptian fruit bats with hemochromatosis and, relative to common vampire bats and healthy humans, is low in Egyptain fruit bats without hemochromatosis. Limited hepcidin response to iron challenge may contribute to the increased susceptibility of Egyptian fruit bats to iron storage disease.

Magnetic separation of encapsulated islet cells labeled with superparamagnetic iron oxide nano particles.

Science.gov (United States)

Mettler, Esther; Trenkler, Anja; Feilen, Peter J; Wiegand, Frederik; Fottner, Christian; Ehrhart, Friederike; Zimmermann, Heiko; Hwang, Yong Hwa; Lee, Dong Yun; Fischer, Stefan; Schreiber, Laura M; Weber, Matthias M

2013-01-01

Islet cell transplantation is a promising option for the restoration of normal glucose homeostasis in patients with type 1 diabetes. Because graft volume is a crucial issue in islet transplantations for patients with diabetes, we evaluated a new method for increasing functional tissue yield in xenogeneic grafts of encapsulated islets. Islets were labeled with three different superparamagnetic iron oxide nano particles (SPIONs; dextran-coated SPION, siloxane-coated SPION, and heparin-coated SPION). Magnetic separation was performed to separate encapsulated islets from the empty capsules, and cell viability and function were tested. Islets labeled with 1000 μg Fe/ml dextran-coated SPIONs experienced a 69.9% reduction in graft volume, with a 33.2% loss of islet-containing capsules. Islets labeled with 100 μg Fe/ml heparin-coated SPIONs showed a 46.4% reduction in graft volume, with a 4.5% loss of capsules containing islets. No purification could be achieved using siloxane-coated SPIONs due to its toxicity to the primary islets. SPION labeling of islets is useful for transplant purification during islet separation as well as in vivo imaging after transplantation. Furthermore, purification of encapsulated islets can also reduce the volume of the encapsulated islets without impairing their function by removing empty capsules. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Mucosal pH, dental findings, and salivary composition in pediatric liver transplant recipients.

Science.gov (United States)

Davidovich, Esti; Asher, Ran; Shapira, Joseph; Brand, Henk S; Veerman, Enno C I; Shapiro, Rivka

2013-07-15

Oral health and dental maintenance have become part of the standard of care for pediatric liver transplant recipients. These individuals tend to suffer particularly from dental problems, such as gingival enlargement, gingivitis, poor oral hygiene, dental hypoplasia, and caries. Saliva composition influences oral hygiene and disease states. We investigated saliva composition and its association with the oral health of young recipients of liver transplants. In 70 patients, 36 liver transplant recipients (ages 2-23 years) and 34 healthy controls (ages 4-21 years), we measured the following variables: (a) oral hygiene, (b) gingival inflammation, (c) caries status, (d) dental calculus formation, (e) oral mucosal pH, and (f) salivary protein composition. Lower mean decayed, missing, and filled teeth index (P=0.0038), higher mean gingival index (P=0.0001), and higher mean calculus score (P=0.003) were found in the transplanted study group compared with the control. The mean mucosal pH for seven intraoral sites was higher in the transplant group (P=0.0006). The median salivary albumin concentration was significantly lower in the transplant group (P=0.01), as was the median salivary albumin/total protein ratio (P=0.0002). In post-liver transplant pediatric recipients, low incidence of caries, together with high incidence of dental calculus, could be attributed to elevated oral mucosal pH. Salivary albumin and immunoglobulin A levels were relatively low in these patients. Clinicians should pay particular attention to the oral health and dental care of liver transplanted children.

Fear of Movement and Low Self-Efficacy Are Important Barriers in Physical Activity after Renal Transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Zelle, Dorien M; Corpeleijn, Eva; Klaassen, Gerald; Schutte, Elise; Navis, Gerjan; Bakker, Stephan J L

2016-01-01

Physical activity (PA) and exercise are commonly used as preventive measures for cardiovascular disease in the general population, and could be effective in the management of post-transplantation cardiovascular risk. PA levels are low after renal transplantation and very few renal transplant recipients (RTR) meet the PA guidelines. Identification of barriers to regular PA is important to identify targets for intervention to improve PA levels after renal transplantation. We investigated fear of movement and physical self-efficacy as barriers to PA in RTR. RTR were investigated between 2001-2003. The Tampa Score of Kinesiophobia-Dutch Version (TSK-11) was used to assess fear of movement. Physical self-efficacy was measured with the LIVAS-scale. PA was assessed using validated questionnaires (Tecumseh Occupational Activity Questionnaire and the Minnesota Leisure Time Physical Activity Questionnaire). A total of 487 RTR (age 51±12 years, 55% men) were studied. Median score [interquartile range] on TSK-11 was 22 [17-26]. Low physical self-efficacy (Exp B:0.41[0.31-0.54], pphysical self-efficacy. This study was the first to examine fear of movement and self-efficacy in relation to PA in RTR. Fear of movement was associated with a low PA level, and the larger part of this relation was mediated by low physical self-efficacy. Both fear of movement and physical self-efficacy level are important targets for intervention during rehabilitation after renal transplantation.

Hair Transplantation in Migraine Headache Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Ors, Safvet

2017-09-01

Migraine headache is a primary neurologic disease affecting millions of people worldwide. As a consequence, quality of life is diminished, productivity suffers (through loss of work force), and treatment costs are substantial. The occurrence rate in the general population is quite high, with women accounting for 3 of every 4 cases. Between January 2011 and May 2012, a total of 221 patients received hair transplants. Another 590 patients underwent hair transplantation between June 2012 and December 2016. Initially (first interval), patients were not questioned on migraine headaches in preoperative visits, but questioning was regularly done thereafter. Overall, 150 patients given transplants in the first period were surveyed by phone regarding preoperative migraine headaches. Aside from the 1 incidental discovery, no other instances of migraine emerged. Headache origins were occipital-frontal in 2 patients, occipital-temporal in 2 patients, and occipital-temporal-frontal in the 2 others. Donor/receiver areas in hair transplantation and migraine trigger zones shared locations. Headache frequencies ranged from 4 to 8 days per month (average, 6 days), and pain scores were 5-8 (10 being highest). Duration of pain was 3-5 hours (average, 4 hours). All six patients had used various medications, such as triptans, ergot, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, before hair transplantation. The 1 female patient was a 32-year-old seeking treatment for alopecia, with a 6-year history of migraine headaches. The male patients presenting with androgenetic alopecia (grade 4-5 by Norwood classification) had 6- to 20-year migrainous histories. After hair transplantation, each migraine sufferer was checked once in the first month and then once every 3 months. Those who could not appear in person after the first year were evaluated by phone every 3 months. Migraine headaches had ceased in all 6 patients, none of whom used medical treatments for migraines thereafter. The postoperative

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease in liver transplant recipients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mercedes Rubio-Manzanares-Dorado

Full Text Available Introduction: Post-transplant lymphoproliferative syndrome (PTLD is a rare and potentially life-threatening complication after liver transplantation. The aim of this study was to analyze the clinicopathologic features related to PTLD in a single institution after liver transplantation. Methods: Observational study where we have retrospectively analyzed 851 cases who underwent liver transplantation. Ten cases have developed PTLD. Their clinical-pathological characteristics and the treatment received have been analyzed. Results: PTLD incidence was 1.2% (10/851. The mean time from liver transplantation to PTLD diagnosis was 36 months (range 1.2 to 144 months. PTLD localization was extranodal in all cases, the most frequent location being intestinal. Seven cases showed a monomorphic lymphoma which in all cases was differentiated B cell lymphomas. Fifty per cent of the series were seropositive for Epstein-Barr virus. Five patients were alive at the time of the review. Among these patients, we observed three cases of complete remission and two cases of disease stabilization. The death rate was higher in the first year after diagnosis of PTLD. Conclusion: PTLD is a rare complication after liver transplantation, but it may pose a threat to the life of a liver transplant recipient. It is essential to identify patients at risk, to establish an early diagnosis and treatment that can change the outcome of the disease.

Outcomes analysis in 100 liver transplantation patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Geevarghese, S K; Bradley, A E; Wright, J K; Chapman, W C; Feurer, I; Payne, J L; Hunter, E B; Pinson, C W

1998-05-01

There is an increasing demand for outcomes analysis, including quality of life and financial analysis, following medical interventions and surgical procedures. We analyzed outcomes for 100 consecutive patients undergoing liver transplantation during a period of case management revision. Patient survival was calculated by Kaplan-Meier actuarial methods. The Karnofsky performance status was objectively assessed for surviving patients up to 6 years after transplantation and was evaluated by repeated measures analysis of variance and covariance. Subjective evaluation of quality of life over time was obtained using the Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale. The correlations between time and scale were calculated. Financial data were accumulated from billing records. Six-month, 1-year, 2-year, and 3- through 5-year survival was 86%, 84%, 83%, and 78%, respectively. Karnofsky performance status confirmed poor functional status preoperatively with a mean of 53 +/- 2, but significantly improving to 72 +/- 2 at 3 months, 80 +/- 2 at 6 months, 90 +/- 1 at 1 year, 92 +/- 1 at 2 years, 94 +/- 1 at 3 years, 96 +/- 1 at 4 years, and 97 +/- 1 at 5 years (P <0.001). Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale scores demonstrated significant improvement following transplantation overall (r = -0.33), improving most in sexual relationships (r = -0.41), and domestic environment (r = -0.35; P <0.001). Median length of stay for the first half of the patients was 19 days declining to 11 days for the second half. Median hospital charges declined from $105,000 to $90,000. Quality of life parameters assessed both by care givers (Karnofsky) and by patients (Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale) improved dramatically following transplantation and over time, demonstrating that liver transplantation effectively restores a good quality of life. Outcomes can be improved while reducing length of stay and charges through modifications in case management.

Hispanics have the lowest stem cell transplant utilization rate for autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation for multiple myeloma in the United States: A CIBMTR report.

Science.gov (United States)

Schriber, Jeffrey R; Hari, Parameswaran N; Ahn, Kwang Woo; Fei, Mingwei; Costa, Luciano J; Kharfan-Dabaja, Mohamad A; Angel-Diaz, Miguel; Gale, Robert P; Ganguly, Siddharatha; Girnius, Saulius K; Hashmi, Shahrukh; Pawarode, Attaphol; Vesole, David H; Wiernik, Peter H; Wirk, Baldeep M; Marks, David I; Nishihori, Taiga; Olsson, Richard F; Usmani, Saad Z; Mark, Tomer M; Nieto, Yago L; D'Souza, Anita

2017-08-15

Race/ethnicity remains an important barrier in clinical care. The authors investigated differences in the receipt of autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (AHCT) among patients with multiple myeloma (MM) and outcomes based on race/ethnicity in the United States. The Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research database was used to identify 28,450 patients who underwent AHCT for MM from 2008 through 2014. By using data from the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results 18 registries, the incidence of MM was calculated, and a stem cell transplantation utilization rate (STUR) was derived. Post-AHCT outcomes were analyzed among patients ages 18 to 75 years who underwent melphalan-conditioned peripheral cell grafts (N = 24,102). The STUR increased across all groups from 2008 to 2014. The increase was substantially lower among Hispanics (range, 8.6%-16.9%) and non-Hispanic blacks (range, 12.2%-20.5%) compared with non-Hispanic whites (range, 22.6%-37.8%). There were 18,046 non-Hispanic whites, 4123 non-Hispanic blacks, and 1933 Hispanic patients. The Hispanic group was younger (P blacks (42%) compared with non-Hispanic whites (56%). A Karnofsky score 3 were more common in non-Hispanic blacks compared with Hispanic and non-Hispanic whites (P blacks (54%) and non-Hispanic whites (52%; P blacks (45%) and non-Hispanic whites (44%) had a very good partial response or better before transplantation (P = .005). Race/ethnicity did not impact post-AHCT outcomes. Although the STUR increased, it remained low and was significantly lower among Hispanics followed by non-Hispanic blacks compared with non-Hispanic whites. Race/ethnicity did not impact transplantation outcomes. Efforts to increase the rates of transplantation for eligible patients who have MM, with an emphasis on groups that underuse transplantation, are warranted. Cancer 2017;123:3141-9. © 2017 American Cancer Society. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

Pre-transplant history of mental health concerns, non-adherence, and post-transplant outcomes in kidney transplant recipients.

Science.gov (United States)

Gumabay, Franz Marie; Novak, Marta; Bansal, Aarushi; Mitchell, Margot; Famure, Olusegun; Kim, S Joseph; Mucsi, Istvan

2018-02-01

The association between pre-transplant mental health concerns and non-adherence and post-transplant outcomes after kidney transplantation is not fully established. We examined the relationship between a pre-transplant history of mental health concerns and non-adherence and post-transplant outcomes among kidney transplant recipients. In this retrospective single center cohort study of adult kidney transplant recipients (n=955) the associations between the history of mental health concerns or non-adherence and the time from kidney transplant to biopsy proven acute rejection; death-censored graft failure and total graft failure were examined using Cox proportional hazards models. Mean (SD) age was 51 (13) years, 61% were male and 27% had a history of diabetes. Twenty-two and 11% of patients had mental health concerns and non-adherence, respectively. Fifteen percent of the patients had acute rejection, 5.6% had death-censored graft failure and 13.0% had total graft failure. The history of mental health concerns was not associated with acute rejection, death-censored graft failure or total graft failure. Patients with versus without a history of non-adherence tended to have higher cumulative incidence of acute rejection (23.3% [95% CI: 16.1, 33.2] vs. 13.6% [95% CI: 11.4, 16.2]) and death-censored graft failure (15.0% [95% CI: 6.9, 30.8] vs. 6.4% [95% CI: 4.7, 8.7]) (log rank p=0.052 and p=0.086, respectively). These trends were not significant after multivariable adjustment. In summary, a history of pre-transplant mental health concerns or non-adherence is not associated with adverse outcomes in patients who completed transplant workup and received a kidney transplant. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Organ donation and transplantation in Mexico. A transplantation health professionals’ perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luis Eduardo Hernández-Ibarra

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. We aimed to explore organ donation and transplantation in Mexico from the point of view of transplantation health professionals. Materials and methods. A qualitative study was carried out. Twenty six organ transplantation health professionals from seven states of Mexico participated. Semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted mainly in hospital settings. Critical discourse analysis was performed. Results. According to participants, living organ transplantation offers benefits for recipients as well as for donors. Several factors influence the field of transplantation negatively, among them the scarcity of resources that impedes the incorporation of new health personnel, as well as conflicts between transplantation teams with diverse health professionals and authorities. Conclusion. Besides increasing economic resources, transplantation health personnel should be sensitized to find solutions in order to avoid conflicts with different health professionals. Studies on organ donation and transplants also should include other social actors’ viewpoint.

Cost utility analysis of reduced intensity hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in adolescence and young adult with severe thalassemia compared to hypertransfusion and iron chelation program.

Science.gov (United States)

Sruamsiri, Rosarin; Chaiyakunapruk, Nathorn; Pakakasama, Samart; Sirireung, Somtawin; Sripaiboonkij, Nintita; Bunworasate, Udomsak; Hongeng, Suradej

2013-02-05

Hematopoieticic stem cell transplantation is the only therapeutic option that can cure thalassemia disease. Reduced intensity hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (RI-HSCT) has demonstrated a high cure rate with minimal complications compared to other options. Because RI-HSCT is very costly, economic justification for its value is needed. This study aimed to estimate the cost-utility of RI-HSCT compared with blood transfusions combined with iron chelating therapy (BT-ICT) for adolescent and young adult with severe thalassemia in Thailand. A Markov model was used to estimate the relevant costs and health outcomes over the patients' lifetimes using a societal perspective. All future costs and outcomes were discounted at a rate of 3% per annum. The efficacy of RI-HSCT was based a clinical trial including a total of 18 thalassemia patients. Utility values were derived directly from all patients using EQ-5D and SF-6D. Primary outcomes of interest were lifetime costs, quality adjusted life-years (QALYs) gained, and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) in US ($) per QALY gained. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses (PSA) were conducted to investigate the effect of parameter uncertainty. In base case analysis, the RI-HSCT group had a better clinical outcomes and higher lifetime costs. The incremental cost per QALY gained was US $3,236 per QALY. The acceptability curve showed that the probability of RI-HSCT being cost-effective was 71% at the willingness to pay of 1 time of Thai Gross domestic product per capita (GDP per capita), approximately US $4,210 per QALY gained. The most sensitive parameter was utility of severe thalassemia patients without cardiac complication patients. At a societal willingness to pay of 1 GDP per capita, RI-HSCT was a cost-effective treatment for adolescent and young adult with severe thalassemia in Thailand compared to BT-ICT.

Thoracic organ transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Pierson, Richard N; Barr, Mark L; McCullough, Keith P; Egan, Thomas; Garrity, Edward; Jessup, Mariell; Murray, Susan

2004-01-01

This article presents an overview of factors associated with thoracic transplantation outcomes over the past decade and provides valuable information regarding the heart, lung, and heart-lung waiting lists and thoracic organ transplant recipients. Waiting list and post-transplant information is used to assess the importance of patient demographics, risk factors, and primary cardiopulmonary disease on outcomes. The time that the typical listed patient has been waiting for a heart, lung, or heart-lung transplant has markedly increased over the past decade, while the number of transplants performed has declined slightly and survival after transplant has plateaued. Waiting list mortality, however, appears to be declining for each organ and for most diseases and high-severity subgroups, perhaps in response to recent changes in organ allocation algorithms. Based on perceived inequity in organ access and in response to a mandate from Health Resources and Services Administration, the lung transplant community is developing a lung allocation system designed to minimize deaths on the waiting list while maximizing the benefit of transplant by incorporating post-transplant survival and quality of life into the algorithm. Areas where improved data collection could inform evolving organ allocation and candidate selection policies are emphasized.

Dialysis Facility Transplant Philosophy and Access to Kidney Transplantation in the Southeast.

Science.gov (United States)

Gander, Jennifer; Browne, Teri; Plantinga, Laura; Pastan, Stephen O; Sauls, Leighann; Krisher, Jenna; Patzer, Rachel E

2015-01-01

Little is known about the impact of dialysis facility treatment philosophy on access to transplant. The aim of our study was to determine the relationship between the dialysis facility transplant philosophy and facility-level access to kidney transplant waitlisting. A 25-item questionnaire administered to Southeastern dialysis facilities (n = 509) in 2012 captured the facility transplant philosophy (categorized as 'transplant is our first choice', 'transplant is a great option for some', and 'transplant is a good option, if the patient is interested'). Facility-level waitlisting and facility characteristics were obtained from the 2008-2011 Dialysis Facility Report. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the association between the dialysis facility transplant philosophy and facility waitlisting performance (dichotomized using the national median), where low performance was defined as fewer than 21.7% of dialysis patients waitlisted within a facility. Fewer than 25% (n = 124) of dialysis facilities reported 'transplant is our first option'. A total of 131 (31.4%) dialysis facilities in the Southeast were high-performing facilities with respect to waitlisting. Adjusted analysis showed that facilities who reported 'transplant is our first option' were twice (OR 2.0; 95% CI 1.0-3.9) as likely to have high waitlisting performance compared to facilities who reported that 'transplant is a good option, if the patient is interested'. Facilities with staff who had a more positive transplant philosophy were more likely to have better facility waitlisting performance. Future prospective studies are needed to further investigate if improving the kidney transplant philosophy in dialysis facilities improves access to transplantation.

Transversus abdominis plane block for analgesia in renal transplantation: a randomized controlled trial.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Freir, Noelle M

2012-10-01

The transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block has proven effective in reducing opioid requirements and pain scores for some procedures involving the lower abdominal wall. In this study we assessed its efficacy in patients with end-stage renal failure undergoing cadaveric renal transplantation.

Meniscal allograft transplantation: a meta-analysis

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De Bruycker Manolito

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose: This meta-analysis evaluates the mid- to long-term survival outcome of MAT (meniscal allograft transplantation. Potential prognosticators, with particular focus on chondral status and age of the patient at the time of transplantation, were also analysed. Study design: Meta-analysis. Methods: An online database search was performed using following search string: “meniscal allograft transplantation” and “outcome”. A total of 65 articles were analysed for a total of 3157 performed MAT with a mean follow-up of 5.4 years. Subjective and clinical data was analysed. Results: The subjective and objective results of 2977 patients (3157 allografts were analysed; 70% were male, 30% were female. Thirty-eight percent received an isolated MAT. All other patients underwent at least one concomitant procedure. Lysholm, Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome (KOOS, International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS scores were analysed. All scores showed a good patient satisfaction at long-term follow-up. The mean overall survival rate was 80.9%. Complication rates were comparable to standard meniscal repair surgery. There was a degenerative evolution in osteoarthritis with at least one grade in 1760 radiographically analysed patients. Concomitant procedures seem to have no effect on the outcome. Age at transplantation is a negative prognosticator. The body mass index (BMI of the patient shows a slightly negative correlation with the outcome of MAT. Conclusions: MAT is a viable solution for the younger patient with chronic pain in the meniscectomised knee joint. The complications are not severe and comparable to meniscal repair. The overall failure rate at final follow-up is acceptable and the allograft heals well in most cases, but MAT cannot be seen as a definitive solution for post-meniscectomy pain. The correct approach to the chronic painful total meniscectomised knee joint thus requires consideration of all

Transplantation of autologous synovial mesenchymal stem cells promotes meniscus regeneration in aged primates.

Science.gov (United States)

Kondo, Shimpei; Muneta, Takeshi; Nakagawa, Yusuke; Koga, Hideyuki; Watanabe, Toshifumi; Tsuji, Kunikazu; Sotome, Shinichi; Okawa, Atsushi; Kiuchi, Shinji; Ono, Hideo; Mizuno, Mitsuru; Sekiya, Ichiro

2017-06-01

Transplantation of aggregates of synovial mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) enhanced meniscus regeneration in rats. Anatomy and biological properties of the meniscus depend on animal species. To apply this technique clinically, it is valuable to investigate the use of animals genetically close to humans. We investigated whether transplantation of aggregates of autologous synovial MSCs promoted meniscal regeneration in aged primates. Chynomolgus primates between 12 and 13 years old were used. After the anterior halves of the medial menisci in both knees were removed, an average of 14 aggregates consisting of 250,000 synovial MSCs were transplanted onto the meniscus defect. No aggregates were transplanted to the opposite knee for the control. Meniscus and articular cartilage were analyzed macroscopically, histologically, and by MRI T1rho mapping at 8 (n = 3) and 16 weeks (n = 4). The medial meniscus was larger and the modified Pauli's histological score for the regenerated meniscus was better in the MSC group than in the control group in each primate at 8 and 16 weeks. Mankin's score for the medial femoral condyle cartilage was better in the MSC group than in the control group in all primates at 16 weeks. T1rho value for both the regenerated meniscus and adjacent articular cartilage in the MSC group was closer to the normal meniscus than in the control group in all primates at 16 weeks. Transplantation of aggregates of autologous synovial MSCs promoted meniscus regeneration and delayed progression of degeneration of articular cartilage in aged primates. This is the first report dealing with meniscus regeneration in primates. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 35:1274-1282, 2017. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Caregiver burden among primary caregivers of patients undergoing peripheral blood stem cell transplantation: a cross sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Akgul, Nur; Ozdemir, Leyla

2014-08-01

This study aimed to identify caregiver burden and influencing factors on the burden in primary caregivers of peripheral blood stem cell transplantation patients within 2-12 months following transplant, indicating early recovery period after discharge. This descriptive cross sectional study was carried out at hematopoietic stem cell transplantation outpatient units of three university hospitals in Turkey. A total of 55 patient and caregiver dyads were recruited and interviewed. The data were collected using questionnaires developed by the researchers and caregiver burden was measured with the Zarit Burden Interview. The mean score of Zarit Burden Interview was 28.41 (SD = 13.90). Patients' symptoms including nausea and self depreciation feeling were related to greater caregiver burden. Self-depreciation was referred to feeling undervalued. The mean score of the tool was significantly higher in caregivers who have not been educated beyond primary school and also caregivers who had lower income. Caregivers who supported their patients to fulfill physical needs and who did not receive help for meeting patients' psychological needs had statistically more elevated levels of burden. Moreover, the extent of care giving activities undertaken was positively correlated with caregiver burden scores. While positive impact of the care giving process on family relations decreased caregiver burden; negative effect increased the burden. This study suggests that caregiver burden of primary caregivers caring for peripheral blood stem cell transplantation patients varies by education, income status, and the extent of care giving activities undertaken. Changes in family ties and relations due to care giving effected caregiver burden. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Iron and stony-iron meteorites

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Benedix, Gretchen K.; Haack, Henning; McCoy, T. J.

2014-01-01

Without iron and stony-iron meteorites, our chances of ever sampling the deep interior of a differentiated planetary object would be next to nil. Although we live on a planet with a very substantial core, we will never be able to sample it. Fortunately, asteroid collisions provide us with a rich...... sampling of the deep interiors of differentiated asteroids. Iron and stony-iron meteorites are fragments of a large number of asteroids that underwent significant geological processing in the early solar system. Parent bodies of iron and some stony-iron meteorites completed a geological evolution similar...... to that continuing on Earth – although on much smaller length- and timescales – with melting of the metal and silicates; differentiation into core, mantle, and crust; and probably extensive volcanism. Iron and stony-iron meteorites are our only available analogues to materials found in the deep interiors of Earth...

Long-Term Results of Cartilage Repair after Allogeneic Transplantation of Cartilaginous Aggregates Formed from Bone Marrow–Derived Cells for Large Osteochondral Defects in Rabbit Knees

Science.gov (United States)

Mishima, Hajime; Sakai, Shinsuke; Uemura, Toshimasa

2013-01-01

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term results of cartilage repair after allogeneic transplantation of cartilaginous aggregates formed from bone marrow–derived cells. Methods: Bone marrow cells were harvested from 12-day-old rabbits. The cells were subjected to a monolayer culture, and the spindle-shaped cells attached to the flask surface were defined as bone marrow–derived mesenchymal cells. After the monolayer culture, a 3-dimensional cartilaginous aggregate was formed using a bioreactor with chondrogenesis. We created osteochondral defects, measuring 5 mm in diameter and 4 mm in depth, at the femoral trochlea of 10-week-old rabbits. Two groups were established, the transplanted group in which the cartilaginous aggregate was transplanted into the defect, and the control group in which the defect was left untreated. Twenty-six and 52 weeks after surgery, the rabbits were sacrificed and their tissue repair status was evaluated macroscopically (International Cartilage Repair Society [ICRS] score) and histologically (O’Driscoll score). Results: The ICRS scores were as follows: at week 26, 7.2 ± 0.5 and 7.6 ± 0.8; at week 52, 7.6 ± 1.1 and 9.7 ± 0.7, for the transplanted and control groups, respectively. O’Driscoll scores were as follows: at week 26, 12.6 ± 1.9 and 10.1 ± 1.9; at week 52, 9.6 ± 3.0 and 14.0 ± 1.4, each for transplanted and control groups, respectively. No significant differences were observed between the groups. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that allogeneic transplantation of cartilaginous aggregates formed from bone marrow–derived cells produces comparable long-term results based on macroscopic and histological outcome measures when compared with osteochondral defects that are left untreated. PMID:26069678

Long-Term Results of Cartilage Repair after Allogeneic Transplantation of Cartilaginous Aggregates Formed from Bone Marrow-Derived Cells for Large Osteochondral Defects in Rabbit Knees.

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Yoshioka, Tomokazu; Mishima, Hajime; Sakai, Shinsuke; Uemura, Toshimasa

2013-10-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term results of cartilage repair after allogeneic transplantation of cartilaginous aggregates formed from bone marrow-derived cells. Bone marrow cells were harvested from 12-day-old rabbits. The cells were subjected to a monolayer culture, and the spindle-shaped cells attached to the flask surface were defined as bone marrow-derived mesenchymal cells. After the monolayer culture, a 3-dimensional cartilaginous aggregate was formed using a bioreactor with chondrogenesis. We created osteochondral defects, measuring 5 mm in diameter and 4 mm in depth, at the femoral trochlea of 10-week-old rabbits. Two groups were established, the transplanted group in which the cartilaginous aggregate was transplanted into the defect, and the control group in which the defect was left untreated. Twenty-six and 52 weeks after surgery, the rabbits were sacrificed and their tissue repair status was evaluated macroscopically (International Cartilage Repair Society [ICRS] score) and histologically (O'Driscoll score). The ICRS scores were as follows: at week 26, 7.2 ± 0.5 and 7.6 ± 0.8; at week 52, 7.6 ± 1.1 and 9.7 ± 0.7, for the transplanted and control groups, respectively. O'Driscoll scores were as follows: at week 26, 12.6 ± 1.9 and 10.1 ± 1.9; at week 52, 9.6 ± 3.0 and 14.0 ± 1.4, each for transplanted and control groups, respectively. No significant differences were observed between the groups. This study demonstrates that allogeneic transplantation of cartilaginous aggregates formed from bone marrow-derived cells produces comparable long-term results based on macroscopic and histological outcome measures when compared with osteochondral defects that are left untreated.

Carinal transplantation.

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Ueda, H; Shirakusa, T

1992-01-01

BACKGROUND: Current techniques of management of carinal lesions are not always satisfactory. Carinal transplantation, if feasible, would be valuable in certain circumstances. METHODS AND RESULTS: Carinal transplantation experiments were performed in dogs. In early cross transplant experiments there were problems in controlling ventilation and in obtaining satisfactory anastomoses, and the animals failed to live for even a few days. In seven subsequent experiments the carinal graft was removed from one dog and transplanted into a second dog. Two dogs lived for over four months with immunosuppression. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that carinal transplantation can succeed if (1) the calibre of the graft is matched with that of the recipient; (2) there is an abundant blood supply to the graft; (3) appropriate immunosuppression is provided; (4) ventilation is adequate during surgery. Images PMID:1465758

Efficacy of Surgery Combined with Autologous Bone Marrow Stromal Cell Transplantation for Treatment of Intracerebral Hemorrhage

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Jianxin Zhu

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs may differentiate into nerve cells under a certain condition; however, the clinical application for treating nervous system disease remains unclear. The aim is to assess the safety profile, feasibility, and effectiveness of surgery combined with autologous BMSCs transplantation for treating ICH. 206 ICH patients who had received surgical procedure were divided into transplantation (n=110 or control group (n=96. For transplantation group, BMSCs were injected into the perihemorrhage area in the base ganglia through an intracranial drainage tube 5.5 (3.01–6.89 days after surgery, followed by a second injection into the subarachnoid space through lumbar puncture 4 weeks later. Neurologic impairment and daily activities were assessed with National Institute Stroke Scale (NIHSS, Barthel index, and Rankin scale before transplantation and 6 months and 12 months after transplantation. Our results revealed that, compared with control group, NIHSS score and Rankin scale were both significantly decreased but Barthel index was increased in transplantation group after 6 months. Interestingly, no significant difference was observed between 12 months and 6 months. No transplantation-related adverse effects were investigated during follow-up assessments. Our findings suggest that surgery combined with autologous BMSCs transplantation is safe for treatment of ICH, providing short-term therapeutic benefits.

Pediatric solid organ transplantation and osteoporosis: a descriptive study on bone histomorphometric findings.

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Tamminen, Inari S; Valta, Helena; Jalanko, Hannu; Salminen, Sari; Mäyränpää, Mervi K; Isaksson, Hanna; Kröger, Heikki; Mäkitie, Outi

2014-08-01

Organ transplantation may lead to secondary osteoporosis in children. This study characterized bone histomorphometric findings in pediatric solid organ transplant recipients who were assessed for suspected secondary osteoporosis. Iliac crest biopsies were obtained from 19 children (7.6-18.8 years, 11 male) who had undergone kidney (n = 6), liver (n = 9), or heart (n = 4) transplantation a median 4.6 years (range 0.6-16.3 years) earlier. All patients had received oral glucocorticoids at the time of the biopsy. Of the 19 patients, 21 % had sustained peripheral fractures and 58 % vertebral compression fractures. Nine children (47 %) had a lumbar spine BMD Z-score below -2.0. Histomorphometric analyses showed low trabecular bone volume (bone turnover at biopsy, and low turnover was found in 6 children (32 %), 1 of whom had adynamic bone disease. There was a great heterogeneity in the histological findings in different transplant groups, and the results were unpredictable using non-invasive methods. The observed changes in bone quality (i.e. abnormal turnover rate, thin trabeculae) rather than the actual loss of trabecular bone, might explain the increased fracture risk in pediatric solid organ transplant recipients.

Tumor-resected kidney transplant – a quality of life survey

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Sundararajan S

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Siva Sundararajan,1 Bulang He,1,2 Luc Delriviere,1,2 1WA Liver and Kidney Surgical Transplant Service, Department of General Surgery, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth, WA, Australia; 2School of Surgery, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia Background: To overcome the organ shortage, a program to use kidney grafts after excision of a small renal tumor (tumor resected kidney [TRK] was implemented in February 2007. All recipients were over 55 years old according to the selection criteria. The aim of this study is to assess the quality of life after kidney transplant in this cohort. Methods: From February 2007 to July 2013, 27 patients received a kidney graft after excision of the small kidney tumor. All patients were given the modified 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36 questionnaire with additional information regarding concerns about tumor recurrence and whether they would choose TRK transplantation or prefer to stay on dialysis if they have an option again. Results: Of them, 20 returned the completed questionnaire. There is no tumor recurrence on a mean follow-up of 38 months. The mean scores in all eight domains of the SF-36 were higher posttransplantation. The differences were statistically significant. Ninety-five percent of recipients would prefer to have TRK transplantation rather than remain on dialysis. Eighty percent of patients had no or minimal concerns regarding tumor recurrence. Conclusion: The patients who had kidney transplantation by using the graft after excision of a small tumor have achieved excellent quality of life. It is an important alternative for the solution of organ shortage in kidney transplantation. The concern of tumor recurrence is minimal. Performing a further study is worthwhile, with prospective data collection and a control group. Keywords: quality of life, kidney transplant, tumor, small renal cell carcinoma

Rosiglitazone attenuates transplant arteriosclerosis after allogeneic aorta transplantation in rats

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Onuta, Geanina; Rienstra, Heleen; de Boer, Jan Freark; Boer, Mark Walther; Roks, Anton J. M.; Klatter, Flip A.; Uges, Donald R. A.; Navis, Gerjan; Rozing, Jan; Hillebrands, Jan-Luuk

2007-01-01

Background. Transplant arteriosclerosis is a leading cause of chronic transplant dysfunction and is characterized by occlusive neointima formation in intragraft arteries. Development of transplant arteriosclerosis is refractory to conventional immunosuppressive drugs and adequate therapy is not

Transplante de bexiga: estudo piloto Bladder transplant: pilot study

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Frederico Teixeira Brandt

2004-08-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Desenvolver um modelo biológico que seja viável para o estudo sistemático do transplante de bexiga. MÉTODOS: Cães mestiços vivos são usados como doadores e receptores do segmento supra-trigonal da bexiga. RESULTADOS: Os pacientes tansplantados só fizeram uso de imunossupressão por 15 dias, estão vivos e sadios com 18 meses de transplante. Desde o primeiro mês de transplante os cães apresentam controle funcional da micção, inclusive sem urina residual importante. CONCLUSÃO: Transplante de bexiga em cães é um modelo viável, fisiológico e simples.PURPOSE: Our aim was to study the feasible of bladder transplants. METHODS: Alive mongrel dogs are being used as trigone bladder segment donators and receptors RESULTS: The transplanted patients had 15 days of immunosuppression and so far an 18-months satisfactory post-operative outcome. Since a month after surgery, the dogs have been presenting full functional control of micturition and the evaluations have been showing normal bladder storage and contraction capacities. CONCLUSION: bladder transplants in dogs its a possible, physiological and simple model.

Feasibility of Diffusion Tensor Imaging for Assessing Functional Recovery in Rats with Olfactory Ensheathing Cell Transplantation After Contusive Spinal Cord Injury (SCI).

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Gu, Mengchao; Gao, Zhengchao; Li, Xiaohui; Zhao, Feng; Guo, Lei; Liu, Jiantao; He, Xijing

2017-06-17

BACKGROUND Olfactory ensheathing cell transplantation is a promising treatment for spinal cord injury. Diffusion tensor imaging has been applied to assess various kinds of spinal cord injury. However, it has rarely been used to evaluate the beneficial effects of olfactory ensheathing cell transplantation. This study aimed to explore the feasibility of diffusion tensor imaging in the evaluation of functional recovery in rats with olfactory ensheathing cell transplantation after contusive spinal cord injury. MATERIAL AND METHODS Immunofluorescence staining was performed to determine the purity of olfactory ensheathing cells. Rats received cell transplantation at week 1 after injury. Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan score was used to assess the functional recovery. Magnetic resonance imaging was applied weekly, including diffusion tensor imaging. Diffusion tensor tractography was reconstructed to visualize the repair process. RESULTS The results showed that olfactory ensheathing cell transplantation increased the functional and histological recovery and restrained the secondary injury process after the initial spinal cord injury. The fractional anisotropy values in rats with cell transplantation were significantly higher than those in the control group, while the apparent diffusion coefficient values were significantly lower. Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan score was positively and linearly correlated with fractional anisotropy value, and it was negatively and linearly correlated with apparent diffusion coefficient value. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that diffusion tensor imaging parameters are sensitive biomarker indices for olfactory ensheathing cell transplantation interventions, and diffusion tensor imaging scan can reflect the functional recovery promoted by the olfactory ensheathing cell transplantation after contusive spinal cord injury.

GROWTH HORMONE LEVEL EVOLUTION IN CHILDREN WITH HEPATOBILIARY DISEASES, UNDERGOING LIVER TRANSPLANTATION

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O. P. Shevchenko

2012-01-01

Full Text Available End stage liver disease is often associated with growth retardation in children with congenital and hereditary diseases of hepatobiliary system. The aim was to investigate the serum growth hormone level before and after liver transplantation in 52 children with congenital and hereditary diseases of hepatobiliary system. Data of our research work revealed increased serum level of growth hormone in children with liver cirrhosis (3,32 ± 7,7 ng/ml vs. 1,16 ± 1,46 ng/ml in healthy children, p = 0,01, which correlates with PELD score (r = 0,62, p < 0,001. In a month after liver transplantation growth hormone concentration decreases (p < 0,001 and in a year after transplantation it doesn’t differ from healthy children. There wasn’t revealed any interaction between serum growth hormone level and anthropometric parameters before liver transplantation, but in a year after there was significant correlation between growth hormone concentration and height (r = 0,79, p = 0,01. Investigation of growth hormone level in children with liver cirrhosis and its evolution after liver transplantation is of interest as objective criterion of recovery of physical development regulation and as an additional parameter, which cor- relates with severity of end-stage liver disease. 

Inflammatory markers as selection criteria of hepatocellular carcinoma in living-donor liver transplantation.

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Na, Gun Hyung; Kim, Dong Goo; Han, Jae Hyun; Kim, Eun Young; Lee, Soo Ho; Hong, Tae Ho; You, Young Kyoung

2014-06-07

To investigate that inflammatory markers can predict accurately the prognosis of hepatocelluar carcinoma (HCC) patients in living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT). From October 2000 to November 2011, 224 patients who underwent living donor liver transplantation for HCC at our institution were enrolled in this study. We analyzed disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) after LT in patients with HCC and designed a new score model using pretransplant neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and C-reactive protein (CRP). The DFS and OS in patients with an NLR level ≥ 6.0 or CRP level ≥ 1.0 were significantly worse than those of patients with an NLR level < 6.0 or CRP level < 1.0 (P = 0.049, P = 0.003 for NLR and P = 0.010, P < 0.001 for CRP, respectively). Using a new score model using the pretransplant NLR and CRP, we can differentiate HCC patients beyond the Milan criteria with a good prognosis from those with a poor prognosis. Combined with the Milan criteria, new score model using NLR and CRP represent new selection criteria for LDLT candidates with HCC, especially beyond the Milan criteria.

Direct hair transplantation: A modified follicular unit extraction technique

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Pradeep Sethi

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Background: In hair transplantation, the survival rate of harvested grafts depends upon many factors like maintenance of hydration, cold temperature, reduced mechanical handling and asepsis. All these factors are favourably improved if time out of body is reduced significantly. We have tried a modification called direct hair transplantation in the existing follicular unit extraction technique, in which the follicular unit grafts are implanted as soon as they are harvested. In this article, we have described the detailed methodology and a series of 29 patients who underwent direct hair transplantation. Aim: To evaluate the efficacy and feasibility of direct hair transplantation. Subjects and Methods: The patients willing to undergo hair transplantation by the technique of follicular unit extraction were enrolled for the surgery. After administration of local anaesthesia, the recipient sites were created. Thereafter, the processes of scoring the skin with a motorized punch, graft extraction and implantation were performed simultaneously. These patients were followed up to look for the time period of initiation of hair growth, the growth achieved at the end of 6-8 months and any adverse events. The results of patients with noticeable improvement in the photographs and reduction in baldness grade were taken as ′good′, whereas, in other patients, it was classified as ′poor′. Results: All patients were males with age ranging from 21 to 66 years (median 30 years. Twenty-six patients had androgenetic alopecia, 1 patient had traction alopecia and 2 patients had scarring alopecia. Twenty-seven patients showed ′good′ results, whereas 2 patients showed ′poor′ results. Conclusion: Direct hair transplantation is a simple and feasible modification in the follicular unit extraction technique. It is an efficacious surgical treatment modality for baldness.

Liver Transplantation for Urea Cycle Disorders: Analysis of the United Network for Organ Sharing Database.

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Yu, L; Rayhill, S C; Hsu, E K; Landis, C S

2015-10-01

Urea cycle disorders (UCD) are caused by rare inherited defects in the urea cycle enzymes leading to diminished ability to convert ammonia to urea in the liver. The resulting excess of circulating ammonia can lead to central nervous system toxicity and irreversible neurologic damage. Most cases are identified in children. However, UCDs can also be diagnosed in adulthood, and liver transplant is occasionally required. We examined the UNOS database to evaluate outcomes in adult and pediatric patients who underwent liver transplant as treatment for a UCD. We identified 265 pediatric and 13 adult patients who underwent liver transplant for a UCD between 1987 and 2010. The majority (68%) of these patients were transplanted before age 5 years. Ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC) deficiency was the most common UCD in both adults and children who underwent transplant. UCD patients who underwent liver transplant were younger, more likely to be male (67%), had lower pediatric end-stage liver disease/model for end-stage liver disease scores, and were more likely to be Caucasian or Asian compared with all other patients transplanted during the same time period. UCD patients did not have an increased utilization of living donor transplantation in this US cohort. Univariate and multivariate risk factor analyses were performed and did not reveal any significant factors that were predictive of post-transplant death or graft loss. Excellent outcomes were seen in both children and adults with UCDs who underwent transplant with overall 1-, 5-, and 10-year survivals of 93%, 89%, and 87%, respectively. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

EPIDEMIOLOGY AND ETIOLOGICAL FACTORS OF ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION IN PATIENTS ON DIALYSIS AND AFTER RENAL TRANSPLANTATION

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E. A. Efremov

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Today the problem of better life quality of patients with end stage renal disease and after renal transplantation and their sexual adaptation is considered to be more impotent. The clinical part of the investigation is the obser- vation of 205 patients – men with terminal stage renal disease. Erectile dysfunction is represented in 91,4% (64 of patients getting haemodialysis, 92,3% (24 of patients getting peritoneal dialysis, 61,5% (67 of patients after renal transplantation. According to International Index of Erectile Function the mean score of erectile function is 16,7 ± 5,2 in haemodialysis patients, 19,46 ± 3,6 in peritoneal dialysis patients, 21,9 ± 5,6 in patients after renal transplantation. The analysis revealed great prevalence of erectile dysfunction and interest in improvement among the patients with end stage renal disease and after renal transplantation. 

Evolution of the role of the transplant pharmacist on the multidisciplinary transplant team.

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Alloway, R R; Dupuis, R; Gabardi, S; Kaiser, T E; Taber, D J; Tichy, E M; Weimert-Pilch, N A

2011-08-01

Transplant pharmacists have been recognized as an essential part of the transplant team by their colleagues along with several governing and professional organizations. The specific education, training and responsibilities of the transplant pharmacist have not been clearly delineated in the literature. Various pharmacists across the country have been called upon to serve on the transplant team necessitating standardization of their fundamental and desirable activities. Therefore, the purpose of this manuscript is to describe the training and role of a transplant pharmacist on the patient care team and provide a roadmap to implementation of novel transplant pharmacy services. ©2011 The Authors Journal compilation©2011 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

Second allogeneic stem cell transplant for aplastic anaemia: a retrospective study by the Severe Aplastic Anaemia Working Party of the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation.

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Cesaro, Simone; Peffault de Latour, Regis; Tridello, Gloria; Pillon, Marta; Carlson, Kristina; Fagioli, Franca; Jouet, Jean-Pierre; Koh, Mickey B C; Panizzolo, Irene Sara; Kyrcz-Krzemien, Slawomira; Maertens, Johan; Rambaldi, Alessandro; Strahm, Brigitte; Blaise, Didier; Maschan, Alexei; Marsh, Judith; Dufour, Carlo

2015-11-01

We analysed the outcome of a second allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplant (alloHSCT) in 162 patients reported to the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation between 1998 and 2009. Donor origin was a sibling in 110 and an unrelated donor in 52 transplants, respectively. The stem cell source was bone marrow in 31% and peripheral blood in 69% of transplants. The same donor as for the first alloHSCT was used in 81% of transplants whereas a change in the choice of stem cell source was reported in 56% of patients, mainly from bone marrow to peripheral blood. Neutrophil and platelet engraftment occurred in 85% and 72% of patients, after a median time of 15 and 17 days, respectively. Grade II-IV acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and chronic GVHD occurred in 21% and 37% of patients, respectively. Graft failure (GF) occurred in 42 patients (26%). After a median follow-up of 3·5 years, the 5-year overall survival (OS) was 60·7%. In multivariate analysis, the only factor significantly associated with a better outcome was a Karnofsky/Lansky score ≥80 (higher OS). We conclude that a second alloHSCT is feasible rescue option for GF in SAA, with a successful outcome in 60% of cases. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Evaluation of Performance Status and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Specific Comorbidity Index on Unplanned Admission Rates in Patients with Multiple Myeloma Undergoing Outpatient Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation.

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Obiozor, Cynthia; Subramaniam, Dipti P; Divine, Clint; Shune, Leyla; Singh, Anurag K; Lin, Tara L; Abhyankar, Sunil; Chen, G John; McGuirk, Joseph; Ganguly, Siddhartha

2017-10-01

-related cause. Outpatient transplantation for myeloma is safe and feasible. In our experience, one-third of the patients undergoing outpatient transplantation needed to be admitted for transplantation-related toxicities. Patients in this group had lower preexisting KPS and higher HCT-CI scores. Whether planned admission for this group would have prevented unplanned admissions and undue stress on patients and the healthcare system should be tested in a prospective manner. Copyright © 2017 The American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Effect of Teach-Back Training on Self Management in Kidney Transplant Recipients: A Clinical Trial

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Farzin Mollazadeh

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Background: Kidney transplant recipients need self-management during their lifetime, and training these patients is essential for the realization of self-management. Teach-back training (TBT was used to receive, understand, and retain information. This study aimed to determine the effect of TBT on self-management in kidney transplant recipients. Methods: In this clinical trial study, 84 kidney transplant recipients who referred to the clinic of Imam Khomeini Hospital in Urmia (a city in northwest of Iran, from January to March 2017, were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. In the intervention group, educational content was presented for each patient with TBT in 5 sessions of 60 minutes. Data were collected before and after the intervention by a special Self-Management Questionnaire for Kidney Transplant Recipients in five areas as follows: self-monitoring, self-care behavior in daily living, early detecting and coping with abnormalities after kidney transplantation, stress management and the category of non-categorized area. This is a valid and reliable questionnaire (α=0.76. Collected data were analyzed by independent t-test and Mann-Whitney test. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 20 and P≤0.05 was considered as significant. Results: Independent t-test showed that the mean of self-management score between the control and intervention groups was not statistically significant before the intervention (P=0.90. The mean score of self-management increased after implementation of TBT in the intervention group compared to the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P=0.001. Conclusion: The implementation of TBT method is effective in promoting self-management of kidney transplant recipients. Therefore, it is recommended that this method should be used to train the patients to better understand the components of self-management. Trial Registration Number

Routine Laboratory Blood Tests May Diagnose Significant Fibrosis in Liver Transplant Recipients with Chronic Hepatitis C: A 10 Year Experience.

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Sheen, Victoria; Nguyen, Heajung; Jimenez, Melissa; Agopian, Vatche; Vangala, Sitaram; Elashoff, David; Saab, Sammy

2016-03-28

The aims of our study were to determine whether routine blood tests, the aspartate aminotransferase (AST) to Platelet Ratio Index (APRI) and Fibrosis 4 (Fib-4) scores, were associated with advanced fibrosis and to create a novel model in liver transplant recipients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV). We performed a cross sectional study of patients at The University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) Medical Center who underwent liver transplantation for HCV. We used linear mixed effects models to analyze association between fibrosis severity and individual biochemical markers and mixed effects logistic regression to construct diagnostic models for advanced fibrosis (METAVIR F3-4). Cross-validation was used to estimate a receiving operator characteristic (ROC) curve for the prediction models and to estimate the area under the curve (AUC). The mean (± standard deviation [SD]) age of our cohort was 55 (±7.7) years, and almost three quarter were male. The mean (±SD) time from transplant to liver biopsy was 19.9 (±17.1) months. The mean (±SD) APRI and Fib-4 scores were 3 (±12) and 7 (±14), respectively. Increased fibrosis was associated with lower platelet count and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) values and higher total bilirubin and Fib-4 scores. We developed a model that takes into account age, gender, platelet count, ALT, and total bilirubin, and this model outperformed APRI and Fib-4 with an AUC of 0.68 (p fibrosis more reliably than APRI and Fib-4 scores. This noninvasive calculation may be used clinically to identify liver transplant recipients with HCV with significant liver damage.

Pancreatic islet transplantation

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Corrêa-Giannella Maria

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background No formulation of exogenous insulin available to date has yet been able to mimic the physiological nictemeral rhythms of this hormone, and despite all engineering advancements, the theoretical proposal of developing a mechanical replacement for pancreatic β cell still has not been reached. Thus, the replacement of β cells through pancreas and pancreatic islet transplantation are the only concrete alternatives for re-establishing the endogenous insulin secretion in type 1 diabetic patients. Since only 1 to 1.5% of the pancreatic mass corresponds to endocrine tissue, pancreatic islets transplantation arises as a natural alternative. Data from the International Islet Transplant Registry (ITR from 1983 to December 2000 document a total of 493 transplants performed around the world, with progressively worse rates of post-transplant insulin independence. In 2000, the "Edmonton Protocol" introduced several modifications to the transplantation procedure, such as the use of a steroid-free immunosuppression regimen and transplantation of a mean islet mass of 11,000 islet equivalents per kilogram, which significantly improved 1-year outcomes. Although the results of a 5-year follow-up in 65 patients demonstrated improvement in glycemic instability in a significant portion of them, only 7.5% of the patients have reached insulin independence, indicating the need of further advances in the preservation of the function of transplanted islet. In addition to the scarcity of organs available for transplantation, islets transplantation still faces major challenges, specially those related to cell loss during the process of islet isolation and the losses related to the graft site, apoptosis, allorejection, autoimmunity, and immunosuppression. The main strategies to optimize islet transplantation aim at improving all these aspects. Conclusion Human islet transplantation should be regarded as an intervention that can decrease the frequency of

Effect of different iron compounds on wheat and gluten-free breads.

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Kiskini, Alexandra; Kapsokefalou, Maria; Yanniotis, Stavros; Mandala, Ioanna

2010-05-01

Iron fortification of bread often results in sub-optimal quality of the final product due to undesirable changes in the physical characteristics and sensory properties of the bread. In this study both the form of iron (soluble, insoluble or encapsulated) and the type of bread (wheat or gluten-free) were varied in order to investigate the effect of iron and gluten on the product characteristics. The effect of iron on the quality characteristics of the breads investigated depended on iron type, but not on iron solubility. Colour, crust firmness, specific volume, cell number and uniformity as well as aroma were the attributes that were mainly affected in iron-enriched wheat bread. In some cases, specific volume was 30% lower than that of the control sample, while cell uniformity was significantly lower, as low as 50% of the control sample in some fortified samples. In gluten-free breads, differences between unfortified and fortified samples included colour, crust firmness, cell number, 'moisture' odour, metallic taste and stickiness. In some cases, the sensory scores were better for fortified samples. Differences due to iron fortification were less pronounced in gluten-free compared to wheat breads. The choice of the appropriate iron compound which will not cause adverse quality changes is still a challenge.

Cerebral Post-Transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder Occurring after Renal Transplantation: A Case Report

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Suh, Jang Ho; Byun, Woo Mok; Kim, Hong Chul; Hwang, Min Su [Dept. of Radiology, Yeungnam University College of Medicine, Daegu (Korea, Republic of)

2012-04-15

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is a complication of organ transplantation and immunosuppression. A 36-year-old woman with a history of renal transplantation visited the hospital complaining of headache and on pathology was diagnosed with cerebral PTLD manifesting as multiple rim enhanced masses in both hemispheres. We report here a case of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder involving the cerebrum occurring after renal transplantation, and describe the MRI findings for this patient

Cerebral Post-Transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder Occurring after Renal Transplantation: A Case Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suh, Jang Ho; Byun, Woo Mok; Kim, Hong Chul; Hwang, Min Su

2012-01-01

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is a complication of organ transplantation and immunosuppression. A 36-year-old woman with a history of renal transplantation visited the hospital complaining of headache and on pathology was diagnosed with cerebral PTLD manifesting as multiple rim enhanced masses in both hemispheres. We report here a case of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder involving the cerebrum occurring after renal transplantation, and describe the MRI findings for this patient

After the Transplant

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... After the transplant Preventing rejection Post-transplant medications Types of immunosuppressants Switching immunosuppressants Side effects Other medications Generic and brand name drugs Post-transplant tests Infections and immunity Lifestyle changes Health concerns Back to work or ...

Stem Cell Transplant

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... Graft-versus-host disease: A potential risk when stem cells come from donors If you receive a transplant ... medications and blood products into your body. Collecting stem cells for transplant If a transplant using your own ...

Cardiac transplantation in South Carolina: 300 transplants.

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Crumbley, A J; Odom, Sylvia; Van Bakel, Adrian B; Pereira, Naveen; Ikonomidis, John S; Bradley, Scott; Kratz, John M; Sade, Robert M; Uber, Walt; Stroud, Martha R; Crawford, Fred A

2006-02-01

For nearly 20 years, the Medical University's Heart Transplant Program has been providing the citizens of South Carolina with excellent results with a minimum of delay. We present here the results of our first 300 heart transplants, spanning the first 18 years of the Cardiac Transplant Program at the Medical University. Overall survival has been very good, with one, five and ten year survival rates in the adults being 92 +/- 2%, 78 +/- 3%, and 58 +/- 4%. The children's group showed survival rates of 94 +/- 5%, 79 +/- 11%, and 79 +/- 11% over the same lengths of time. Most recently, the federally sponsored Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (www.ustransplant.org, July 2005) reports for MUSC a one-year survival of 97.67% and three-year survival of 90.74%; both leading the Southeast. We attribute this success to the dedicated work of health care workers at all levels who believe in attention to detail and that the patient always comes first. It is our hope that we will be able to continue to provide expert, state-of-the-art, cardiac transplant services long into the future, while continuing to expand our heart failure management program as dictated by further developments in this rapidly evolving specialty.

Knowledge About Legal Regulations Regarding Organ Transplantation Among High School and University Students in Poland.

Science.gov (United States)

Pawłowicz, E; Nowicki, M

2016-06-01

It has been reported in many studies that although young people have positive attitudes towards organ donation, their knowledge about transplantation is insufficient. This study focused on knowledge about legal regulations regarding organ transplantation in Poland. A 59-item, self-designed questionnaire was administered to 1011 young persons from Central Poland. Among the interviewees were 462 high school students, 184 students of the faculty of medicine, and 365 students from other faculties. The survey was divided into 4 parts: knowledge (basic information, maximum of 17 points; statistics, maximum of 5 points and legal regulations - maximum of 6 points), attitude, personal experience and general characteristics of the interviewees. High school and university students received 1.45 ± 1.24 and 1.54 ± 1.1 (P = .26) out of a maximal score of 6 with respect to knowledge of legal regulations. Medical students scored much higher (4.13 ± 1.23). Only 20 respondents (including 19 medical students) answered correctly all 6 questions. Those who were willing to donate their organs after death achieved better result than those who did not want to donate (1.6 ± 1.22 vs 1.34 ± 1.1; P = .002). Personal experiences did not influence knowledge about transplantation. Knowledge about legal regulations regarding organ transplantation is insufficient among young people. Structured, well-considered education programs at various levels of school and academic education are needed to improve public awareness and attitude. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Organ Transplants in Kazakhstan.

Science.gov (United States)

Baigenzhin, Abay; Doskaliyev, Zhaksylyk; Tuganbekova, Saltanat; Zharikov, Serik; Altynova, Sholpan; Gaipov, Abduzhappar

2015-11-01

The Republic of Kazakhstan is one of the fastest developing countries in the world and has a health care system that is unique in Central Asia. Its organ transplant services are also developing rapidly. We aimed to analyze and briefly report on the current status of organ transplant in the Republic of Kazakhstan. We analyzed organ transplant activities in that country for the period 2012 to 2014. All data were collected from the official database of the National Transplant Coordinating Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan. At the end of 2014, the number of transplant centers had increased to 10, three of which could perform multiorgan transplants; during the same period, the number of deceased-donor organ-donating hospitals increased up to 37. By 2013, the transplant activity rate for all centers had reached 9.22 per million population. During the previous 3 years (2012-2014), there was a 3-fold increase in the number of living donors and an 18-fold increase in the number of kidney transplants. Between 2012 and 2014, the number of living-donor liver transplants increased from 17 to 25, and the number of deceased-donor transplants increased from 3 to 7. During the last 3 years (2012-2014), the number of heart transplants increased to 7 cases. During the last 3 years (2012-2014), Kazakhstan achieved a significant improvement in the organization of its transplant services, and a noticeable upward trend in the system continues.

Health related quality of life in renal transplantation: 2 years of longitudinal follow-up.

Science.gov (United States)

Costa-Requena, Gema; Cantarell, M Carmen; Moreso, Francesc; Parramon, Gemma; Seron, Daniel

2017-08-10

Health related quality of life (HRQoL) is recognized as an outcome measure in kidney transplantation. In this study was assessed changes on HRQoL and kidney-specific symptoms, also was evaluated the effect of socio-demographic and clinical parameters on patient's perceived HRQoL. A longitudinal study was done, at 5 time-points over 2 years after transplantation. To evaluate HRQoL the Kidney Disease Quality of Life Questionnaire Short Form was administrated, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale was used to assess psychological distress. At 6-months after transplantation, patients had similar HRQoL scores compared to the general population. The improvement on effects of kidney disease domain could be considered as large (η 2 =0.29), and medium on burden of kidney disease domain (η 2 =0.12), work status domain (η 2 =0.12), and sexual function domain (η 2 =0.13). Psychological distress, depressive symptoms, haemoglobin, and serum creatinine had significant influence on patient's perceived HRQoL over 2 years after transplantation. An improvement of HRQoL was observed on general and specific-targeted symptoms over 2 years after renal transplantation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Carinal transplantation.

OpenAIRE

Ueda, H; Shirakusa, T

1992-01-01

BACKGROUND: Current techniques of management of carinal lesions are not always satisfactory. Carinal transplantation, if feasible, would be valuable in certain circumstances. METHODS AND RESULTS: Carinal transplantation experiments were performed in dogs. In early cross transplant experiments there were problems in controlling ventilation and in obtaining satisfactory anastomoses, and the animals failed to live for even a few days. In seven subsequent experiments the carinal graft was removed...

Intravenous iron isomaltoside treatment of women suffering from severe fatigue after postpartum hemorrhage

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holm, Charlotte; Thomsen, Lars L; Langhoff-Roos, Jens

2018-01-01

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: To explore if intravenous iron isomaltoside (Monofer®) leads to a better relief of fatigue than current treatment practice with oral iron in women suffering from severe fatigue after postpartum hemorrhage. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a subanalysis of a single...... isomaltoside. Significant differences in other fatigue and depression scores and hematological parameters were observed and all in favor of iron isomaltoside. There were no differences in side effects between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: In women suffering from severe fatigue after postpartum hemorrhage, a single......-center, open-label, randomized controlled trial conducted in women suffering from postpartum hemorrhage. Participants were randomized 1:1 to 1200 mg iron isomaltoside or current treatment practice with oral iron. We measured fatigue by the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI) and Edinburgh Postnatal...

Iron Refractory Iron Deficiency Anaemia: A Rare Cause of Iron Deficiency Anaemia

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

McGrath, T

2018-01-01

We describe the case of a 17-month-old boy with a hypochromic microcytic anaemia, refractory to oral iron treatment. After exclusion of dietary and gastrointestinal causes of iron deficiency, a genetic cause for iron deficiency was confirmed by finding two mutations in the TMPRSS6 gene, consistent with a diagnosis of iron-refractory iron deficiency anaemia (IRIDA).

In vitro proliferation and differentiation of hepatic oval cells and their potential capacity for intrahepatic transplantation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Z.; Chen, J. [Liaocheng People' s Hospital, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Liaocheng, Shandong, China, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Liaocheng People’s Hospital, Liaocheng, Shandong (China); Li, L.; Ran, J.H.; Liu, J. [The First People' s Hospital of Kunming, Kunming, Yunnan, China, The First People’s Hospital of Kunming, Kunming, Yunnan (China); Gao, T.X.; Guo, B.Y. [Dongchangfu Hospital of Women and Child Health Care, Liaocheng, Shandong (China); Li, X.H.; Liu, Z.H.; Liu, G.J.; Gao, Y.C.; Zhang, X.L. [Liaocheng People' s Hospital, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Liaocheng, Shandong, China, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Liaocheng People’s Hospital, Liaocheng, Shandong (China)

2013-07-30

Hepatic oval cells (HOCs) are recognized as facultative liver progenitor cells that play a role in liver regeneration after acute liver injury. Here, we investigated the in vitro proliferation and differentiation characteristics of HOCs in order to explore their potential capacity for intrahepatic transplantation. Clusters or scattered HOCs were detected in the portal area and interlobular bile duct in the liver of rats subjected to the modified 2-acetylaminofluorene and partial hepatectomy method. Isolated HOCs were positive for c-kit and CD90 staining (99.8% and 88.8%, respectively), and negative for CD34 staining (3.6%) as shown by immunostaining and flow cytometric analysis. In addition, HOCs could be differentiated into hepatocytes and bile duct epithelial cells after leukemia inhibitory factor deprivation. A two-cuff technique was used for orthotopic liver transplantation, and HOCs were subsequently transplanted into recipients. Biochemical indicators of liver function were assessed 4 weeks after transplantation. HOC transplantation significantly prolonged the median survival time and improved the liver function of rats receiving HOCs compared to controls (P=0.003, Student t-test). Administration of HOCs to rats also receiving liver transplantation significantly reduced acute allograft rejection compared to control liver transplant rats 3 weeks following transplantation (rejection activity index score: control=6.3±0.9; HOC=3.5±1.5; P=0.005). These results indicate that HOCs may be useful in therapeutic liver regeneration after orthotopic liver transplantation.

Offer acceptance practices and geographic variability in allocation model for end-stage liver disease at transplant.

Science.gov (United States)

Wey, Andrew; Pyke, Joshua; Schladt, David P; Gentry, Sommer E; Weaver, Tim; Salkowski, Nicholas; Kasiske, Bertram L; Israni, Ajay K; Snyder, Jon J

2018-04-01

Offer acceptance practices may cause geographic variability in allocation Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (aMELD) score at transplant and could magnify the effect of donor supply and demand on aMELD variability. To evaluate these issues, offer acceptance practices of liver transplant programs and donation service areas (DSAs) were estimated using offers of livers from donors recovered between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2016. Offer acceptance practices were compared with liver yield, local placement of transplanted livers, donor supply and demand, and aMELD at transplant. Offer acceptance was associated with liver yield (odds ratio, 1.32; P offer acceptance (r = 0.09; P = 0.50). Additionally, the association between DSA-level donor-to-candidate ratios and aMELD at transplant did not change after adjustment for offer acceptance. The average squared difference in median aMELD at transplant across DSAs was 24.6; removing the effect of donor-to-candidate ratios reduced the average squared differences more than removing the effect of program-level offer acceptance (33% and 15% reduction, respectively). Offer acceptance practices and donor-to-candidate ratios independently contributed to geographic variability in aMELD at transplant. Thus, neither offer acceptance nor donor-to-candidate ratios can explain all of the geographic variability in aMELD at transplant. Liver Transplantation 24 478-487 2018 AASLD. © 2018 by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

In vitro proliferation and differentiation of hepatic oval cells and their potential capacity for intrahepatic transplantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Z.; Chen, J.; Li, L.; Ran, J.H.; Liu, J.; Gao, T.X.; Guo, B.Y.; Li, X.H.; Liu, Z.H.; Liu, G.J.; Gao, Y.C.; Zhang, X.L.

2013-01-01

Hepatic oval cells (HOCs) are recognized as facultative liver progenitor cells that play a role in liver regeneration after acute liver injury. Here, we investigated the in vitro proliferation and differentiation characteristics of HOCs in order to explore their potential capacity for intrahepatic transplantation. Clusters or scattered HOCs were detected in the portal area and interlobular bile duct in the liver of rats subjected to the modified 2-acetylaminofluorene and partial hepatectomy method. Isolated HOCs were positive for c-kit and CD90 staining (99.8% and 88.8%, respectively), and negative for CD34 staining (3.6%) as shown by immunostaining and flow cytometric analysis. In addition, HOCs could be differentiated into hepatocytes and bile duct epithelial cells after leukemia inhibitory factor deprivation. A two-cuff technique was used for orthotopic liver transplantation, and HOCs were subsequently transplanted into recipients. Biochemical indicators of liver function were assessed 4 weeks after transplantation. HOC transplantation significantly prolonged the median survival time and improved the liver function of rats receiving HOCs compared to controls (P=0.003, Student t-test). Administration of HOCs to rats also receiving liver transplantation significantly reduced acute allograft rejection compared to control liver transplant rats 3 weeks following transplantation (rejection activity index score: control=6.3±0.9; HOC=3.5±1.5; P=0.005). These results indicate that HOCs may be useful in therapeutic liver regeneration after orthotopic liver transplantation

[Transplant Surgeon Meets Nephrologist: Important Nephrological Aspects Before and After Kidney or Liver Transplantation].

Science.gov (United States)

Vondran, F W R; Wintterle, S; Bräsen, J H; Haller, H; Klempnauer, J; Richter, N; Lehner, F; Schiffer, M

2017-04-01

In cases of chronic renal insufficiency, successful kidney transplantation is the method of choice to restore patients' health, well-being and physical fitness. The interdisciplinary collaboration of nephrologists and transplant surgeons has always been a prerequisite for the successful pre-, peri- and post-transplant care of renal transplant patients. The same holds true for liver transplant patients. Here the nephrologist is often involved in cases requiring pre- or post-transplant dialysis as well as in decision making for combined liver-kidney transplantation. This review focuses on nephrological aspects in patient care before and after kidney and liver transplantation. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Too poor for transplant: finance and insurance issues in transplant ethics.

Science.gov (United States)

Laurentine, Kyle Alexander; Bramstedt, Katrina A

2010-06-01

Donor organs are a scarce gift. Additionally, transplantation is very expensive and the United States lacks universal health insurance for all citizens. These facts combine to make personal finance and insurance some of the criteria for wait listing at US transplant centers. Previous research has shown that the poor and the uninsured (as well as women and nonwhites) are less likely to receive a transplant. Living donor candidates are also limited by the US insurance system. To determine the effect of finance and insurance variables on access to transplant and living donation. A qualitative descriptive study of ethics consultation data contained in a research registry approved by the institutional review board at California Pacific Medical Center. This study analyzes research registry data from a large community hospital in Northern California that serves patients from California, Oregon, and Nevada. The registry data are derived from transplant ethics consultations occurring between January 1, 2007, and June 30, 2009. This study explores the restriction of access to transplantation and of participation in living donation. More than a quarter of all transplant ethics consultation reports described the restriction of transplant-related treatment for reasons rooted in finance or insurance. Individuals on the recipient side and on the donor side were hindered with regard to access. Insurance status and personal ability to pay significantly affect access to transplantation in the United States, and this theme is a frequent feature of ethics consultations at California Pacific Medical Center.

History of Lung Transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Dabak, Gül; Şenbaklavacı, Ömer

2016-04-01

History of lung transplantation in the world can be traced back to the early years of the 20 th century when experimental vascular anastomotic techniques were developed by Carrel and Guthrie, followed by transplantation of thoracic organs on animal models by Demikhov and finally it was James Hardy who did the first lung transplantation attempt on human. But it was not until the discovery of cyclosporine and development of better surgical techniques that success could be achieved in that field by the Toronto Lung Transplant Group led by Joel Cooper. Up to the present day, over 51.000 lung transplants were performed in the world at different centers. The start of lung transplantation in Turkey has been delayed for various reasons. From 1998 on, there were several attempts but the first successful lung transplant was performed at Sureyyapasa Hospital in 2009. Today there are four lung transplant centers in Turkey; two in Istanbul, one in Ankara and another one in Izmir. Three lung transplant centers from Istanbul which belong to private sector have newly applied for licence from the Ministry of Health.

Self-reported non-adherence and beliefs about medication in a Swedish kidney transplant population.

Science.gov (United States)

Lennerling, Annette; Forsberg, Anna

2012-01-01

Patients' non-adherence to immunosuppressant treatment after organ transplantation may lead to organ failure, graft loss and death. Non-adherence among Swedish kidney transplant recipients has not previously been studied. Hence the aim of this study was to explore non-adherence among Swedish kidney transplant recipients by using self-report instruments as well as testing the hypothesis that there is a difference in self-reported symptoms, beliefs about medicine and social support between respondents with or without self reported non-adherence. In the present cross sectional study 250 renal transplant recipients participated by replying to a questionnaire. Two validated instruments were included, one on beliefs about medicine (the BMQ©), the other on nonadherence (the BAASIS©). Only 46 % never failed to follow the medical treatment with respect to taking the drugs, dosage or timing (>2 hrs from prescribed time). Timing was the most frequently reported deviation (48 %). Forty-seven patients (16 %) had failed taking at least one dose of the prescribed immunosuppressants during the past four weeks. Four individuals had reduced the prescribed doses. Only one reported taking a 'drug holiday'. Nine participants reported stronger concerns than necessities for immunosuppressive medication. For the BMQ the necessity scores were extremely high while the scores for concern were low. Risk behaviour identified by the BAASIS had no association in risk attitudes as identified in the BMQ. The only factor relating to non-adherence was lack of social support (p=0.022). In general adherence was high. Identification of the exceptions remains a challenge.

Combination of edaravone and neural stem cell transplantation repairs injured spinal cord in rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Y Y; Peng, C G; Ye, X B

2015-12-29

This study sought to observe the effect of the combination of edaravone and neural stem cell (NSC) transplantation on the repair of complete spinal cord transection in rats. Eighty adult female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were used to establish the injury model of complete spinal cord transection at T9. Animals were divided randomly into four groups (N = 20 each): control, edaravone, transplantation, and edaravone + transplantation. The recovery of spinal function was evaluated with the Basso, Beattie, Bresnahan (BBB) rating scale on days 1, 3, and 7 each week after the surgery. After 8 weeks, the BBB scores of the control, edaravone, transplantation, and combination groups were 4.21 ± 0.11, 8.46 ± 0.1, 8.54 ± 0.13, and 11.21 ± 0.14, respectively. At 8 weeks after surgery, the spinal cord was collected; the survival and transportation of transplanted cells were observed with PKH-26 labeling, and the regeneration and distribution of spinal nerve fibers with fluorescent-gold (FG) retrograde tracing. Five rats died due to the injury. PKH-26-labeled NSCs had migrated into the spinal cord. A few intact nerve fibers and pyramidal neurons passed the injured area in the transplantation and combination groups. The numbers of PKH-26-labeled cells and FG-labeled nerve fibers were in the order: combination group > edaravone group and transplantation group > control group (P edaravone can enhance the survival and differentiation of NSCs in injured areas; edaravone with NSC transplantation can improve the effectiveness of spinal cord injury repair in rats.

Prevention of the Osmotic Demyelination Syndrome After Liver Transplantation: A Multidisciplinary Perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Crismale, J F; Meliambro, K A; DeMaria, S; Bronster, D B; Florman, S; Schiano, T D

2017-10-01

The osmotic demyelination syndrome (ODS) is a serious neurologic condition that occurs in the setting of rapid correction of hyponatremia. It presents with protean manifestations, from encephalopathy to the "locked-in" syndrome. ODS can complicate liver transplantation (LT), and its incidence may increase with the inclusion of serum sodium as a factor in the Mayo End-Stage Liver Disease score. A comprehensive understanding of risk factors for the development of ODS in the setting of LT, along with recommendations to mitigate the risk of ODS, are necessary. The literature to date on ODS in the setting of LT was reviewed. Major risk factors for the development of ODS include severe pretransplant hyponatremia (serum sodium [SNa] ODS include correcting hyponatremia pretransplant via fluid restriction and/or ensuring an appropriate rate of increase from the preoperative SNa via close attention to fluid and electrolyte management both during and after surgery. Multidisciplinary management involving transplant hepatology, nephrology, neurology, surgery, and anesthesiology/critical care is key to performing LT safely in patients with hyponatremia. © 2017 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

Perspectives of Older Kidney Transplant Recipients on Kidney Transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Pinter, Jule; Hanson, Camilla S; Chapman, Jeremy R; Wong, Germaine; Craig, Jonathan C; Schell, Jane O; Tong, Allison

2017-03-07

Older kidney transplant recipients are susceptible to cognitive impairment, frailty, comorbidities, immunosuppression-related complications, and chronic graft failure, however, there has been limited focus on their concerns and expectations related to transplantation. This study aims to describe the perspectives of older kidney transplant recipients about their experience of kidney transplantation, self-management, and treatment goals to inform strategies and interventions that address their specific needs. Face-to-face semistructured interviews were conducted with 30 kidney transplant recipients aged 65-80 years from five renal units in Australia. Transcripts were analyzed thematically. Six themes were identified: restoring vitality of youth (with subthemes of revived mindset for resilience, embracing enjoyment in life, drive for self-actualization); persisting through prolonged recovery (yielding to aging, accepting functional limitations, pushing the limit, enduring treatment responsibilities); imposing sicknesses (combatting devastating comorbidities, painful restrictions, emerging disillusionment, anxieties about accumulating side effects, consuming treatment burden); prioritizing graft survival (privileged with a miracle, negotiating risks for longevity, enacting a moral duty, preserving the last opportunity); confronting health deterioration (vulnerability and helplessness, narrowing focus to immediate concerns, uncertainty of survival); and value of existence (purpose through autonomy, refusing the burden of futile treatment, staying alive by all means). Older kidney transplant recipients felt able to enjoy life and strived to live at their newly re-established potential and capability, which motivated them to protect their graft. However, some felt constrained by slow recuperation and overwhelmed by unexpected comorbidities, medication-related side effects, and health decline. Our findings suggest the need to prepare and support older recipients for self

Imaging transplanted stem cells in real time using an MRI dual-contrast method

Science.gov (United States)

Ngen, Ethel J.; Wang, Lee; Kato, Yoshinori; Krishnamachary, Balaji; Zhu, Wenlian; Gandhi, Nishant; Smith, Barbara; Armour, Michael; Wong, John; Gabrielson, Kathleen; Artemov, Dmitri

2015-01-01

Stem cell therapies are currently being investigated for the repair of brain injuries. Although exogenous stem cell labelling with superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) prior to transplantation provides a means to noninvasively monitor stem cell transplantation by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), monitoring cell death is still a challenge. Here, we investigate the feasibility of using an MRI dual-contrast technique to detect cell delivery, cell migration and cell death after stem cell transplantation. Human mesenchymal stem cells were dual labelled with SPIONs and gadolinium-based chelates (GdDTPA). The viability, proliferation rate, and differentiation potential of the labelled cells were then evaluated. The feasibility of this MRI technique to distinguish between live and dead cells was next evaluated using MRI phantoms, and in vivo using both immune-competent and immune-deficient mice, following the induction of brain injury in the mice. All results were validated with bioluminescence imaging. In live cells, a negative (T2/T2*) MRI contrast predominates, and is used to track cell delivery and cell migration. Upon cell death, a diffused positive (T1) MRI contrast is generated in the vicinity of the dead cells, and serves as an imaging marker for cell death. Ultimately, this technique could be used to manage stem cell therapies. PMID:26330231

Physician reported adherence to immunosuppressants in renal transplant patients: Prevalence, agreement, and correlates.

Science.gov (United States)

Pabst, Selma; Bertram, Anna; Zimmermann, Tanja; Schiffer, Mario; de Zwaan, Martina

2015-11-01

Adherence to immunosuppressants (IS) is crucial to prevent allograft rejection. Even though there is evidence that non-adherence to IS among kidney transplant recipients is common, it is rarely routinely assessed in clinical practice. Especially, little is known about how physicians estimate patients' adherence to IS medication. In a single center, cross-sectional study adult patients at least 1 year after kidney transplantation were asked to complete measures of adherence (BAASIS©, Transplant Effect Questionnaire) and of general psychopathology (anxiety, depression, perceived social support). Also the physicians were asked to estimate their patients' adherence. Medical data (time since transplantation, treatment for rejection, IS serum trough levels and target levels) were taken from the patients' charts. Physicians rated 22 of 238 (9.2%) patients as non-adherent. Physicians' estimations of non-adherence were lower compared to the results of the self-ratings and biopsy-proven rejections. No association was found between physicians' estimates and the variability of IS through levels. Significantly more women and patients who reported that their native language was not German were rated as non-adherent by the physicians. Also, physician-rated non-adherent patients reported significantly higher depression and anxiety scores as well as less social support compared to adherent patients. Our results suggest that physicians tend to underestimate patient non-adherence to IS medication. They appear to use observable cues such as sex, language skills, and elevated anxiety and depression scores in particular, to make inferences about an individual patient's adherence. Underestimation of medication non-adherence may impede physicians' ability to provide high quality care. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The kidney allocation score: methodological problems, moral concerns and unintended consequences.

Science.gov (United States)

Hippen, B

2009-07-01

The growing disparity between the demand for and supply of kidneys for transplantation has generated interest in alternative systems of allocating kidneys from deceased donors. This personal viewpoint focuses attention on the Kidney Allocation Score (KAS) proposal promulgated by the UNOS/OPTN Kidney Committee. I identify several methodological and moral flaws in the proposed system, concluding that any iteration of the KAS proposal should be met with more skepticism than sanguinity.

Patient-reported outcome 2 years after lung transplantation: does the underlying diagnosis matter?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ghosh S

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Maria Jose Santana,1 David Feeny,2 Sunita Ghosh,3 Dale C Lien41Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; 2Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research, Portland, OR, USA; 3Cross Cancer Center, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; 4University of Alberta Hospital, Edmonton, Alberta, CanadaPurpose: Transplantation has the potential to produce profound effects on survival and health-related quality of life (HRQL. The inclusion of the patient’s perspective may play an important role in the assessment of the effectiveness of lung transplantation. Patient perspectives are assessed by patient-reported outcome measures, including HRQL measures. We describe how patients’ HRQL among different diagnosis groups can be used by clinicians to monitor and evaluate the outcomes associated with transplantation.Methods: Consecutive lung transplant recipients attending the lung transplant outpatient clinic in a tertiary institution completed the 15-item Health Utilities Index (HUI questionnaire on a touchscreen computer. The results were available to clinicians at every patient visit. The HUI3 covers a range of severity and comorbidities in eight dimensions of health status. Overall HUI3 scores are on a scale in which dead = 0.00 and perfect health = 1.00; disability categories range from no disability = 1 to severe disability <0.70. Single-attribute and overall HUI3 scores were used to compare patients’ HRQL among different diagnosis groups. Random-effect models with time since transplant as a random variable and age, gender, underlying diagnoses, infections, and broncholitis obliterans syndrome as fixed variables were built to identify determinants of health status at 2-years posttransplantation.Results: Two hundred and fourteen lung transplant recipients of whom 61% were male with a mean age of 52 (19–75 years were included in the study. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cystic fibrosis patients displayed

Blood and Bone Marrow Transplant?

Science.gov (United States)

... Topics / Blood and Bone Marrow Transplant Blood and Bone Marrow Transplant Also known as Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant , Hematopoietic ... person, called a donor, it is an allogeneic transplant. Blood or bone marrow transplants most commonly are used to treat ...

Bronchiectasis diagnosed after renal transplantation: a retrospective multicenter study.

Science.gov (United States)

Dury, Sandra; Colosio, Charlotte; Etienne, Isabelle; Anglicheau, Dany; Merieau, Elodie; Caillard, Sophie; Rivalan, Joseph; Thervet, Eric; Essig, Marie; Babinet, François; Subra, Jean-François; Toubas, Olivier; Rieu, Philippe; Launois, Claire; Perotin-Collard, Jeanne-Marie; Lebargy, François; Deslée, Gaëtan

2015-11-07

Bronchiectasis is characterized by abnormal, permanent and irreversible dilatation of the bronchi, usually responsible for daily symptoms and frequent respiratory complications. Many causes have been identified, but only limited data are available concerning the association between bronchiectasis and renal transplantation. We conducted a retrospective multicenter study of cases of bronchiectasis diagnosed after renal transplantation in 14 renal transplantation departments (French SPIESSER group). Demographic, clinical, laboratory and CT scan data were collected. Forty-six patients were included (mean age 58.2 years, 52.2 % men). Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (32.6 %) was the main underlying renal disease. Chronic cough and sputum (50.0 %) were the major symptoms leading to chest CT scan. Mean duration of symptoms before diagnosis was 1.5 years [0-12.1 years]. Microorganisms were identified in 22 patients, predominantly Haemophilus influenzae. Hypogammaglobulinemia was observed in 46.9 % patients. Bronchiectasis was usually extensive (84.8 %). The total bronchiectasis score was 7.4 ± 5.5 with a significant gradient from apex to bases. Many patients remained symptomatic (43.5 %) and/or presented recurrent respiratory tract infections (37.0 %) during follow-up. Six deaths (13 %) occurred during follow-up, but none were attributable to bronchiectasis. These results highlight that the diagnosis of bronchiectasis should be considered in patients with de novo respiratory symptoms after renal transplantation. Further studies are needed to more clearly understand the mechanisms underlying bronchiectasis in this setting.

Meniscus transplantation in skeletally immature patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Kocher, Mininder S; Tepolt, Frances A; Vavken, Patrick

2016-07-01

Meniscal pathology in skeletally immature patients includes meniscal tears and discoid lateral meniscus. Total or subtotal meniscectomy may occur in patients with discoid lateral meniscus or severe meniscal tears. Meniscal transplantation may be an option in skeletally immature patients status after total or subtotal meniscectomy with knee symptoms or dysfunction. This study focuses on the surgical technique and short-term outcomes of meniscus transplantation in skeletally immature patients. We reviewed our clinical database for skeletally immature patients who had undergone meniscus transplantation with a minimum of 2 years of follow-up. Patients were contacted, invited for a physical exam, and asked to complete a Pedi-IKDC, Lysholm, and Tegner outcomes questionnaire. The study protocol was approved by the responsible institutional review board. Three patients (two females/one male) were eligible for the study, each of whom responded to our invitation indicating availability for physical exam and questionnaire. Two patients had undergone subtotal discoid meniscus resection, leading to early lateral compartment degeneration. One patient developed advanced degeneration after a delay in treatment for a medial bucket-handle tear associated with anterior cruciate ligament rupture. The mean age of the patients at the time of surgery was 12.6±2.3 years. At a mean follow-up of 31±20 months, the mean Pedi-IKDC score was 68.3±4, the mean Lysholm was 55.7±22.3, and the median Tegner was 7 points. There were no indications of growth deformity during the regular postoperative radiological assessments. One patient required subsequent lysis of adhesions along the lateral mini arthrotomy and mobilization under anesthesia. The other two patients were able to return to sports at the same level as before meniscus transplantation and were able to do so within 9 months postoperatively. Over-resection of discoid menisci as well as untreated meniscus injury, the latter typically in

Kaposi's sarcoma in organ transplant recipients. The Collaborative Transplantation Research Group of Ile de France.

Science.gov (United States)

Farge, D

1993-01-01

Kaposi's Sarcoma (KS) is a tumour of multicentric origin with increased frequency after organ transplantation. To date, only North American data from the Cincinnati Transplant Tumor Registry have given some information about this disease in organ transplant recipients, but its true prevalence still has to be determined. In order to analyze Kaposi's sarcoma after kidney, liver and heart transplantation, we performed a retrospective study using the oldest registry of organ transplant recipients in Europe. Among all 7923 organ transplant recipients recorded in the Groupe Collaboratif de Recherche en Transplantation de l'Ile de France (GCIF) registry from 1968 to 1990, we analyzed the prevalence and the clinical characteristics of Kaposi's sarcoma in 6229 kidney, 727 liver and 967 heart transplant recipients. In the subgroup of kidney transplant recipients, we assessed the role of cyclosporine on disease evolution. Overall prevalence of Kaposi's sarcoma after organ transplantation was 0.52%, but it was significantly higher among liver (1.24%) than among kidney (0.45%) and heart (0.41%) transplant recipients. Chronic hepatitis B surface antigen carriers were more frequent in liver than in kidney transplant recipients who developed Kaposi's sarcoma (66% vs 21%, p < 0.03). Following kidney transplantation, Kaposi's sarcoma was more severe in patients receiving cyclosporine (n = 16) when compared with those under conventional immunosuppression (n = 12). True prevalence of Kaposi's sarcoma among European transplant recipients is high (0.52%) and appeared significantly higher in liver compared with other organ transplant recipients. Cyclosporine seems to increase severity of the disease among kidney transplant recipient.

Opportunities to deter transplant tourism exist before referral for transplantation and during the workup and management of transplant candidates.

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Gill, Jagbir; Diec, Olivier; Landsberg, David N; Rose, Caren; Johnston, Olwyn; Keown, Paul A; Gill, John S

2011-05-01

Transplant tourism is a global issue, and physicians in the developed world may be in a position to actively deter this practice. To examine such opportunities, we identified 93 residents of British Columbia, Canada who had a kidney graft through tourism and determined their previous interactions with our transplant programs. These patients were mainly ethnic minorities (90%) who traveled to their country of origin for transplantation. Many tourists were transplanted early in their disease course, with 27 having a preemptive transplant. Among the 65 tourists referred for transplant, 33 failed to complete the evaluation. All tourists who completed an evaluation were placed on a waiting list in British Columbia and, after waiting a median of 2 years, pursued tourism. Most of these patients (62%) had a potential living donor, but none had an approved donor, with 13 donors found medically unsuitable, 8 ABO incompatible, and 12 who did not complete their evaluation. Thus, strategies to deter tourism should start before the development of end-stage renal disease and should be part of pretransplant workup and wait-list management, focusing on patients not progressing through their evaluation, those with a declined living donor, and those facing longer wait times, as these groups appear to be at higher risks for transplant tourism. Further studies are needed to identify individuals at risk for transplant tourism and to define effective strategies to deter these individuals.

Transplant tourism: Outcomes of United States residents who undergo kidney transplantation overseas.

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Canales, Muna T; Kasiske, Bertram L; Rosenberg, Mark E

2006-12-27

Although international commerce in kidney transplantation is a reality, little is known about U.S. residents who travel abroad for kidney transplantation. We retrospectively reviewed the clinical outcomes of patients who were evaluated at the University of Minnesota Medical Center or Hennepin County Medical Center, but then surreptitiously underwent kidney transplantation overseas. We identified 10 patients who underwent kidney transplantation outside the United States between September 16, 2002 and June 30, 2006 and then returned for care in our programs. Eight were transplanted in Pakistan (all Somali), one was transplanted in China (Chinese), and one was transplanted in Iran (Iranian). All but one had a living donor. Mean age was 36.8+/-12.5 years with median follow-up of 2.0 years (range 0.4-3.7). Three patients communicated their intent to travel abroad before transplantation. Induction immunosuppressive therapy (if any) was available in 3/10, and initial maintenance immunosuppression was known in 5/10. Complications were primarily infectious, with six potentially life-threatening infections in four patients. At last follow-up, mean serum creatinine was 1.13+/-0.34 mg/dL, acute rejection occurred in 2/10, 1/10 grafts failed due to acute rejection, and 9/10 patients were alive. Kidney function and graft survival were generally good after surreptitious overseas kidney transplantation. Major problems included incomplete perioperative information communicated to the posttransplant care facility and a high incidence of posttransplant infections. Longer follow-up and detailed cost analysis are needed to better understand the implications of the growing phenomenon of transplant tourism.

Evaluation of contributing factors of post transplant erythrocytosis in renal transplant patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmed, S.; Ahmed, E.; Naqvi, R.; Qureshi, S.

2012-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence and contributing factors causing post transplant erythrocytosis in renal transplant patients. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted on live related renal transplant patients at SIUT. The records of all transplant recipients transplanted between April 2008 and December 2008 and who had at least 24 months follow up were studied. Patients in whom haematocrit exceeded 51% and those who received treatment for it were classified into post transplant erythrocytosis group. Results: Out of 200 renal transplant patients who had functioning graft at the time of analysis, 40 (20%) developed post transplant erythrocytosis (HCT >51%) after a mean interval of 9.5+- 2.5 months. Patients with erythrocytosis were mostly males (95% in PTE group vs 73.75% in non PTE group) ,had a shorter period on dialysis before undergoing renal transplantation (9.28 months in PTE group vs 14.56 months in non PTE group) and had relatively better graft function at the onset of erythrocytosis as judged by serum creatinine (S. Creatinine of 1.06+-0.29 mg/dl in PTE group vs 1.37 +- 0.51 mg/dl in non PTE group). No thrombotic complications were observed. All patients with erythrocytosis were treated with enalapril (ACE inhibitors) and 28 out of 40 required phlebotomy in addition to ACE inhibitors. The mean HCT at the time of last follow up in treated patients was 48.61+-1.85%. Conclusion: Post transplant erythrocytosis generally occurs in male patients with good graft function, thrombotic complications are of rare occurrence and response to ACE inhibitors is good. (author)

Syngeneic transplantation in aplastic anemia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gerull, Sabine; Stern, Martin; Apperley, Jane

2013-01-01

Aplastic anemia is usually treated with immunosuppression or allogeneic transplant, depending on patient and disease characteristics. Syngeneic transplant offers a rare treatment opportunity with minimal transplant-related mortality, and offers an insight into disease mechanisms. We present here...... a retrospective analysis of all syngeneic transplants for aplastic anemia reported to the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Between 1976 and 2009, 88 patients received 113 transplants. Most transplants (n=85) were preceded by a conditioning regimen, 22 of these including anti-thymocyte globulin...

Influence of socioeconomic status on allograft and patient survival following kidney transplantation.

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Ward, Frank L; O'Kelly, Patrick; Donohue, Fionnuala; ÓhAiseadha, Coilin; Haase, Trutz; Pratschke, Jonathan; deFreitas, Declan G; Johnson, Howard; Conlon, Peter J; O'Seaghdha, Conall M

2015-06-01

Whether socioeconomic status confers worse outcomes after kidney transplantation is unknown. Its influence on allograft and patient survival following kidney transplantation in Ireland was examined. A retrospective, observational cohort study of adult deceased-donor first kidney transplant recipients from 1990 to 2009 was performed. Those with a valid Irish postal address were assigned a socioeconomic status score based on the Pobal Hasse-Pratschke deprivation index and compared in quartiles. Cox proportional hazards models and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis were used to investigate any significant association of socioeconomic status with patient and allograft outcomes. A total of 1944 eligible kidney transplant recipients were identified. The median follow-up time was 8.2 years (interquartile range 4.4-13.3 years). Socioeconomic status was not associated with uncensored or death-censored allograft survival (hazard ratio (HR) 1.0, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.99-1.00, P = 0.33 and HR 1.0, 95% CI 0.99-1.00, P = 0.37, respectively). Patient survival was not associated with socioeconomic status quartile (HR 1.0, 95% CI 0.93-1.08, P = 0.88). There was no significant difference among quartiles for uncensored or death-censored allograft survival at 5 and 10 years. There was no socioeconomic disparity in allograft or patient outcomes following kidney transplantation, which may be partly attributable to the Irish healthcare model. This may give further impetus to calls in other jurisdictions for universal healthcare and medication coverage for kidney transplant recipients. © 2015 Asian Pacific Society of Nephrology.

Prevalence of dry eye syndrome after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

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Ivanir, Yair; Shimoni, Avichai; Ezra-Nimni, Orit; Barequet, Irina S

2013-05-01

To evaluate the prevalence, severity, and effect of dry eye in patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (aHSCT) and to correlate the findings to the duration after transplantation. A total of 222 eyes of 111 patients after aHSCT at the Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation, Sheba Medical Center, Israel in a consecutive 3-year period. All patients underwent a full ophthalmic examination and filled the ocular surface disease index (OSDI) questionnaire to assess ocular involvement in the form of dry eye syndrome or any other ocular manifestation. The main outcome measures were best-corrected visual acuity, tear break-up time, corneal fluorescein staining, Schirmer test, and OSDI questionnaire. A total of 111 patients were recruited. In 37%, a diagnosis of ocular graft versus host disease was previously made and 46% had no previous ocular examination. Schirmer test was less than 5 mm in 50% of all patients, and in 30% of patients with undiagnosed ocular involvement. The mean OSDI score was 13, and in 28% it was above 20. Correlation was found between visual acuity decrease and high OSDI score to the diagnosis of ocular graft versus host disease and signs of dry eye syndrome. A trend of worsening dry eye was observed up to the second half of the second year posttransplantation. Although many patients are either asymptomatic or do not seek ophthalmic examination, severe dry eye is a common finding after aHSCT. Mandatory follow-up, patient education, and early treatment may improve the quality of life.

Genetics Home Reference: iron-refractory iron deficiency anemia

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... refractory iron deficiency anemia Iron-refractory iron deficiency anemia Printable PDF Open All Close All Enable Javascript ... expand/collapse boxes. Description Iron-refractory iron deficiency anemia is one of many types of anemia , which ...

Health Literacy of Living Kidney Donors and Kidney Transplant Recipients

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Dageforde, Leigh Anne; Petersen, Alec W.; Feurer, Irene D.; Cavanaugh, Kerri L.; Harms, Kelly A.; Ehrenfeld, Jesse M.; Moore, Derek E.

2015-01-01

Background Health literacy (HL) may be a mediator for known socioeconomic and racial disparities in living kidney donation. Methods We evaluated the associations of patient and demographic characteristics with HL in living kidney donors (LD), living donor kidney transplant recipients (LDR), and deceased donor recipients (DDR) in a single center retrospective review of patients undergoing kidney donation or transplantation from September 2010 to July 2012. HL and demographic data were collected. HL was assessed via the Short Literacy Survey (SLS) comprising three self-reported screening questions scored using the 5-point Likert scale [low (3-8), moderate (9-14), high (15)]. Chi-square and logistic regression were used to test factors associated with lower HL. Results The sample included 360 adults (105 LD, 103 LDR, 152 DDR; 46±14 years; 70% white; 56% male; 14±3 years of education). HL scores were skewed (49% high, 41% moderate, 10% low). The distribution of HL categories differed significantly among groups (p=0.019). After controlling for age, race, gender, education and a race-education interaction term, DDR were more likely to have moderate or low HL than LDR (OR 1.911; 95%CI 1.096, 3.332; p=0.022) Conclusions Overall, living donors had high HL. The distribution of low, moderate and high HL differed significantly between LD, DDR and LDR. DDR had a higher likelihood of having low HL than LDR. Screening kidney transplant candidates and donors for lower HL may identify barriers to living donation. Future interventions addressing HL may be important to increase living donation and reduce disparities. PMID:24573114

[Guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of secondary iron overload in patients with congenital anemia].

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Cario, H; Grosse, R; Janssen, G; Jarisch, A; Meerpohl, J; Strauss, G

2010-11-01

In Germany and Central Europe, congenital disorders leading to secondary hemochromatosis are rare. The majority of these patients are treated in peripheral medical institutions. As a consequence, the experience of each institution in the treatment of secondary hemochromatosis in patients with congenital anemia is limited. Recent developments concerning new chelating agents, their combination for intensified chelation and new possibilities to diagnose and monitor iron overload have important consequences for the management of patients with secondary hemochromatosis and increase its complexity enormously. Therefore, the development of a guideline for rational and efficient diagnostics and treatment was necessary. The new guideline was developed within a formal consensus process and finally approved by a consensus conference with participants from both the pediatric and adult German hematology societies (GPOH and DGHO). Apart from general information and recommendations, the guideline contains 9 consensus statements on diagnostics (iron status, siderotic complications, chelator side-effects), the start of chelation, indications for intensified chelation, iron elimination in specific disorders, and iron elimination after stem cell transplantation. Here, these consensus statements are presented and discussed in detail. For the complete text of the guideline, please visit the AWMF homepage at http://www.leitlinien.net . © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

What can happen after lung transplantation and the importance of the time since transplantation: radiological review of post-transplantation complications.

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Daimiel Naranjo, I; Alonso Charterina, S

2016-01-01

Lung transplantation is the best treatment option in the final stages of diseases such as cystic fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Better surgical techniques and advances in immunosuppressor treatments have increased survival in lung transplant recipients, making longer follow-up necessary because complications can occur at any time after transplantation. For practical purposes, complications can be classified as early (those that normally occur within two months after transplantation), late (those that normally occur more than two months after transplantation), or time-independent (those that can occur at any time after transplantation). Many complications have nonspecific clinical and radiological manifestations, so the time factor is key to narrow the differential diagnosis. Imaging can guide interventional procedures and can detect complications early. This article aims to describe and illustrate the complications that can occur after lung transplantation from the clinical and radiological viewpoints so that they can be detected as early as possible. Copyright © 2016 SERAM. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Cost utility analysis of reduced intensity hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in adolescence and young adult with severe thalassemia compared to hypertransfusion and iron chelation program

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Sruamsiri Rosarin

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Hematopoieticic stem cell transplantation is the only therapeutic option that can cure thalassemia disease. Reduced intensity hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (RI-HSCT has demonstrated a high cure rate with minimal complications compared to other options. Because RI-HSCT is very costly, economic justification for its value is needed. This study aimed to estimate the cost-utility of RI-HSCT compared with blood transfusions combined with iron chelating therapy (BT-ICT for adolescent and young adult with severe thalassemia in Thailand. Methods A Markov model was used to estimate the relevant costs and health outcomes over the patients’ lifetimes using a societal perspective. All future costs and outcomes were discounted at a rate of 3% per annum. The efficacy of RI-HSCT was based a clinical trial including a total of 18 thalassemia patients. Utility values were derived directly from all patients using EQ-5D and SF-6D. Primary outcomes of interest were lifetime costs, quality adjusted life-years (QALYs gained, and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER in US ($ per QALY gained. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses (PSA were conducted to investigate the effect of parameter uncertainty. Results In base case analysis, the RI-HSCT group had a better clinical outcomes and higher lifetime costs. The incremental cost per QALY gained was US $ 3,236 per QALY. The acceptability curve showed that the probability of RI-HSCT being cost-effective was 71% at the willingness to pay of 1 time of Thai Gross domestic product per capita (GDP per capita, approximately US $ 4,210 per QALY gained. The most sensitive parameter was utility of severe thalassemia patients without cardiac complication patients. Conclusion At a societal willingness to pay of 1 GDP per capita, RI-HSCT was a cost-effective treatment for adolescent and young adult with severe thalassemia in Thailand compared to BT-ICT.

Effect of dietary iron source and iron status on iron bioavailability tests in the rat

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, D.; Hendricks, D.G.; Mahoney, A.W.

1986-01-01

Weanling male rats were made anemic in 7 days by feeding a low iron diet and bleeding. Healthy rats were fed the low iron diet supplemented with ferrous sulfate (29 ppm Fe). Each group was subdivided and fed for 10 days on test diets containing about 29 ppm iron that were formulated with meat:spinach mixtures or meat:soy mixtures to provided 100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, or 0:100% of the dietary iron from these sources or from a ferrous sulfate diet. After 3 days on the diets all rats were dosed orally with 2 or 5 micro curries of 59 Fe after a 18 hour fast and refeeding for 1.5 hours. Iron status influenced liver iron, carcass iron, liver radio activity and percent of radioactive dose retained. Diet influenced fecal iron and apparent absorption of iron. In iron bioavailability studies assessment methodology and iron status of the test subject greatly influences the estimates of the value of dietary sources of iron

Stunting, poor iron status and parasite infection are significant risk factors for lower cognitive performance in Cambodian school-aged children.

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Marlene Perignon

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Nutrition is one of many factors affecting the cognitive development of children. In Cambodia, 55% of children <5 y were anemic and 40% stunted in 2010. Currently, no data exists on the nutritional status of Cambodian school-aged children, or on how malnutrition potentially affects their cognitive development. OBJECTIVE: To assess the anthropometric and micronutrient status (iron, vitamin A, zinc, iodine of Cambodian schoolchildren and their associations with cognitive performance. METHODS: School children aged 6-16 y (n = 2443 from 20 primary schools in Cambodia were recruited. Anthropometry, hemoglobin, serum ferritin, transferrin receptors, retinol-binding protein and zinc concentrations, inflammation status, urinary iodine concentration and parasite infection were measured. Socio-economic data were collected in a sub-group of children (n = 616. Cognitive performance was assessed using Raven's Colored Progressive Matrices (RCPM and block design and picture completion, two standardized tests from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-III. RESULTS: The prevalence of anemia, iron, zinc, iodine and vitamin A deficiency were 15.7%; 51.2%, 92.8%, 17.3% and 0.7% respectively. The prevalence of stunting was 40.0%, including 10.9% of severe stunting. Stunted children scored significantly lower than non-stunted children on all tests. In RCPM test, boys with iron-deficiency anemia had lower scores than boys with normal iron status (-1.46, p<0.05. In picture completion test, children with normal iron status tended to score higher than iron-deficient children with anemia (-0.81; p = 0.067 or without anemia (-0.49; p = 0.064. Parasite infection was associated with an increase in risk of scoring below the median value in block design test (OR = 1.62; p<0.05, and with lower scores in other tests, for girls only (both p<0.05. CONCLUSION: Poor cognitive performance of Cambodian school-children was multifactorial and

Characteristics and risk of chronic graft-versus-host disease of liver in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients.

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Chien-Ting Chen

Full Text Available Chronic graft-versus-host-disease (cGvHD is a serious complication of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT. Among various organ-specific cGvHD, the cGvHD of liver is less well-characterized. In this study, we applied the National Institutes of Health 2014 scoring criteria of cGvHD to analyze a retrospective cohort of 362 allo-HSCT recipients focusing on cGvHD of liver. The overall incidence of liver cGvHD with a score of 3 by 1.5 years post-transplant was 5.8% (21/362. Poor outcome, in terms of overall survival (OS, were observed in patients with scores of 3 liver cGvHD, comparing to those with scores less than 3 (hazard ratio [HR] 2.037, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.123-3.696, P = 0.019. In multivariate analysis, male gender (HR 4.004, P = 0.042 and chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV infection status (HR 19.087, P < 0.001 were statistically significant risk factors for scores of 3 liver cGvHD. Our results indicate that liver cGvHD with scores of 3 has a grave prognosis following allo-HSCT, and that HCV carrier status and male are risk factors. Early recognition of this devastating complication might help in prompt immunosuppressive therapy and reducing late poor outcome.

Bioethics of organ transplantation.

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Caplan, Arthur

2014-03-01

As the ability to transplant organs and tissues has grown, the demand for these procedures has increased as well--to the point at which it far exceeds the available supply creating the core ethical challenge for transplantation--rationing. The gap between supply and demand, although large, is worse than it appears to be. There are two key steps to gaining access to a transplant. First, one must gain access to a transplant center. Then, those waiting need to be selected for a transplant. Many potential recipients do not get admitted to a program. They are deemed too old, not of the right nationality, not appropriate for transplant as a result of severe mental impairment, criminal history, drug abuse, or simply because they do not have access to a competent primary care physician who can refer them to a transplant program. There are also financial obstacles to access to transplant waiting lists in the United States and other nations. In many poor nations, those needing transplants simply die because there is no capacity or a very limited capacity to perform transplants. Although the demand for organs now exceeds the supply, resulting in rationing, the size of waiting lists would quickly expand were there to suddenly be an equally large expansion in the number of organs available for transplantation. Still, even with the reality of unavoidable rationing, saving more lives by increasing organ supply is a moral good. Current public policies for obtaining organs from cadavers are not adequate in that they do not produce the number of organs that public polls of persons in the United States indicate people are willing to donate.

Key issues in transplant tourism.

Science.gov (United States)

Akoh, Jacob A

2012-02-24

Access to organ transplantation depends on national circumstances, and is partly determined by the cost of health care, availability of transplant services, the level of technical capacity and the availability of organs. Commercial transplantation is estimated to account for 5%-10% (3500-7000) of kidney transplants performed annually throughout the world. This review is to determine the state and outcome of renal transplantation associated with transplant tourism (TT) and the key challenges with such transplantation. The stakeholders of commercial transplantation include: patients on the waiting lists in developed countries or not on any list in developing countries; dialysis funding bodies; middlemen, hosting transplant centres; organ-exporting countries; and organ vendors. TT and commercial kidney transplants are associated with a high incidence of surgical complications, acute rejection and invasive infection which cause major morbidity and mortality. There are ethical and medical concerns regarding the management of recipients of organs from vendors. The growing demand for transplantation, the perceived failure of altruistic donation in providing enough organs has led to calls for a legalised market in organ procurement or regulated trial in incentives for donation. Developing transplant services worldwide has many benefits - improving results of transplantation as they would be performed legally, increasing the donor pool and making TT unnecessary. Meanwhile there is a need to re-examine intrinsic attitudes to TT bearing in mind the cultural and economic realities of globalisation. Perhaps the World Health Organization in conjunction with The Transplantation Society would set up a working party of stakeholders to study this matter in greater detail and make recommendations.

Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network/Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients 2014 Data Report: Intestine.

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Junchao; Wu, Guosheng; Qing, Annie; Everly, Matthew; Cheng, Elaine; Terasaki, Paul

2014-01-01

As of September 19, 2014, 2441 cases of intestinal transplantation have been performed in 46 centers (2400 deceased, 41 living). Eight centers did more than 100 transplants. Annual case numbers peaked in 2007 (N = 198) and steadily decreased to 109 cases in 2013. Short gut syndrome (68%) and functional bowel problems (15%) are two major indications for intestinal transplantation. The 3 major types of transplants involving the intestine include: isolated intestine transplant (I); simultaneous intestine, liver, and pancreas transplant (I+L+P); and, combined intestine and liver (I+L) transplant. Graft survival has significantly improved in recent years, mainly due to improved first year graft survival. The 1-, 5-, and 10-year graft survivals were: 74%, 42%,and 26%, respectively (I); 70%, 50%, and 40%, respectively (I+L+P); and 61%, 46%, and 40%, respectively (I+L). The longest graft survivals for I, l+L+P, and l+L were 19 years, 16 years, and 23 years, respectively. Steroids, Thymoglobulin, and rituximab are 3 major induction agents used in recent years. Prograf, steroids, and Cellcept are 3 major maintenance agents. Induction recipients (68% of all patients) had a significantly lower acute rejection rate than nonrecipients before discharge (60% versus 75%, p compatible transplants. ABO identical transplant recipients had a significantly higher 5-year graft survival rate than ABO compatible recipients (39% versus 21%, p compatible (N = 188, 11%) than in the early decade (p compatible transplants were lower than those of ABO identical transplants. However, the difference did not reach statistical significance (46% versus 49%, p = 0.07). The effect of ABO compatibility on graft outcome was further confirmed by Cox Analysis. ABO incompatible transplants are still rarely performed (N = 4) in intestine. In conclusion, annual case numbers of intestinal transplants have been decreasing, regardless of improved graft survival. ABO compatible intestinal transplants previously

[Liver transplantation].

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Pompili, Maurizio; Mirante, Vincenzo Giorgio; Rapaccini, Gian Ludovico; Gasbarrini, Giovanni

2004-01-01

Liver transplantation represents the first choice treatment for patients with fulminant acute hepatitis and for patients with chronic liver disease and advanced functional failure. Patients in the waiting list for liver transplantation are classified according to the severity of their clinical conditions (evaluated using staging systems mostly based on hematochemical parameters related to liver function). This classification, together with the blood group and the body size compatibility, remains the main criterion for organ allocation. The main indications for liver transplantation are cirrhosis (mainly HCV-, HBV- and alcohol-related) and hepatocellular carcinoma emerging in cirrhosis in adult patients, biliary atresia and some inborn errors of metabolism in pediatric patients. In adults the overall 5-year survival ranges between 60 and 70%, in both American and European series. Even better results have been reported for pediatric patients: in fact, the 5-year survival rate for children ranges between 70 and 80% in the main published series. In this study we evaluated the main medical problems correlated with liver transplantation such as immunosuppressive treatment, acute and chronic rejection, infectious complications, the recurrence of the liver disease leading to transplantation, and cardiovascular and metabolic complications.

Bone metabolism dynamics in the early post-transplant period following kidney and liver transplantation.

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Schreiber, Peter W; Bischoff-Ferrari, Heike A; Boggian, Katia; Bonani, Marco; van Delden, Christian; Enriquez, Natalia; Fehr, Thomas; Garzoni, Christian; Hirsch, Hans H; Hirzel, Cédric; Manuel, Oriol; Meylan, Pascal; Saleh, Lanja; Weisser, Maja; Mueller, Nicolas J

2018-01-01

Bone disease contributes to relevant morbidity after solid organ transplantation. Vitamin D has a crucial role for bone metabolism. Activation of vitamin D depends on the endocrine function of both, liver and kidney. Our study assessed key markers of bone metabolism at time of transplantation and 6 months after transplantation among 70 kidney and 70 liver recipients. In 70 kidney recipients 25-OH vitamin D levels did not differ significantly between peri-transplant (median 32.5nmol/l) and 6 months post-transplant (median 41.9nmol/l; P = 0.272). Six months post-transplant median 1, 25-(OH)2 vitamin D levels increased by >300% (from 9.1 to 36.5ng/l; Ptransplantation and of intact parathyroid hormone 6 months post-transplant. Among 70 liver recipients, 25-OH vitamin D, 1, 25-(OH)2 vitamin D and intact parathyroid hormone levels were not significantly altered between peri-transplant and 6 months post-transplant. Contrary to kidney recipients, median CTx increased by 60.0% (from 0.45 to 0.72 ng/ml; P = 0.002) and P1NP by 49.3% (from 84.0 to 125.4ng/ml; P = 0.001) in the longitudinal course. Assessed biomarkers didn't differ between liver recipients with and without fractures. To conclude, the assessed panel of biomarkers proved highly dynamic after liver as well as kidney transplantation in the early post-transplant period. After kidney transplantation a significant gain in 1, 25-(OH)2 vitamin D combined with a decline in iPTH, CTx and P1NP, whereas after liver transplantation an increase in CTx and P1NP were characteristic.

Successful Dual Kidney Transplantation After Hypothermic Oxygenated Perfusion of Discarded Human Kidneys

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Ravaioli, Matteo; De Pace, Vanessa; Comai, Giorgia; Busutti, Marco; Gaudio, Massimo Del; Amaduzzi, Annalisa; Cucchetti, Alessandro; Siniscalchi, Antonio; La Manna, Gaetano; D’Errico, Antonietta A.D.; Pinna, Antonio Daniele

2017-01-01

Patient: Female, 58 Final Diagnosis: Nephroangiosclerosis Symptoms: Renal failure Medication: — Clinical Procedure: Resuscitation of grafts by hypothermic oxygenated perfusion Specialty: Transplantology Objective: Challenging differential diagnosis Background: The recovery of discarded human kidneys has increased in recent years and impels to use of unconventional organ preservation strategies that improve graft function. We report the first case of human kidneys histologically discarded and transplanted after hypothermic oxygenated perfusion (HOPE). Case Report: Marginal kidneys from a 78-year-old woman with brain death were declined by Italian transplant centers due to biopsy score (right kidney: 6; left kidney: 7). We recovered and preserved both kidneys through HOPE and we revaluated their use for transplantation by means of perfusion parameters. The right kidney was perfused for 1 h 20 min and the left kidney for 2 h 30 min. During organ perfusion, the renal flow increased progressively. We observed an increase of 34% for the left kidney (median flow 52 ml/min) and 50% for the right kidney (median flow 24 ml/min). Both kidneys had low perfusate’s lactate levels. We used perfusion parameters as important determinants of the organ discard. Based on our previous organ perfusion experience, the increase of renal flow and the low level of lactate following 1 h of HOPE lead us to declare both kidneys as appropriate for dual kidney transplantation (DKT). No complications were reported during the transplant and in the post-transplant hospital stay. The recipient had immediate graft function and serum creatinine value of 0.95 mg/dL at 3 months post-transplant. Conclusions: HOPE provides added information in the organ selection process and may improve graft quality of marginal kidneys. PMID:28928357

Pancreatic Islet Cell Transplantation

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Warnock, Garth L.; Rajotte, Ray V.

1992-01-01

Transplantation of insulin-producing tissue offers a physiologic approach to restoration of glycemic control. Whereas transplantation of vascularized pancreatic grafts has recently achieved encouraging results, pancreatic islet cell transplantation holds the promise of low morbidity and reduced requirements for agressive immunosuppression for recipients. Islet cell transplantation was recently demonstrated to induce euglycemia with insulin independence. Imagesp1656-a PMID:21221366

Changing Patterns of Foreigner Transplants in Korea and Overseas Organ Transplants Among Koreans.

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Ahn, Hyung Joon; Kim, Hwi Won; Han, Miyeun; Jeon, Hee Jung; Kwon, Oh Jung; Ahn, Curie

2018-02-01

This study aimed to estimate the numbers of foreign patients seeking organ transplantation (OT) in Korea and to examine the relationship between the trend of deceased donors in Korea and number of Korean patients seeking OT overseas since 2000. Data on foreigners who received a transplant in Korea were obtained from the Korean Network for Organ Sharing. Data on overseas transplants were obtained from 42 transplant centers surveyed through transplant coordinators. A total of 336 foreigners underwent OT (kidney transplantation [KT], 174; liver transplantation [LT], 162) in Korea between 2006 and 2016. The Mongolians were the most common foreigners who undergo KTs (32%), followed by the Chinese (18%), Americans (9%), and Emiratis (7%). Among foreigners undergoing LTs, the most common country of origin was Mongolia (39%), followed by United Arab Emirates (23%), China (13%), and the United States (6%). A total of 2206 Korean patients underwent overseas OT (KT, 977; LT, 1229) between 2000 and 2016. In 97% of overseas KT cases (n = 942) and 98% (n = 1205) of overseas LT cases, the transplantations were performed in China. The relationship between the number of deceased donors in Korea and the number of overseas transplants after 2006 indicates a highly negative correlation. (ρ = -0.988, P tourism.

Heart transplantation from older donors

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V. N. Poptsov

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In the current situation of the shortage of suitable donor organs, heart transplantation from older donors is one of the ways to increase the performance of more heart transplants, particularly, in patients with urgent need of transplantation. While planning a heart transplantation from older donor one should consider increased risk of early cardiac allograft dysfunction, preexisting coronary artery disease, accelerated transplant vasculopathy which may adversely affect early and long-term survival of recipients. Subject to careful selection of donor–recipient pairs, effective prevention and treatment of early cardiac allograft dysfunction, pre-existing atherosclerosis and transplant vasculopathy the early and long-term survival of heart transplant recipients from older donors is comparable to heart transplantation from young donors.

Evaluation of Quality of Life and Care Needs of Turkish Patients Undergoing Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

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Neslisah Yasar

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This descriptive study explored the quality of life and care needs of Turkish patients who underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The study sample consisted of 100 hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients. Their quality of life was assessed using Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Bone Marrow Transplant Scale. The mean patient age was 44.99 ± 13.92 years. Changes in sexual functions, loss of hair, loss of taste, loss of appetite, and sleep disturbances were the most common symptoms. The quality of life of transplant patients was moderately affected; the functional well-being and social/family well-being subscales were the most adversely and least negatively affected (12.13 ± 6.88 dimensions, respectively. Being female, being between 50 and 59 years of age, being single, having a chronic disease, and having a history of hospitalization were associated with lower quality of life scores. Interventions to improve functional status, physical well-being, and emotional status of patients during the transplantation process may help patients cope with treatment-related impairments more effectively. Frequent screening and management of patient symptoms in order to help patients adapt to life following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation are crucial for meeting care needs and developing strategies to improve their quality of life.

Development and Validation of a Scoring System to Predict Outcomes of Patients With Primary Biliary Cirrhosis Receiving Ursodeoxycholic Acid Therapy.

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Lammers, Willem J; Hirschfield, Gideon M; Corpechot, Christophe; Nevens, Frederik; Lindor, Keith D; Janssen, Harry L A; Floreani, Annarosa; Ponsioen, Cyriel Y; Mayo, Marlyn J; Invernizzi, Pietro; Battezzati, Pier M; Parés, Albert; Burroughs, Andrew K; Mason, Andrew L; Kowdley, Kris V; Kumagi, Teru; Harms, Maren H; Trivedi, Palak J; Poupon, Raoul; Cheung, Angela; Lleo, Ana; Caballeria, Llorenç; Hansen, Bettina E; van Buuren, Henk R

2015-12-01

Approaches to risk stratification for patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) are limited, single-center based, and often dichotomous. We aimed to develop and validate a better model for determining prognoses of patients with PBC. We performed an international, multicenter meta-analysis of 4119 patients with PBC treated with ursodeoxycholic acid at liver centers in 8 European and North American countries. Patients were randomly assigned to derivation (n = 2488 [60%]) and validation cohorts (n = 1631 [40%]). A risk score (GLOBE score) to predict transplantation-free survival was developed and validated with univariate and multivariable Cox regression analyses using clinical and biochemical variables obtained after 1 year of ursodeoxycholic acid therapy. Risk score outcomes were compared with the survival of age-, sex-, and calendar time-matched members of the general population. The prognostic ability of the GLOBE score was evaluated alongside those of the Barcelona, Paris-1, Rotterdam, Toronto, and Paris-2 criteria. Age (hazard ratio = 1.05; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.04-1.06; P 0.30 had significantly shorter times of transplant-free survival than matched healthy individuals (P ursodeoxycholic acid-treated patients with PBC. This score might be used to select strategies for treatment and care. Copyright © 2015 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Iron absorption in relation to iron status

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Magnusson, B.; Bjoern-Rasmussen, E.; Hallberg, L.; Rossander, L.

1981-01-01

The absorption from a 3 mg dose of ferrous iron was measured in 250 male subjects. The absorption was related to the log concentration of serum ferritin in 186 subjects of whom 99 were regular blood donors (r= -0.76), and to bone marrow haemosiderin grading in 52 subjects with varying iron status. The purpose was to try and establish a percentage absorption from such a dose that is representative of subjects who are borderline iron deficient. This information is necessary for food iron absorption studies in order (1) to calculate the absorption of iron from the diet at a given iron status and (2) compare the absorption of iron from different meals studied in different groups of subjects by different investigarors. The results suggest that an absorption of about 40% of a 3 mg reference dose of ferrous iron is given in a fasting state, roughly corresponds to the absorption in borderline-iron-deficient subjects. The results indicate that this 40% absorption value corresponds to a serum ferritin level of 30 μg/l and that food iron absorption in a group of subjects should be expressed preferably as the absorption corresponding to a reference-dose absorption of 45%, or possibly a serum ferritin level of 30 μg/l. (author)

Risk stratification in patients with advanced heart failure requiring biventricular assist device support as a bridge to cardiac transplantation.

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Cheng, Richard K; Deng, Mario C; Tseng, Chi-hong; Shemin, Richard J; Kubak, Bernard M; MacLellan, W Robb

2012-08-01

Prior studies have identified risk factors for survival in patients with end-stage heart failure (HF) requiring left ventricular assist device (LVAD) support. However, patients with biventricular HF may represent a unique cohort. We retrospectively evaluated a consecutive cohort of 113 adult, end-stage HF patients at University of California Los Angeles Medical Center who required BIVAD support between 2000 and 2009. Survival to transplant was 66.4%, with 1-year actuarial survival of 62.8%. All patients were Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support (INTERMACS) Level 1 or 2 and received Thoratec (Pleasanton, CA) paracorporeal BIVAD as a bridge to transplant. Univariate analyses showed dialysis use, ventilator use, extracorporal membrane oxygenation use, low cardiac output, preserved LV ejection fraction (restrictive physiology), normal-to-high sodium, low platelet count, low total cholesterol, low high-density and high-density lipoprotein, low albumin, and elevated aspartate aminotransferase were associated with increased risk of death. We generated a scoring system for survival to transplant. Our final model, with age, sex, dialysis, cholesterol, ventilator, and albumin, gave a C-statistic of 0.870. A simplified system preserved a C-statistic of 0.844. Patients were divided into high-risk or highest-risk groups (median respective survival, 367 and 17 days), with strong discrimination between groups for death. We have generated a scoring system that offers high prognostic ability for patients requiring BIVAD support and hope that it may assist in clinical decision making. Further studies are needed to prospectively validate our scoring system. Copyright © 2012 International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An iron-57 Moessbauer spectroscopic study of titania-supported iron- and iron-iridium catalysts

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Berry, F.J.; Jobson, S.

1992-01-01

57 Fe Moessbauer spectroscopy shows that titania-supported iron is reduced by treatment in hydrogen at significantly lower temperatures than corresponding silica- and alumina-supported catalysts. The metallic iron formed under hydrogen at 600deg C is partially converted to carbide by treatment in carbon monoxide and hydrogen. In contrast to its alumina- and silica-supported counterparts, the remainder of the titania-supported iron is unchanged by this gaseous mixture. The 57 Fe Moessbauer spectra of EXAFS show that iron and iridium in the titania-supported iron-iridium catalysts are reduced in hydrogen at even lower temperatures and, after treatment at 600deg C, are predominantly present as the iron-iridium alloy. The treatment of these reduced catalysts in carbon monoxide and hydrogen is shown by Moessbauer spectroscopy and EXAFS to induce the segregation of iron from the iron-iridium alloy and its conversion to iron oxide. (orig.)

No survival benefit to gaining private health insurance coverage for post-lung transplant care in adults with cystic fibrosis.

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Tumin, Dmitry; Foraker, Randi E; Tobias, Joseph D; Hayes, Don

2016-03-01

The use of public insurance is associated with diminished survival in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) following lung transplantation. No data exist on benefits of gaining private health insurance for post-transplant care among such patients previously using public insurance. The United Network for Organ Sharing database was used to identify first-time lung transplant recipients participating in Medicare or Medicaid, diagnosed with CF, and transplanted between 2005 and 2015. Survival outcomes were compared between recipients gaining private insurance after transplantation and those maintaining public coverage throughout follow-up. Since implementation of the lung allocation score, 575 adults with CF received lung transplantation funded by Medicare or Medicaid and contributed data on insurance status post-transplant. There were 128 (22%) patients who gained private insurance. Multivariable analysis of time-varying insurance status found no survival benefit of gaining private insurance (HR = 0.822; 95% CI = 0.525, 1.286; p = 0.390). Further analysis demonstrated that resuming public insurance coverage was detrimental, relative to gaining and keeping private insurance (HR = 2.315; 95% CI = 1.020, 5.258; p = 0.045). Survival disadvantages of lung transplant recipients with CF who have public health insurance were not ameliorated by a switch to private coverage for post-transplant care. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The impact of repeated mismatches in kidney transplantations performed after nonrenal solid organ transplantation.

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Côté, J M; Zhang, X; Dahhou, M; Sapir-Pichhadze, R; Foster, B; Cardinal, H

2018-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine whether kidney transplantations performed after previous nonrenal solid organ transplants are associated with worse graft survival when there are repeated HLA mismatches (RMM) with the previous donor(s). We performed a retrospective cohort study using data from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients. Our cohort comprised 6624 kidney transplantations performed between January 1, 1990 and January 1, 2015. All patients had previously received 1 or more nonrenal solid organ transplants. RMM were observed in 35.3% of kidney transplantations and 3012 grafts were lost over a median follow-up of 5.4 years. In multivariate Cox regression analyses, we found no association between overall graft survival and either RMM in class 1 (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.97, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.89-1.07) or class 2 (HR: 0.95, 95% CI 0.85-1.06). Results were similar for the associations between RMM, death-censored graft survival, and patient survival. Our results suggest that the presence of RMM with previous donor(s) does not have an important impact on allograft survival in kidney transplant recipients who have previously received a nonrenal solid organ transplant. © 2017 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

Fear of Movement and Low Self-Efficacy Are Important Barriers in Physical Activity after Renal Transplantation.

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Dorien M Zelle

Full Text Available Physical activity (PA and exercise are commonly used as preventive measures for cardiovascular disease in the general population, and could be effective in the management of post-transplantation cardiovascular risk. PA levels are low after renal transplantation and very few renal transplant recipients (RTR meet the PA guidelines. Identification of barriers to regular PA is important to identify targets for intervention to improve PA levels after renal transplantation. We investigated fear of movement and physical self-efficacy as barriers to PA in RTR.RTR were investigated between 2001-2003. The Tampa Score of Kinesiophobia-Dutch Version (TSK-11 was used to assess fear of movement. Physical self-efficacy was measured with the LIVAS-scale. PA was assessed using validated questionnaires (Tecumseh Occupational Activity Questionnaire and the Minnesota Leisure Time Physical Activity Questionnaire.A total of 487 RTR (age 51±12 years, 55% men were studied. Median score [interquartile range] on TSK-11 was 22 [17-26]. Low physical self-efficacy (Exp B:0.41[0.31-0.54], p<0.001 and history of myocardial infarction, transient ischemic attack and cerebrovascular accident (Exp B:1.30[1.03-1.63],p = 0.03 were independent determinants for fear of movement. Fear of movement was associated with lower daily PA, occupational, sports and leisure time PA. Mediation-analysis showed that a large part (73% of the effect of fear of movement on PA was explained by low physical self-efficacy.This study was the first to examine fear of movement and self-efficacy in relation to PA in RTR. Fear of movement was associated with a low PA level, and the larger part of this relation was mediated by low physical self-efficacy. Both fear of movement and physical self-efficacy level are important targets for intervention during rehabilitation after renal transplantation.

Efficacy of interventions for adherence to the immunosuppressive therapy in kidney transplant recipients: a meta-analysis and systematic review.

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Zhu, Yichen; Zhou, Yifan; Zhang, Lei; Zhang, Jian; Lin, Jun

2017-10-01

Immunosuppressive treatment regimens are complex and require ongoing self-management. Medication adherence can be difficult to achieve for several reasons. The current meta-analysis and systematic review investigated whether adherence interventions improved immunosuppressive treatment adherence in kidney transplant recipients. Medline, Cochrane, EMBASE, and Google Scholar were searched until October 17, 2016 using the following search terms: kidney transplantation, compliance, adherence, and immunosuppressive therapy. Randomized controlled trials and two-arm prospective, retrospective, and cohort studies were included. The primary outcomes were adherence rate and adherence score. Eight studies were included with a total for 546 patients. Among participants receiving intervention, the adherence rate was significantly higher than the control group (pooled OR=2.366, 95% CI 1.222 to 4.578, p=0.011). Participants in the intervention group had greater adherence scores than those in the control group (pooled standardized difference in means =1.706, 95% CI 0.346 to 3.065, p=0.014). Sensitivity analysis indicated that findings for adherence rate were robust. However, for adherence score, the significance of the association disappeared after removing one of the studies indicating the findings may have been overly influenced by this one study. Intervention programs designed to increase immunosuppressive adherence in patients with kidney transplant improve treatment adherence. Copyright © 2017 American Federation for Medical Research.

Imaging in pancreatic transplants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heller, Matthew T; Bhargava, Puneet

2014-01-01

Pancreatic transplantation, performed alone or in conjunction with kidney transplantation, is an effective treatment for advanced type I diabetes mellitus and select patients with type II diabetes mellitus. Following advancements in surgical technique, postoperative management, and immunosuppression, pancreatic transplantation has significantly improved the length and quality of life for patients suffering from pancreatic dysfunction. While computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have more limited utility, ultrasound is the preferred initial imaging modality to evaluate the transplanted pancreas; gray-scale assesses the parenchyma and fluid collections, while Doppler interrogation assesses vascular flow and viability. Ultrasound is also useful to guide percutaneous interventions for the transplanted pancreas. With knowledge of the surgical anatomy and common complications, the abdominal radiologist plays a central role in the perioperative and postoperative evaluation of the transplanted pancreas

Design of transplanting mechanism for system of rice intensification (SRI) transplanter in Kedah, Malaysia

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Imran, M. S.; Manan, M. S. Abdul; Khalil, A. N. M.; MdNaim, M. K.; Ahmad, R. N.

2017-08-01

There is a demand to develop transplanter specifically for system of rice intensification (SRI) cultivation in Malaysia. This SRI transplanter is different from conventional transplanter as it is required special requirements for transplanting. The work focused on transplanting mechanism design which can be later attached to SRI transplanter. The mechanical design was established using linkage mechanism, having a wheel that act as timing wheel that will control the distance between transplanted seedlings. The linkage mechanism also control the opening of the flapper that allow the seedling together with its nursery soil to be dropped, and control the stopper to prevent next seedling from sliding down the tray. The use of simple mechanism will have low cost for fabrication. The design was analysed using motion analysis software. Results show the design is perfectly good and can be fabricated without any problem. The animation successfully shows the perfect movement of the mechanism and transplanting process.

Breast Reconstruction After Solid Organ Transplant.

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Koonce, Stephanie L; Giles, Brian; McLaughlin, Sarah A; Perdikis, Galen; Waldorf, James; Lemaine, Valerie; TerKonda, Sarvam

2015-09-01

Solid organ transplant patients frequently develop posttransplant malignancies including breast cancer. They may desire breast reconstruction after mastectomy, which could potentially be complicated by their transplant status, immunosuppressive regimen, and previous operations. We review our experience with patients who have undergone solid organ transplant and subsequent breast reconstruction after mastectomy After institutional review board approval, we queried our prospective breast reconstruction and solid organ transplant databases for corresponding patients. Inclusion criteria comprised breast reconstruction after solid organ transplant. A chart review was conducted of identified patients. Seventeen patients were identified: 1 pulmonary transplant, 4 cardiac transplants, 2 liver transplants, 1 pancreas transplant, 2 combined kidney/pancreas transplants, and 7 kidney transplants. Indications for mastectomy included posttransplant malignancy and prophylaxis. Median time from transplant to completion of reconstruction was 186 months (range, 11-336 months). Median age at transplant was 34.5 years (range, 21-65 years) with the median age of the patients at reconstructive surgery 51.5 years (range, 34-71 years). Median body mass index was 25.3 (range, 21.3-46.5). No significant complications were noted after reconstructive surgery. All patients were on full immunosuppression at time of reconstruction. Breast reconstruction is a viable option for transplant patients after mastectomy and should not be refused based on their transplant status. Close coordination with the transplant team and careful preoperative planning is essential for optimal outcomes.

Choosing a Transplant Center

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... however you can Daughter's dying wish became mother's motivation Be The Match Blog Stories Anna, transplant recipient ... for transplant costs. Location – You might have to travel to receive a transplant. Consider how far the ...

Appraisal of transplant-related stressors, coping strategies, and psychosocial adjustment following kidney transplantation.

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Pisanti, Renato; Lombardo, Caterina; Luszczynska, Aleksandra; Poli, Luca; Bennardi, Linda; Giordanengo, Luca; Berloco, Pasquale Bartolomeo; Violani, Cristiano

2017-10-01

This study examined the relations between appraisal of transplant-related stressors, coping, and adjustment dimensions following kidney transplantation (KT). Two models were tested: (1) the main effects model proposing that stress appraisal and coping strategies are directly associated with adjustment dimensions; and (2) the moderating model of stress proposing that each coping strategy interacts with stress appraisal. Importantly, there is a lack of research examining the two models simultaneously among recipients of solid organ transplantation. A total of 174 KT recipients completed the questionnaires. Predictors of post-transplant adjustment included appraisal of transplant-related stressors and coping strategies (task-, emotion-, and avoidance-focused). Adjustment dimensions were psychological distress, worries about the transplant, feelings of guilt, fear of disclosure of transplant, adherence, and responsibility for the functioning of the new organ. The main and moderating effects were tested with regression analyses. Appraisal of transplant-related stressors and emotion-oriented coping were related to all adjustment dimensions, except of adherence and responsibility. Task-oriented coping was positively related to responsibility. Avoidance-oriented coping was negatively correlated with adherence. Only 1 out of 18 hypothesized interactive terms was significant, yielding a synergistic interaction between appraisal of transplant-related stressors and emotion-oriented coping on the sense of guilt. The findings have the potential to inform interventions promoting psychosocial adjustment among KT recipients. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The course and outcome of Renal Transplant Recipients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit at a Tertiary Hospital in Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Dawood, A.

2007-01-01

Renal transplantation is the treatment of choice for most patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD). This procedure provides a survival benefit compared to hemodialysis and is also cost effective. The aim of this study is to identify the types and incidence rates of complications that effect renal transplant recipients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) during long-term follow-up and to examine the impact of these complications on the length of hospital stay as well as mortality in a tertiary closed ICU in Saudi Arabia. We reviewed the data of all adult renal transplant recipients who were admitted to the ICU at the King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh between May 1999 and October 2006. During the stay period, 80 patients had a total of 96 ICU admissions; 49% were females. The admission APACHE II score and expected mortality was 25+7 and 48+23 respectively. The hospital mortality rate was 42%. Sepsis was major indication for ICU admission and pneumonia was the main cause of sepsis. In multivariate analysis the following variables were introduced in the model: APACHE II score, age, Glasgow Coma Score and need for hemodialysis in the ICU. We found only the need for hemodialysis during the ICU as an independent risk factor for mortality (P<0.02). We found in this study that the main reason for ICU admissions among renal transplant recipients was infections. Mortality rates for this particular population are relatively high and are primarily linked to the need for dialysis. (author)

Split-liver transplantation : An underused resource in liver transplantation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rogiers, Xavier; Sieders, Egbert

2008-01-01

Split-liver transplantation is an efficient tool to increase the number of liver grafts available for transplantation. More than 15 years after its introduction only the classical splitting technique has reached broad application. Consequently children are benefiting most from this possibility.

Analysis of hemodialysis patients’ thoughts about kidney transplantation and the national organ transplant system in terms of organ transplantation services management

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Yasin Uzuntarla

2017-03-01

Results: It was determined that the hemodialysis patients responding to the survey were in the 20-95 age group with an average age of 58,64±15,64 years. 87,9% of the patients reported that they had been briefed about kidney transplants, 32,2% of those had been briefed said that the information had been delivered by the dialysis physician, 77,7% stated that they wanted a kidney transplant from a cadaver, 49,5% did not want a kidney transplant from a live donor and 35,5% indicated that the national organ transplant system operated adequately. Furthermore, it was noted that 50,9% of the responders were registered on the waiting lists of kidney transplant centers. Conclusions: It was concluded that it is necessary to provide sufficient information to hemodialysis patients about kidney transplants and the national organ transplant system to steer them to transplant centers. It is anticipated that the results of this study will assist officers of the Ministry of Health, politicians involved in health issues, decision makers and health professionals. [Arch Clin Exp Surg 2017; 6(1.000: 33-37

The lived experience of autologous stem cell-transplanted patients: Post-transplantation and before discharge.

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Alnasser, Qasem; Abu Kharmah, Salahel Deen; Attia, Manal; Aljafari, Akram; Agyekum, Felicia; Ahmed, Falak Aftab

2018-04-01

To explore the lived experience of the patients post-haematopoietic stem cell transplantation and specifically after engraftment and before discharge. Patients post-stem cell transplantation experience significant changes in all life aspects. Previous studies carried out by other researchers focused mainly on the postdischarge experience, where patients reported their perceptions that have always been affected by the life post-transplantation and influenced by their surroundings. The lived experience of patients, specifically after engraftment and prior to discharge (the "transition" phase), has not been adequately explored in the literature. Doing so might provide greater insight into the cause of change post-haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. This study is a phenomenological description of the participants' perception about their lived experience post-haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The study used Giorgi's method of analysis. Through purposive sampling, 15 post-haematopoietic stem cell transplantation patients were recruited. Data were collected by individual interviews. Data were then analysed based on Giorgi's method of analysis to reveal the meaning of a phenomenon as experienced through the identification of essential themes. The analysis process revealed 12 core themes covered by four categories that detailed patients lived experience post-haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The four categories were general transplant experience, effects of transplantation, factors of stress alleviation and finally life post-transplantation. This study showed how the haematopoietic stem cell transplantation affected the patients' physical, psychological and spiritual well-being. Transplantation also impacted on the patients' way of thinking and perception of life. Attending to patients' needs during transplantation might help to alleviate the severity of the effects and therefore improve experience. Comprehensive information about transplantation needs

 Usefulness of acoustic radiation force impulse and fibrotest in liver fibrosis assessment after liver transplant.

Science.gov (United States)

Bignulin, Sara; Falleti, Edmondo; Cmet, Sara; Cappello, Dario; Cussigh, Annarosa; Lenisa, Ilaria; Dissegna, Denis; Pugliese, Fabio; Vivarelli, Cinzia; Fabris, Carlo; Fabris, Carlo; Toniutto, Pierluigi

2016-01-01

 Background and rationale. Acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) is a non-invasive tool used in the evaluation of liver fibrosis in HCV positive immune-competent patients. This study aimed to assess the accuracy of ARFI in discriminating liver transplanted patients with different graft fibrosis severity and to verify whether ARFI, eventually combined with non-invasive biochemical tests, could spare liver biopsies. This prospective study included 51 HCV positive liver transplanted patients who consecutively underwent to annual liver biopsy concomitantly with ARFI and blood chemistry tests measurements needed to calculate several non-invasive liver fibrosis tests. Overall ARFI showed an AUC of 0.885 in discriminating between patients without or with significant fibrosis (Ishak score 0-2vs. 3-6). Using a cut-off of 1.365 m/s, ARFI possesses a negative predictive value of 100% in identifying patients without significant fibrosis. AUC for Fibrotest was 0.848 in discriminating patients with Ishak fibrosis score 0-2 vs. 3-6. The combined assessment of ARFI and Fibro-test did not improve the results obtained by ARFI alone. ARFI measurement in HCV positive liver transplanted patients can be considered an easy and accurate non-invasive tool in identify patients with a benign course of HCV recurrence.

Isotope - aided studies of the bioavailability of iron and zinc from human diets consumed in Poland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rafalski, H.

1992-01-01

The main aims of the study were: 1) the evaluation of iron and zinc status in women of Lodz aged 18-45 years, 2) adaptation of the whole body counter to in vivo measurements absorption of iron given to the gastro-intestinal tract of volunteers and 3) in rat model estimation iron bioavailability from fortified wheat flour combined with products usually consumed in Poland. During five months investigations thirty seven women were examined each one twice in two months interval. Following variables were measured: iron and zinc in blood serum, in public and scalp hair and in food, taste acuity score, serum ferritin, hemoglobin, total iron binding capacity, red blood cells, mean corpuscular concentration and corpuscular volume. Prevalence of iron deficiency and iron deficient anemia were assessed by two models in terms of the depression of serum ferritin and hemoglobin concentrations. 64 refs, 6 figs, 23 tabs

A risk factor analysis of outcomes after unrelated cord blood transplantation for children with Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Shekhovtsova, Zhanna; Bonfim, Carmem M.; Ruggeri, Annalisa; Nichele, Samantha; Page, Kristin M.; Alseraihy, Amal; Barriga, Francisco; de Toledo Codina, José Sánchez; Veys, Paul; Boelens, Jaap Jan; Mellgren, Karin; Bittencourt, Henrique; O’Brien, Tracey; Shaw, Peter J.; Chybicka, Alicja; Volt, Fernanda; Giannotti, Federica; Gluckman, Eliane; Kurtzberg, Joanne; Gennery, Andrew R.; Rocha, Vanderson; Eurocord, Cord Blood Committee of Cellular Therapy and Immunobiology Working Party of the EBMT, Federal University of Parana, Duke University Medical Center and Inborn Errors Working Party of the EBMT

2017-01-01

Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome is a severe X-linked recessive immune deficiency disorder. A scoring system of Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome severity (0.5-5) distinguishes two phenotypes: X-linked thrombocytopenia and classic Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome. Hematopoietic cell transplantation is curative for

Influences of transplantation on metabolic bone diseases in dialysis patients. Measurement of bone density with multiple X-ray photodensitometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hida, Miho

1994-01-01

Renal osteodystrophy is a grave complication in dialysis patients. In this study, we evaluated the effect of renal transplantation (Txp) on metabolic bone diseases in renal transplant recipients (RTR), by multiple scanning X-ray photodensitometry (MD/MS). In only about 10% of RTR, bone metabolism recovered following improvement of renal function 1-2 years after Txp. Most cases showed decreased ΣGS and μ' scores on the MD/MS 1-2 years after Txp. Then ΣGS and μ' gradually increased over a long period. In seven of ten RTR with long-term graft survival (10 years<), ΣGS and μ' scores were within normal limits and densitometry bone patterns were normal. In four of five cases that received ciclosporin and had undergone Txp more than five years before, densitometry bone patterns were normal. Treatment with high doses of steroids due to acute rejection caused a sharp decline of ΣGS and μ' scores. In FK506-medicated RTR, ΣGS and μ' scores 1-2 years after Txp were decreased. In a 21-year-old female patient who had undergone Txp as the age of 13-year-old, there was little bone growth and ΣGS and μ' scores were significantly decreased. (author)

The role of exogenous neural stem cells transplantation in cerebral ischemic stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Lukui; Qiu, Rong; Li, Lushen; He, Dan; Lv, Haiqin; Wu, Xiaojing; Gu, Ning

2014-11-01

To observe the effects of neural stem cells (NSCs) transplantation in rats' striatum and subventricular zone (SVZ) in rat models of focal cerebral ischemia and reperfusion. Hippocampus was extracted from fetal rats with 14 days of gestation. Suspension culture was used to isolate and culture the rat's NSCs. A cerebral ischemia and reperfusion rat's model was made on the left side of the brain through occlusion of the left middle cerebral artery. Neurological signs were assessed by Zea Longa's five-grade scale, with scores 1, 2, and 3 used to determine the successful establishment of the rat's model. The NSCs were stereotaxically injected into the left striatum 24 hours after the successful rat's model was built. Rats were then randomly divided into 5 groups, namely, normal group, sham operation group, ischemia group, PBS transplantation group, and NSCs transplantation group, each of which was observed on day 3, day 7, and day 14. The ischemia-related neurological deficits were assessed by using a 7-point evaluation criterion. Forelimb injuries were evaluated in all rats using the foot-fault approach. Infarct size changes were observed through TTC staining and cell morphology and structure in the infarct region were investigated by Nissl staining. Apoptosis and apoptosis-positive cell counts were studied by Tunel assay. Expressions of double-labeling positive cells in the striatum and subventricular zone (SVZ) were observed by BrdU/NeuN and BrdU/GFAP fluorescent double-labeling method and the number of positive cells in the striatum and SVZ was counted. Results from the differently treated groups showed that right hemiplegia occurred in the ischemia group, PBS transplantation group, and NSCs transplantation group in varying degrees. Compared with the former two groups, there was least hemiplegia in the NSCs transplantation group. The TTC staining assay showed that rats in the NSCs transplantation group had smaller infarct volume than those from the PBS

Donor transplant programme

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abu Bakar Sulaiman

1999-01-01

The transplantation of organs and tissues from one human to another human has become an essential and well established form of therapy for many types of organ and tissue failure. In Malaysia, kidney, cornea and bone marrow transplantation are well established. Recently, liver, bone and heart transplanation have been performed. Unfortunately, because of the lack of cadaveric organ donation, only a limited number of solid organ transplantation have been performed. The cadaveric organ donor rate in Malaysia is low at less than one per million population. The first tissue transplanted in Malaysia was the cornea which was performed in the early 1970s. At that time and even now the majority of corneas came from Sri Lanka. The first kidney transplant was performed in 1975 from a live related donor. The majority of the 629 kidney transplants done at Hospital Kuala Lumpur to date have been from live related donors. Only 35 were from cadaver donors. Similarly, the liver transplantation programme which started in 1995 are from live related donors. A more concerted effort has been made recently to increase the awareness of the public and the health professionals on organ and tissue donation. This national effort to promote organ and tissue donation seems to have gathered momentum in 1997 with the first heart transplant successfully performed at the National Heart Institute. The rate of cadaveric donors has also increased from a previous average of I to 2 per year to 6 per year in the last one year. These developments are most encouraging and may signal the coming of age of our transplantati on programme. The Ministry of Health in conjunction with various institutions, organizations and professional groups, have taken a number of proactive measures to facilitate the development of the cadaveric organ donation programme. Efforts to increase public awareness and to overcome the negative cultural attitude towards organ donation have been intensified. Equally important are efforts

Pulmonary rehabilitation in lung transplant candidates.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Melinda; Mathur, Sunita; Chowdhury, Noori A; Helm, Denise; Singer, Lianne G

2013-06-01

While awaiting lung transplantation, candidates may participate in pulmonary rehabilitation to improve their fitness for surgery. However, pulmonary rehabilitation outcomes have not been systematically evaluated in lung transplant candidates. This investigation was a retrospective cohort study of 345 pre-transplant pulmonary rehabilitation participants who received a lung transplant between January 2004 and June 2009 and had available pre-transplant exercise data. Data extracted included: 6-minute walk tests at standard intervals; exercise training details; health-related quality-of-life (HRQL) measures; and early post-transplant outcomes. Paired t-tests were used to examine changes in the 6MW distance (6MWD), exercise training volume and HRQL during the pre-transplant period. We evaluated the association between pre-transplant 6MWD and transplant hospitalization outcomes. The final 6MWD prior to transplantation was only 15 m less than the listing 6MWD (n = 200; p = 0.002). Exercise training volumes increased slightly from the start of the pulmonary rehabilitation program until transplant: treadmill, increase 0.69 ml/kg/min (n = 238; p volumes are well preserved among lung transplant candidates participating in pulmonary rehabilitation, even in the setting of severe, progressive lung disease. Participants with greater exercise capacity prior to transplantation have more favorable early post-transplant outcomes. Copyright © 2013 International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

PHENOMENON OF DEMIKHOV. "Transplantation of vital organs In experiment" (1960. Transplantation immunity, artifi cial circulation in organ transplantation

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S. P. Glyantsev

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The article (the fourth of five presents the analysis of the 4th and 5th chapters from V.P.Demikhov's monograph "Transplantation of vital organs in experiment" (MedGIz Publisher, Moscow, 1960, where he described his studies of transplantation immunity in originally created models and his use of artificial blood-circulation systems in experimental organ transplantation. It has been shown that V.P.Demikhov changed his views on the tissue biological incompatibility in homoplastic transplants and turned from the Michurin-Pavlov's concepts (1946–1953 to natural-scientific views (1959. Meanwhile, his multiple attempts to study both the morphological and humoral immunological response to transplanted organs did not give conclusive results because of lacking the experience of such studies even in the country's leading scientists and due the imperfection of their techniques. Realizing that the retrieval of a beating heart from a human would have created further problems for its subsequent transplantation, V.P. Demikhov attempted to reanimate human hearts in corpses by means of extracorporeal devices to provide artificial circulation. Methodologically, those devices were based on S.S.Bryukhonenko's research and his "auto-injector" pump modified by V.P.Demikhov. However, by 1960, those studies had not come beyond the experiments.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as a bridge to lung transplantation: A single-center experience in the present era.

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Todd, Emily M; Biswas Roy, Sreeja; Hashimi, A Samad; Serrone, Rosemarie; Panchanathan, Roshan; Kang, Paul; Varsch, Katherine E; Steinbock, Barry E; Huang, Jasmine; Omar, Ashraf; Patel, Vipul; Walia, Rajat; Smith, Michael A; Bremner, Ross M

2017-11-01

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation has been used as a bridge to lung transplantation in patients with rapid pulmonary function deterioration. The reported success of this modality and perioperative and functional outcomes are varied. We retrospectively reviewed all patients who underwent lung transplantation at our institution over 1 year (January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2015). Patients were divided into 2 groups depending on whether they required extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support as a bridge to transplant; preoperative characteristics, lung transplantation outcomes, and survival were compared between groups. Of the 93 patients, 12 (13%) received bridge to transplant, and 81 (87%) did not. Patients receiving bridge to transplant were younger, had higher lung allocation scores, had lower functional status, and were more often on mechanical ventilation at listing. Most patients who received bridge to transplant (n = 10, 83.3%) had pulmonary fibrosis. Mean pretransplant extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support was 103.6 hours in duration (range, 16-395 hours). All patients who received bridge to transplant were decannulated immediately after lung transplantation but were more likely to return to the operating room for secondary chest closure or rethoracotomy. Grade 3 primary graft dysfunction within 72 hours was similar between groups. Lung transplantation success and hospital discharge were 100% in the bridge to transplant group; however, these patients experienced longer hospital stays and higher rates of discharge to acute rehabilitation. The 1-year survival was 100% in the bridge to transplant group and 91% in the non-bridge to transplant group (log-rank, P = .24). The 1-year functional status was excellent in both groups. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation can be used to safely bridge high-acuity patients with end-stage lung disease to lung transplantation with good 30-day, 90-day, and 1-year survival and excellent 1-year functional status

Pre-transplantation glucose testing for predicting new-onset diabetes mellitus after renal transplantation.

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Ramesh Prasad, G V; Huang, M; Bandukwala, F; Nash, M M; Rapi, L; Montada-Atin, T; Meliton, G; Zaltzman, J S

2009-02-01

New-onset diabetes after renal transplantation (NODAT) adversely affects graft and patient survival. However, NODAT risk based on pre-transplant blood glucose (BG) levels has not been defined. Our goal was to identify the best pre-transplant testing method and cut-off values. We performed a case-control analysis of non-diabetic recipients who received a live donor allograft with at least 6 months post-transplant survival. Pre-transplant glucose abnormalities were excluded through 75 g oral glucose tolerance testing (OGTT) and random BG (RBG) measurement. NODAT was defined based on 2003 Canadian Diabetes Association criteria. Multivariate logistic and Cox regression analysis was performed to determine independent predictor variables for NODAT. Receiver-operating-characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed to determine threshold BG values for diabetes risk. 151 recipients met initial entry criteria. 12 had pre-transplant impaired fasting glucose and/or impaired glucose tolerance, among who 7 (58%) developed NODAT. In the remaining 139, 24 (17%) developed NODAT. NODAT risk exceeded 25% for those with pre-transplant RBG > 6.0 mmol/l and 50% if > 7.2 mmol/l. Pre-transplant RBG provided the highest AUC (0.69, p = 0.002) by ROC analysis. Increasing age (p = 0.025), acute rejection (p = 0.011), and RBG > 6.0 mmol/l (p = 0.001) were independent predictors of NODAT. Pre-transplant glucose testing is a specific marker for NODAT. Patients can be counseled of their incremental risk even within the normal BG range if the OGTT is normal.

Stem-cell-activated organ following ultrasound exposure: better transplant option for organ transplantation.

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Wang, Sen; Li, Yu; Ji, Ying-Chang; Lin, Chang-Min; Man, Cheng; Zheng, Xiao-Xuan

2010-01-01

Although doctors try their best to protect transplants during surgery, there remain great challenges for the higher survival rate and less rejection of transplants after organ transplantation. Growing evidence indicates that the stem cells could function after injury rather than aging, implying that suitable injury may activate the stem cells of damaged organs. Furthermore, it has been revealed that stem cells can be used to induce tolerance in transplantation and the ultrasound has great biological effects on organs. Basing on these facts, we hypothesize that the stem cells within the transplants can be activated by ultrasound with high-frequency and medium-intensity. Therefore, the stem-cell-activated organs (SCAO) can be derived, and the SCAO will be better transplant option for organ transplantation. We postulate the ultrasound can change the molecular activity and/or quantity of the stem cells, the membrane permeability, the cell-cell junctions, and their surrounding microenvironments. As a result, the stem cells are activated, and the SCAO will acquire more regenerative capacity and less rejection. In the paper, we also discuss the process, methods and models for verifying the theory, and the consequences. We believe the theory may provide a practical method for the clinical application of the ultrasound and stem cells in organ transplantation.

Higher iron bioavailability of a human-like collagen iron complex.

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Zhu, Chenhui; Yang, Fan; Fan, Daidi; Wang, Ya; Yu, Yuanyuan

2017-07-01

Iron deficiency remains a public health problem around the world due to low iron intake and/or bioavailability. FeSO 4 , ferrous succinate, and ferrous glycinate chelate are rich in iron but have poor bioavailability. To solve the problem of iron deficiency, following previous research studies, a thiolated human-like collagen-ironcomplex supplement with a high iron content was prepared in an anaerobic workstation. In addition, cell viability tests were evaluated after conducting an MTT assay, and a quantitative analysis of the thiolated human-like collagen-iron digesta samples was performed using the SDS-PAGE method coupled with gel filtration chromatography. The iron bioavailability was assessed using Caco-2 cell monolayers and iron-deficiency anemia mice models. The results showed that (1) one mole of thiolated human-like collagen-iron possessed approximately 35.34 moles of iron; (2) thiolated human-like collagen-iron did not exhibit cytotoxity and (3) thiolated human-like collagen- iron digesta samples had higher bioavailability than other iron supplements, including FeSO 4 , ferrous succinate, ferrous glycine chelate and thiolated human-like collagen-Fe iron. Finally, the iron bioavailability was significantly enhanced by vitamin C. These results indicated that thiolated human-like collagen-iron is a promising iron supplement for use in the future.

Knee Osteochondral Autologous Transplantation: Long-term MR findings and clinical correlations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tetta, Cecilia; Busacca, Maurizio; Moio, Antonio; Rinaldi, Raffaella; Delcogliano, Marco; Kon, Elizaveta; Filardo, Giuseppe; Marcacci, Maurilio; Albisinni, Ugo

2010-01-01

We evaluated long-term magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of Knee Osteochondral Autologous Transplantation (OAT)-Mosaicplasty and correlated MRI findings and clinical outcome. Twenty-four patients (mean age 29.9 ± 8.7, 70.8% male) undergoing arthroscopic OAT between 1997 and 2000 were prospectively enrolled. The International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS)/International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) scores and Tegner scores were employed for clinical evaluation. The magnetic resonance observation of cartilage repair tissue (MOCART) was utilized for description and assessment of the repair tissue. Median follow up was 113 months (interquartile range [IQR] 106-122). MRI showed good survival of grafted cartilage in 62.5% of patients. The integration of the graft was complete in 75% of cases, while the repaired tissue was intact in 62.5% and had an homogeneous structure in 70.8%. The MOCART score significantly correlated with objective and subjective scores (p = 0.003 and p = 0.002). Contrastingly, overall MOCART showed no correlation with the Tegner score. MRI revealed to be a powerful tool for non-invasive long-term assessment of OAT.

[Serum soluble HLA-G, soluble CD30 is correlated to the time after transplantation in renal transplant recipients].

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Jin, Zhankui; Xu, Cuixiang; Duan, Wanli; Yang, Jiangcun; Tian, Puxun

2017-07-01

Objective To investigate the expressions of serum soluble human leukocyte antigen G (sHLA-G) and soluble CD30 (sCD30) in renal transplant recipients at different time after transplantation, and explore the relationship between the expressions of serum sHLA-G, sCD30 and the time after renal transplantation. Methods Eleven kidney transplant recipients and 10 healthy donors were selected, in which the dynamic changes of serum sHLA-G and sCD30 were detected by ELISA before transplantation and 1 year after transplantation; 33 kidney transplant recipients with normal renal graft were selected and divided into three groups: 1-5 years, 5-10 years and 10 years post-transplantation. The expressions of serum sHLA-G and sCD30 in the recipients were tested over one year after transplantation. Results The level of serum sHLA-G before transplantation was not significantly different from that of the control group. There was no significant difference between pre-transplantation, 1 week and 1 month after transplantation. Serum sHLA-G level of renal transplant recipients at 3 months after transplantation was higher than that 1 month after transplantation. There was no significant change in serum sHLA-G level among 3, 6 and 12 months after transplantation. The level of serum sHLA-G in the group of transplant time >10 years was significantly higher than that in the group of transplant time ≤5 years. The serum sHLA-G level was significantly associated with the time after renal transplantation. The level of serum sCD30 before transplantation was higher than that in the control group and decreased in 1 week after transplantation. There were no significant differences in sCD30 level between 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after transplantation, and similarly, there were also no significant differences between the groups of transplant time ≤5 years, 5-10 years and 10 years after transplantation. The level of sCD30 was significantly associated with the time within 1 month after renal

An osteophyte in the tibial plateau is a risk factor for allograft extrusion after meniscus allograft transplantation.

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Jeon, Byeongsam; Kim, Jong-Min; Kim, Jong-Min; Lee, Chang-Rack; Kim, Kyung-Ah; Bin, Seong-Il

2015-05-01

Osteophytes can be observed on the tibial plateau during meniscus allograft transplantation (MAT). However, no studies to date have evaluated the effect of these osteophytes on meniscus allograft extrusion. Osteophyte excision in the tibial plateau could reduce extrusion of the transplanted meniscus and improve short-term clinical outcomes with meniscus allograft transplantation. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Between October 2004 and July 2012, a total of 323 patients underwent MAT at a single institution. Of these, 88 patients had a peripheral osteophyte in their tibial plateau, and they were enrolled in the study retrospectively. The mean age of the patients was 35.3 years (range, 15-56 years); there were 57 male and 31 female patients. Forty-four patients underwent osteophyte excision concomitantly with MAT and 44 patients underwent MAT only. The 2 groups showed no difference in terms of age, body mass index, time after meniscectomy, and preoperative knee scores. A medial meniscus allograft was transplanted in 13 cases (15%) and a lateral meniscus in 75 (85%). The absolute extrusion and relative percentage of extrusion were measured to evaluate allograft extrusion 12 months after MAT. The modified Lysholm scoring system and the Hospital for Special Surgery score at 2 years after MAT were used to evaluate clinical outcomes. The mean absolute extrusions at 1 year postoperatively in the excision and nonexcision groups were 3.5±1.5 and 5.5±1.6 mm, respectively. The mean relative percentages of extrusion were 34.1%±15.9% and 54.7%±20.7%, respectively. The rates of allograft extrusion (>3 mm) were 28 of 44 (63.6%) and 41 of 44 (93.2%) in the excision and nonexcision groups, respectively. The intergroup differences in absolute extrusion, relative percentage of extrusion, and rate of allograft extrusion were statistically significant (P<.001 for all 3 parameters). There were no significant differences in the clinical outcomes (modified Lysholm or Hospital of

Routine Laboratory Blood Tests May Diagnose Significant Fibrosis in Liver Transplant Recipients with Chronic Hepatitis C: A 10 Year Experience

OpenAIRE

Sheen, Victoria; Nguyen, Heajung; Jimenez, Melissa; Agopian, Vatche; Vangala, Sitaram; Elashoff, David; Saab, Sammy

2016-01-01

Background and Aims: The aims of our study were to determine whether routine blood tests, the aspartate aminotransferase (AST) to Platelet Ratio Index (APRI) and Fibrosis 4 (Fib-4) scores, were associated with advanced fibrosis and to create a novel model in liver transplant recipients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV). Methods: We performed a cross sectional study of patients at The University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) Medical Center who underwent liver transplantation for HCV. ...

Microsurgical techniques for experimental kidney transplantation and general guidelines to establish studies about transplantation immunology Técnicas microcirúrgicas para transplante renal experimental e condutas para estabelecer experimentos sobre imunologia do transplante

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Paulo Ney Aguiar Martins

2003-08-01

Full Text Available Experimental models of organ transplantation played a crucial role to establish the principles of transplantation immunology. The renal transplantation in rodents became the most used model to study the mechanisms of allograft rejection. To perform it, it is necessary to master the microsurgery techniques and the research group should cooperate with other specialists in the field. In this article we review the surgical techniques employed in rats, and we draw guidelines to establish studies about transplantation immunology.Os princípios da imunologia do transplante estabeleceram-se após o surgimento de modelos experimentais. Esses modelos foram fundamentais para descoberta de mecanismos de tolerância imunológica e as bases genéticas da reação de rejeição. Transplante renal em roedores utilizando técnicas de microcirurgia tornou-se o modelo ideal, e abriu um novo horizonte para condução de pesquisas sobre imunologia e fisiologia de transplantes. Neste artigo revisamos as técnicas de transplante renal, e esboçamos diretrizes para elaboração de estudos imunológicos em modelos de rejeição.

Potential etiopathogenesis of seventh day syndrome following living donor liver transplantation: ischemia of the graft?

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Lan, Xiang; Li, Bo; Wang, Xiao-Fei; Wei, Yong-Gang; Yan, Lu-Nan; Zhao, Ji-Chun

2010-02-01

Seventh-day syndrome (7DS) is an early serious complication following liver transplantation with a high mortality because of its unknown etiopathogenesis. This study aimed to analyze the potential etiopathogenesis of 7DS. A retrospective analysis of 98 consecutive living donor liver transplants performed from 2001 to 2007 at our center revealed that 5 patients had suffered from 7DS; their age, MELD score, portal vein inflow and other parameters were compared with those of the other recipients. The 5 patients showed common features: (a) initial uneventful recovery, and a dramatic rise of serum liver enzyme levels 1 to 2 weeks later; (b) decreased inflow in the portal vein accompanied by augmentation of serum creatinine and urea nitrogen level; and (c) serial liver biopsy findings of apoptosis and ischemic necrosis of hepatocytes. Four of the 5 patients died. Age, waiting time to transplantation, MELD score, operation time, cold ischemic time, portal interceptive time and diameter of the portal vein were not significantly different between the 2 groups, but a difference was found in the flow rate of the portal vein (t=3.234, P<0.001). The 5 patients suffered from a decreased portal vein inflow, ischemic liver necrosis, and renal failure. Hence, hypoperfusion of the liver graft was considered to be the etiopathogenesis of 7DS, for which, however sufficient evidence is lacking. More studies of 7DS are needed.

Non-Motor Symptom Burdens Are Not Associated with Iron Accumulation in Early Parkinson's Disease: a Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping Study.

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Shin, Chaewon; Lee, Seon; Lee, Jee Young; Rhim, Jung Hyo; Park, Sun Won

2018-03-26

Quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) has been used to measure iron accumulation in the deep nuclei of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). This study examined the relationship between non-motor symptoms (NMSs) and iron accumulation in the deep nuclei of patients with PD. The QSM data were acquired from 3-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in 29 patients with early PD and 19 normal controls. The Korean version of the NMS scale (K-NMSS) was used for evaluation of NMSs in patients. The patients were divided into high NMS and low NMS groups. The region-of-interest analyses were performed in the following deep nuclei: red nucleus, substantia nigra pars compacta, substantia nigra pars reticulata, dentate nucleus, globus pallidus, putamen, and head of the caudate nucleus. Thirteen patients had high NMS scores (total K-NMSS score, mean = 32.1), and 16 had low NMS scores (10.6). The QSM values in the deep were not different among the patients with high NMS scores, low NMS scores, and controls. The QSM values were not correlated linearly with K-NMSS total score after adjusting the age at acquisition of brain MRI. The study demonstrated that the NMS burdens are not associated with iron accumulation in the deep nuclei of patients with PD. These results suggest that future neuroimaging studies on the pathology of NMSs in PD should use more specific and detailed clinical tools and recruit PD patients with severe NMSs. © 2018 The Korean Academy of Medical Sciences.

Pediatric Liver Transplantation: Our Experiences.

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Basturk, Ahmet; Yılmaz, Aygen; Sayar, Ersin; Dinçhan, Ayhan; Aliosmanoğlu, İbrahim; Erbiş, Halil; Aydınlı, Bülent; Artan, Reha

2016-10-01

The aim of our study was to evaluate our liver transplant pediatric patients and to report our experience in the complications and the long-term follow-up results. Patients between the ages of 0 and 18 years, who had liver transplantation in the organ transplantation center of our university hospital between 1997 and 2016, were included in the study. The age, sex, indications for the liver transplantation, complications after the transplantation, and long-term follow-up findings were retrospectively evaluated. The obtained results were analyzed with statistical methods. In our organ transplantation center, 62 pediatric liver transplantations were carried out since 1997. The mean age of our patients was 7.3 years (6.5 months-17 years). The 4 most common reasons for liver transplantation were: Wilson's disease (n=10; 16.3%), biliary atresia (n=9; 14.5%), progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis (n=8; 12.9%), and cryptogenic cirrhosis (n=7; 11.3%). The mortality rate after transplantation was 19.6% (12 of the total 62 patients). The observed acute and chronic rejection rates were 34% and 4.9%, respectively. Thrombosis (9.6%) was observed in the hepatic artery (4.8%) and portal vein (4.8%). Bile leakage and biliary stricture rates were 31% and 11%, respectively. 1-year and 5-year survival rates of our patients were 87% and 84%, respectively. The morbidity and mortality rates in our organ transplantation center, regarding pediatric liver transplantations, are consistent with the literature.

The effect of self-efficacy, depression and symptom distress on employment status and leisure activities of liver transplant recipients.

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Weng, Li-Chueh; Huang, Hsiu-Li; Wang, Yi-Wen; Lee, Wei-Chen; Chen, Kang-Hua; Yang, Tsui-Yun

2014-07-01

To examine the effect of self-efficacy, subjective work ability, depression and symptom distress on and to provide a description of, the employment and leisure activities of liver transplant recipients. Return to work and leisure activities have become an important aspect of life for liver transplant recipients worldwide. An investigation of the factors that influence the employment status and leisure activities has been recommended as a means to help transplant recipients restore their productivity. This was a cross-sectional, descriptive and correlational study in 2010. A convenience sampling method was used. Data were collected using a set of questionnaires that were administered retrospectively. A total of 106 liver transplant patients were included in this study. The post-transplantation employment rate was 45.2%. The positive predictors of employment were higher subjective work ability and higher symptom distress. Gender (female), monthly family income (employment status. Of the 106 patients, 62 (58.5%) were in the low-diversity group (score of less than 3) of leisure activities. Monthly family income of employment, while depression was a negative predictor. Nurses in the transplant team should focus on increasing a sense of confidence, decreasing depressive symptoms and monitoring the severity of symptoms to improve the employment status of liver transplant recipients. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Concurrent validity of kidney transplant questionnaire in US renal transplant recipients

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Chisholm-Burns MA

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Marie A Chisholm-Burns1,2, Steven R Erickson3, Christina A Spivey1, Rainer WG Gruessner2, Bruce Kaplan4 1Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science, University of Arizona College of Pharmacy, Tucson, AZ; 2Department of Surgery, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, AZ; 3Department of Clinical Sciences, University of Michigan College of Pharmacy, Ann Arbor, MI; 4Department of Medicine, The University of Arizona College of Medicine Tucson, AZ, USA Background: Valid instrumentation in the assessment of health-related quality of life (HQoL in renal transplant recipients is critical to identifying particular nuances and determinants of HQoL in this population. Therefore, the validity of disease-specific instruments to measure HQoL in renal transplant recipients, such as the Kidney Transplant Questionnaire (KTQ, needs further investigation. The objective of this study was to assess the concurrent validity of the KTQ in adult US renal transplant recipients using the well established SF-12 Health Survey version 2 (SF-12v2 as the comparison instrument. Methods: One hundred and fourteen renal transplant recipients met the following inclusion criteria for this study, ie, were at least 21 years of age, more than two years post-transplant, and receiving immunosuppressant therapy. Subjects were asked to complete a series of HQoL instruments, ie, the KTQ and the SF-12v2 (physical component summary [PCS-12] and mental component summary [MCS-12]. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and correlational analyses were conducted to examine the concurrent validity of the HQoL instruments. Results: Among 100 participants (87.7% response rate, the majority of participants were male (52%, had deceased donor transplants (63%, and received Medicare benefits (84%. PCS-12 was positively correlated with three of five KTQ subscales (P < 0.05, ie, KTQ-physical (r = 0.43, KTQ-fatigue (r = 0.42, and KTQ-uncertainty/fear (r = 0.2. MCS-12 was positively correlated

Prolonged pericardial drainage using a soft drain reduces pericardial effusion and need for additional pericardial drainage following orthotopic heart transplantation.

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Kim, Yun Seok; Jung, Sung-Ho; Cho, Won Chul; Yun, Sung-Cheol; Park, Jeong-Jun; Yun, Tae-Jin; Kim, Jae-Joong; Lee, Jae Won

2016-03-01

Pericardial effusion can cause haemodynamic compromise after heart transplantation. We identified the effects of soft drains on the development of pericardial effusion. We enrolled 250 patients ≥17 years of age who underwent heart transplantation between July 1999 and April 2012 and received two conventional tubes (n = 96; 32 French), or two tubes with a soft drain (n = 154; 4.8 mm wide). The development of significant pericardial effusion or the need for drainage procedure during 1 month after heart transplantation was compared with the use of the propensity score matching method to adjust for selection bias. At 1 month after transplantation, 69 patients (27.6%) developed significant pericardial effusion. Among these, 13 patients (5.2%) underwent pericardial drainage. According to multivariate analysis, history of previous cardiac surgery [odds ratio (OR) = 0.162; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.046-0.565; P = 0.004] and placement of a soft drain (OR = 0.186; 95% CI = 0.100-0.346; P effusion or the need for drainage during the early postoperative period. For the 82 propensity score matched pairs, patients receiving an additional soft drain were at a lower risk of the development of significant pericardial effusion or the need for a pericardial drainage procedure during 1 month (OR = 0.148; 95% CI = 0.068-0.318; P effusion and decreases the need for pericardial drainage after heart transplantation. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.

Immune System and Kidney Transplantation.

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Shrestha, Badri Man

2017-01-01

The immune system recognises a transplanted kidney as foreign body and mounts immune response through cellular and humoral mechanisms leading to acute or chronic rejection, which ultimately results in graft loss. Over the last five decades, there have been significant advances in the understanding of the immune responses to transplanted organs in both experimental and clinical transplant settings. Modulation of the immune response by using immunosuppressive agents has led to successful outcomes after kidney transplantation. The paper provides an overview of the general organisation and function of human immune system, immune response to kidney transplantation, and the current practice of immunosuppressive therapy in kidney transplantation in the United Kingdom.

Hepatic iron overload is associated with hepatocyte apoptosis during Clonorchis sinensis infection.

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Han, Su; Tang, Qiaoran; Chen, Rui; Li, Yihong; Shu, Jing; Zhang, Xiaoli

2017-08-01

Hepatic iron overload has been implicated in many liver diseases; however, whether it is involved in clonorchiasis remains unknown. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether Clonorchis sinensis (C. sinensis) infection causes hepatic iron overload, analyze the relationship between the iron overload and associated cell apoptosis, so as to determine the role of excess iron plays in C. sinensis-induced liver injury. The Perls' Prussian staining and atomic absorption spectrometry methods were used to investigate the iron overload in hepatic sections of wistar rats and patients infected with C. sinensis. The hepatic apoptosis was detected by transferase uridyl nick end labeling (TUNEL) methods. Spearman analysis was used for determining the correlation of the histological hepatic iron index and the apoptotic index. Blue iron particles were deposited mainly in the hepatocytes, Kupffer cells and endothelial cells, around the liver portal and central vein area of both patients and rats. The total iron score was found to be higher in the infected groups than the respective control from 8 weeks. The hepatic iron concentration was also significantly higher in treatment groups than in control rats from 8 weeks. The hepatocyte apoptosis was found to be significantly higher in the portal area of the liver tissue and around the central vein. However, spearman's rank correlation coefficient revealed that there was a mildly negative correlation between the iron index and hepatocyte apoptosis. This present study confirmed that hepatic iron overload was found during C. sinensis infection. This suggests that iron overload may be associated with hepatocyte apoptosis and involved in liver injury during C. sinensis infection. Further studies are needed to investigate the molecular mechanism involved here.

A COMMUNITY BASED RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL OF IRON AND ZINC SUPPLEMENTATION IN INFANTS: EFFECTS ON GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

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T. Lind

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Deficiencies of iron and zinc are associated with delayed development, growth faltering, and increased infectious disease morbidity during infancy and childhood. Combined iron and zinc supplementation may therefore be a logical preventive strategy. Objective: the objective of the study was to compare the effects of combined iron and zinc supplementation in infancy with the effects of iron and zinc as single micronutrients on growth, psychomotor development, and incidence of infectious disease. Design: Indonesian infants (n = 680 were randomly assigned to daily supplementation with 10 mg Fe (Fe group, 10 mg Zn (Zn group, 10 mg Fe and 10 mg Zn (Fe + Zn group, or placebo from 6 to 12 mo of age. Anthropometric indexes, developmental indexes (bay ley scales of infant development; sid, and morbidity were recorded. Results: at 12 mo, two factor analysis of variance showed a significant interaction between Iron and Zinc for weight for age z score, knee heel length, and sid psychomotor development. Weight forage z score was higher in the Zn group than in the placebo and Fe + Zn groups, knee heel length was higher in the Zn and Fe groups than in the placebo group, and the sid psychomotor development index was higher in the Fe group than in the placebo group. No significant effect on morbidity was found. Conclusions: single supplementation with zinc significantly improved growth, and single supplementation with iron significantly improved growth and psychomotor development, but combined supplementation with iron and zinc had no significant effect on growth or development. Combined, simultaneous supplementation with iron and zinc to infants cannot be routinely recommended at the iron to zinc ratio used in this study.Key words: infants, growth, knee heel length, development, iron, zinc.

Clinical pancreatic islet transplantation.

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Shapiro, A M James; Pokrywczynska, Marta; Ricordi, Camillo

2017-05-01

Clinical pancreatic islet transplantation can be considered one of the safest and least invasive transplant procedures. Remarkable progress has occurred in both the technical aspects of islet cell processing and the outcomes of clinical islet transplantation. With >1,500 patients treated since 2000, this therapeutic strategy has moved from a curiosity to a realistic treatment option for selected patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (that is, those with hypoglycaemia unawareness, severe hypoglycaemic episodes and glycaemic lability). This Review outlines the techniques required for human islet isolation, in vitro culture before the transplant and clinical islet transplantation, and discusses indications, optimization of recipient immunosuppression and management of adjunctive immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory strategies. The potential risks, long-term outcomes and advances in treatment after the transplant are also discussed to further move this treatment towards becoming a more widely available option for patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus and eventually a potential cure.

Iron

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Iron is a mineral that our bodies need for many functions. For example, iron is part of hemoglobin, a protein which carries ... It helps our muscles store and use oxygen. Iron is also part of many other proteins and ...

A cascade of iron-containing proteins governs the genetic iron starvation response to promote iron uptake and inhibit iron storage in fission yeast.

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Javier Encinar del Dedo

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Iron is an essential cofactor, but it is also toxic at high levels. In Schizosaccharomyces pombe, the sensor glutaredoxin Grx4 guides the activity of the repressors Php4 and Fep1 to mediate a complex transcriptional response to iron deprivation: activation of Php4 and inactivation of Fep1 leads to inhibition of iron usage/storage, and to promotion of iron import, respectively. However, the molecular events ruling the activity of this double-branched pathway remained elusive. We show here that Grx4 incorporates a glutathione-containing iron-sulfur cluster, alone or forming a heterodimer with the BolA-like protein Fra2. Our genetic study demonstrates that Grx4-Fra2, but not Fep1 nor Php4, participates not only in iron starvation signaling but also in iron-related aerobic metabolism. Iron-containing Grx4 binds and inactivates the Php4 repressor; upon iron deprivation, the cluster in Grx4 is probably disassembled, the proteins dissociate, and Php4 accumulates at the nucleus and represses iron consumption genes. Fep1 is also an iron-containing protein, and the tightly bound iron is required for transcriptional repression. Our data suggest that the cluster-containing Grx4-Fra2 heterodimer constitutively binds to Fep1, and upon iron deprivation the disassembly of the iron cluster between Grx4 and Fra2 promotes reverse metal transfer from Fep1 to Grx4-Fra2, and de-repression of iron-import genes. Our genetic and biochemical study demonstrates that the glutaredoxin Grx4 independently governs the Php4 and Fep1 repressors through metal transfer. Whereas iron loss from Grx4 seems to be sufficient to release Php4 and allow its nuclear accumulation, total or partial disassembly of the Grx4-Fra2 cluster actively participates in iron-containing Fep1 activation by sequestering its iron and decreasing its interaction with promoters.

The myocardial perfusion imaging of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation treated acute myocardial infarction in pig

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He Miao; Hou Xiancun; Li Yaomei; Zhou Peng; Qi Chunmei; Wu Weihuan; Li Li

2006-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the clinical value of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation on acute myocardial infarction in pig with myocardial perfusion imaging. Methods: Acute myocardial infarction models were established by 21 minitype Chinese pigs and were divided into two groups. After 10 days, experimental group (n=11) was transplanted with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell at the infarct areas, and the control group (n=10) with incubation solution. Before and eight weeks after transplantation, both groups were examined by 99 Tc m -methoxyisobutylisonitrile (MIBI) myocardial perfusion imaging and with semi-quantitative analysis. Besides, echocardiogram and immunohistochemistry were also performed. Results: There was significant difference of total myocardial perfusion abnormal segments (46 vs 26), infarct areas [(34±12)% vs (21±10)%] and myocardial ischemia score [(20.0±4.3) vs (12.1±3.6)] between two groups (P<0.05). Also, there were accordant results with echocardiogram and immunohistochemistry findings. Conclusions: Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation may improve blood perfusion and viability of the ischemic areas: Myocardial perfusion imaging can accurately observe the survival of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplanted at the infarct areas. (authors)

Dietary iron intake, iron status, and gestational diabetes.

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Zhang, Cuilin; Rawal, Shristi

2017-12-01

Pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to iron deficiency and related adverse pregnancy outcomes and, as such, are routinely recommended for iron supplementation. Emerging evidence from both animal and population-based studies, however, has raised potential concerns because significant associations have been observed between greater iron stores and disturbances in glucose metabolism, including increased risk of type 2 diabetes among nonpregnant individuals. Yet, the evidence is uncertain regarding the role of iron in the development of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), a common pregnancy complication which has short-term and long-term adverse health ramifications for both women and their children. In this review, we critically and systematically evaluate available data examining the risk of GDM associated with dietary iron, iron supplementation, and iron status as measured by blood concentrations of several indicators. We also discuss major methodologic concerns regarding the available epidemiologic studies on iron and GDM. © 2017 American Society for Nutrition.

Studies on the pathogenesis in iron deficiency anemia Part 1. Urinary iron excretion in iron deficiency anemia patients and rats in various iron states

OpenAIRE

中西,徳彦

1991-01-01

In the "iron excretion test" , urinary iron excretion after injection of saccharated iron oxide has been reported to be accelerated in relapsing idiopathic iron deficiency anemia. To determine the relevance of urinary iron excretion to clinical factors other than iron metabolism, 15 clinical parameters were evaluated. The serum creatinine level was positively and the serum albumin level was negatively correlated with urinary iron excretion, showing coefficients of r＝0.97,－0.86 respectively, a...

Results of kidney transplantation from high-terminal creatinine donors and the role of time-zero biopsy.

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Lin, N C; Yang, A H; King, K L; Wu, T H; Yang, W C; Loong, C C

2010-11-01

Deceased-donor kidney transplantation (DDKT) from high-terminal creatinine donors is associated with lower graft survival. These kidneys may be considered for discarding, worsening the organ shortage crisis. Using time-zero biopsy for histologic evaluation of these kidneys, we identified those organs eligible for transplantation, seeking to achieve better graft utility with comparable outcomes. From April 2004 to April 2008, 55 patients underwent DDKT. A time-zero biopsy was used to examine glomerulosclerosis, interstitial fibrosis, tubular atrophy, and arteriolar narrowing. A scoring system was used to determine a discard. Twenty-five patients received DDKT from donors whose terminal creatinine levels were >2.0 mg/dL (high terminal creatinine, HTC group) and 30 from donors whose terminal creatinine levels were creatinine, LTC group). Patients who accepted kidneys from HTC donors had shorter waiting times (P = .011) but a higher incidence of delayed graft function after transplantation (P high-terminal creatinine donors can be transplanted to overcome the organ shortage while achieving reasonable graft survival. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of low-dose versus higher-dose antenatal iron supplementation on child health outcomes at 36 months of age in Viet Nam: longitudinal follow-up of a cluster randomised controlled trial.

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Hanieh, Sarah; Ha, Tran T; Simpson, Julie A; Braat, Sabine; Thuy, Tran T; Tran, Thach D; King, Janet; Tuan, Tran; Fisher, Jane; Biggs, Beverley-Ann

2017-01-01

Intermittent iron-folic acid supplementation (IFA) is currently recommended for pregnant women in populations where anaemia prevalence among pregnant women is Viet Nam among children of 36 months of age, born to women previously enrolled in a cluster randomised controlled trial of antenatal micronutrient supplementation (daily IFA (60 mg elemental iron) vs twice-weekly IFA (60 mg elemental iron) vs twice-weekly multiple micronutrient (MMN) supplementation (60 mg elemental iron)). Primary outcomes were height-for-age z-scores (HAZ), according to WHO growth standards and cognitive composite scores (Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, third edition) at 36 months of age. A total of 1017 children born to mothers enrolled in the cluster randomised trial were assessed at 36 months of age. Adjusted mean differences (MDs) in HAZ were -0.14 (95% CI -0.28 to -0.01) and -0.15 (95% CI -0.29 to -0.01) in children born to mothers who received twice-weekly IFA or MMN compared with those who received daily IFA. Children born to mothers who received twice-weekly MMN had lower composite motor scores compared with those who received daily IFA (MD -2.07, 95% CI -4.11 to -0.03). There were no differences in composite cognitive scores in the twice-weekly compared with daily regimens. Low-dose antenatal IFA supplementation (120 mg elemental iron per week) resulted in lower HAZ and motor composite scores in children compared with higher-dose antenatal IFA supplementation (420 mg elemental iron per week). This highlights the importance of adequate iron stores during pregnancy and the need for careful monitoring when lower-dose antenatal iron regimens are used. Australia New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: 12610000944033.

ABO-incompatible kidney transplantation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schousboe, Karoline; Titlestad, Kjell; Baudier, Francois

2010-01-01

INTRODUCTION: Kidney transplantation is the optimal treatment for many patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Due to shortage of donor kidneys in Denmark, there is a need to expand the possibilities for donation. At the Odense University Hospital (OUH), we have introduced ABO......-incompatible kidney transplantation. We used antigenspecific immunoadsorptions to remove blood group antibodies and anti-CD20 antibody (rituximab) to inhibit the antibody production. The aim of introducing the ABO-incompatible kidney transplantation at the OUH was to increase the rate of living donor kidney...... transplantation without increasing rejection or mortality rates. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective evaluation. Eleven patients received ABO-incompatible kidney transplantation. The patients were followed for 3-26 months. RESULTS: One patient had an antibody-mediated rejection, one patient suffered T...

Socioeconomic rehabilitation of successful renal transplant patients and impact of funding source: Indian scenario.

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Kapoor, Rakesh; Sharma, Raj Kumar; Srivastava, Aneesh; Kapoor, Rohit; Arora, Sohrab; Sureka, Sanjoy Kumar

2015-01-01

Socio-economic rehabilitation is an important outcome parameter in successful renal transplant recipients, particularly in developing countries with low income patients who often depend on extraneous sources to fund their surgery costs. We studied the socioeconomic rehabilitation and changes in socioeconomic status (SES) of successful renal allograft recipients among Indian patients and its correlation with their source of funding for the surgery. A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted on 183 patients between January 2010 to January 2013. Patients with follow up of at least 1 year after successful renal transplant were included. During interview, two questionnaires were administered, one related to the SES including source of funding before transplantation and another one relating to the same at time of interview. Changes in SES were categorized as improvement, stable and deterioration if post-transplant SES score increased >5%, increased or decreased by 5% of pre-transplant value, respectively. In this cohort, 97 (52.7%), 67 (36.4%) and 19 (10.3%) patients were non-funded (self-funded), one-time funded and continuous funded, respectively. Fifty-six (30.4%) recipients had improvement in SES, whereas 89 (48.4%) and 38 (20.7%) recipients had deterioration and stable SES. Improvement in SES was seen in 68% patients with continuous funding support whereas, in only 36% and 12% patients with non-funded and onetime funding support (P = 0.001) respectively. Significant correlation was found (R = 0.715) between baseline socioeconomic strata and changes in SES after transplant. 70% of the patients with upper and upper middle class status had improving SES. Patients with middle class, lower middle and lower class had deterioration of SES after transplant in 47.4%, 79.6% and 66.7% patients, respectively. Most of the recipients from middle and lower social strata, which included more than 65% of our patient's population, had deteriorating SES even after a

Late effects of stem cell transplantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishiko, Yuka; Ishida, Yuji; Kou, Katsuyoshi; Honda, Koujirou; Kigasawa, Hisato; Ishikawa, Kumiko; Ohnuma, Kei; Toyoda, Yasunori; Nishihira, Hirokazu

1999-01-01

We reviewed growth and endocrine functions in 29 patients who underwent stem cell transplantation (SCT) at the Kanagawa Children's Medical Center and survived without disease for more than 1 year after their SCT. In our study, the more severe decrease of height standard deviation score (SDS) was observed in children who had undergone SCT at an earlier age, using total body irradiation (TBI). The risk factor of hypothyroidism after SCT was the cranial irradiation before SCT. Gonadal dysfunction occurred frequently in both boys and girls regardless of preparative regimen before SCT. It is important to observe carefully the effect of SCT on growth and endocrine function, and to consider whether the hormonal therapy is indicated. (author)

Pre-transplant reversible pulmonary hypertension predicts higher risk for mortality after cardiac transplantation.

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Butler, Javed; Stankewicz, Mark A; Wu, Jack; Chomsky, Don B; Howser, Renee L; Khadim, Ghazanfar; Davis, Stacy F; Pierson, Richard N; Wilson, John R

2005-02-01

Pre-transplant fixed pulmonary hypertension is associated with higher post-transplant mortality. In this study, we assessed the significance of pre-transplant reversible pulmonary hypertension in patients undergoing cardiac transplantation. Overall, we studied 182 patients with baseline normal pulmonary pressures or reversible pulmonary hypertension, defined as a decrease in pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) to 50 mm Hg had a higher risk of death (odds ratio [OR] 5.96, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.46 to 19.84 as compared with PAS 4.0 WU, but patients with TPG > or =16 had a higher risk of mortality (OR 4.93, 95% CI 1.84 to 13.17). PAS pressure was an independent predictor of mortality (OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.06). Recipient body mass index, history of sternotomy; and donor ischemic time were the other independent predictors of mortality. Pre-transplant pulmonary hypertension, even when reversible to a PVR of < or =2.5 WU, is associated with a higher mortality post-transplant.

Fecal microbiota transplant

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... page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007703.htm Fecal microbiota transplant To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) helps to replace some of the " ...

Renal transplantation at the Johns Hopkins Comprehensive Transplant Center.

Science.gov (United States)

Montgomery, Robert A; Cooper, Matthew; Kraus, Edward; Rabb, Hamid; Samaniego, Milagros; Simpkins, Christopher E; Sonnenday, Christopher J; Ugarte, Richard M; Warren, Daniel S; Zachary, Andrea A

2003-01-01

A stagnant supply of transplantable organs in the face of a relentless burgeoning of transplant waiting lists has created a crisis. Necessity continues to be the mother of invention and as the crisis has deepened it has served as a crucible for the development of new ways to think about perennial problems. Our program has taken a 2-pronged approach to increasing the organ supply for our patients. First, through innovations like the laparoscopic donor nephrectomy, ABO-incompatible and positive-crossmatch transplantation protocols, unconventional paired kidney exchanges, and the use of altruistic donors we have more than doubled our utilization of live donor organs. At the same time, we have developed algorithms and interrogative techniques to enhance the intelligent use of kidneys from expanded criteria donors for patients who do not have an available live donor. The laparoscopic nephrectomy has proven to be a safe and effective way of removing a significant barrier to live donation. Our results from 100 ABOi, (+)XM, and PKE transplants are similar to national statistics for compatible live donor transplants, suggesting that existing paradigms of compatibility can be safely expanded. These encouraging early outcomes and the savings they transmit to the health care system have allowed us to obtain insurance coverage for the InKTP programs, setting the stage for further expansion of these opportunities to broaden the options for patients with end-stage renal disease.

Iron from Zealandic bog iron ore -

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lyngstrøm, Henriette Syrach

2011-01-01

og geologiske materiale, metallurgiske analyser og eksperimentel arkæologiske forsøg - konturerne af en jernproduktion med udgangspunkt i den sjællandske myremalm. The frequent application by archaeologists of Werner Christensen’s distribution map for the occurrence of bog iron ore in Denmark (1966...... are sketched of iron production based on bog iron ore from Zealand....

Baseline MELD score predicts hepatic decompensation during antiviral therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C and advanced cirrhosis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Georg Dultz

Full Text Available In patients with advanced liver cirrhosis due to chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV infection antiviral therapy with peginterferon and ribavirin is feasible in selected cases only due to potentially life-threatening side effects. However, predictive factors associated with hepatic decompensation during antiviral therapy are poorly defined.In a retrospective cohort study, 68 patients with HCV-associated liver cirrhosis (mean MELD score 9.18 ± 2.72 were treated with peginterferon and ribavirin. Clinical events indicating hepatic decompensation (onset of ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, upper gastrointestinal bleeding, hospitalization as well as laboratory data were recorded at baseline and during a follow up period of 72 weeks after initiation of antiviral therapy. To monitor long term sequelae of end stage liver disease an extended follow up for HCC development, transplantation and death was applied (240 weeks, ± SD 136 weeks.Eighteen patients (26.5% achieved a sustained virologic response. During the observational period a hepatic decompensation was observed in 36.8%. Patients with hepatic decompensation had higher MELD scores (10.84 vs. 8.23, p14, respectively. Baseline MELD score was significantly associated with the risk for transplantation/death (p<0.001.Our data suggest that the baseline MELD score predicts the risk of hepatic decompensation during antiviral therapy and thus contributes to decision making when antiviral therapy is discussed in HCV patients with advanced liver cirrhosis.

[Kidney transplantation epidemiology in France].

Science.gov (United States)

Hiesse, Christian

2013-11-01

Kidney transplantation activity in France is among the most important worldwide: in 2011, 2976 transplants have been performed (47.5 per million population), and the number of patients living with a functional graft is estimated around 30,000, representing 44.7% of all patients (n = 67,270) treated for end-stage renal failure. However, the rate of preemptive kidney transplants remains very low, only 3.3% of incident patients starting renal replacement therapy. The analysis of demand showed a progressive increase in recent years, as demonstrated by the registration rate on the kidney transplantation waiting list, increasing by 5% yearly between 2006 and 2010, but with huge differences according to age categories and regional registration areas, reflecting discrepant appreciations in indications for kidney transplantation. The median waiting time between registration and transplantation increased progressively in recent years, reaching 22.3 months with considerable variations according to regional areas and transplantation teams. Kidney transplantation activity, while increasing continuously, is far to cover the rising demand, and inexorably patients accumulate on the waiting list (around 9000 patients were registered by January 2012). This situation is the consequence of insufficient organ procurement activity. The deceased organ procurement rate remained high: 1572 harvested donors in 2011 (24.1 per million population), but the proportion of older donors rose in recent years, to reach the rate of 26% of donors older than 65 years in 2011. The procurement activity of donors after cardiac arrest was reintroduced in 2006, but increased slowly: 65 transplants were performed in 2011 using kidney procured in non heart-beating donors. The living donor kidney transplantation activity has markedly increased recently: 302 living donor transplantations were performed in 2011, representing 10.1% of the kidney transplantations. Facing the predictable increase in the number of

Response to parenteral iron therapy distinguish unexplained refractory iron deficiency anemia from iron-refractory iron deficiency anemia.

Science.gov (United States)

Akin, M; Sarbay, H; Guler, S; Balci, Y I; Polat, A

2016-04-01

We evaluated that response to parenteral iron therapy could be helpful in distinguishing the types of iron deficiency anemia. This study analyzed responses to IV iron sucrose therapy of 15 children with unexplained refractory iron deficiency anemia (URIDA). We compared the results at diagnosis, 6 weeks and 6 months after the therapy. Results were compared with responses of 11 patients' results with iron-refractory iron deficiency anemia (IRIDA) from our previous study. Six weeks after the start of treatment, ferritin, MCV, MCH and Hb values were in normal range in 10 patients. The increase in Hb, MCH, MCV, and ferritin values ranged 2.6-3.5 g/dL, 1.7-4.2 pg, 2-9 fL, and 13-25 ng/mL, respectively. In five patients, Hb, MCH, and MCV mean (range) values [11.2 g/dL (11-12.2), 24.5 pg (24-25.6), and 67 fL (65-70)] were nearly normal but ferritin mean (range) values [9.8 ng/mL (8-11)] were below normal. Six weeks after the start of treatment, Hb, MCH, MCV and ferritin values of patients with IRIDA were increased. The increase in Hb, MCH, MCV, and ferritin values ranged 0.8-2.7 g/dL, 1.7-4.2 pg, 2-9 fL, and 13-25 ng/mL, respectively. IRIDA is only partially responsive to parenteral iron supplementation. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that the response to intravenous iron therapy for the URIDA cases improved blood parameters more effectively than hereditary IRIDA. Response to parenteral iron therapy would be helpful to distinguish unexplained refractory IDA from hereditary IRIDA for clinicians who do not have access to hepcidin or TMPRS6 mutation analysis. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Liver transplantation in the Nordic countries - An intention to treat and post-transplant analysis from The Nordic Liver Transplant Registry 1982-2013

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fosby, Bjarte; Melum, Espen; Bjøro, Kristian

2015-01-01

AIM AND BACKGROUND: The Nordic Liver Transplant Registry (NLTR) accounts for all liver transplants performed in the Nordic countries since the start of the transplant program in 1982. Due to short waiting times, donor liver allocation has been made without considerations of the model of end-stage...

Immunosuppressive therapy after solid-organ transplantation: does the INTERMED identify patients at risk of poor adherence?

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Michaud L

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Background: Lack of adherence to medication is a trigger of graft rejection in solid-organ transplant (SOT recipients. Objective: This exploratory study aimed to assess whether a biopsychosocial evaluation using the INTERMED instrument before transplantation could identify SOT recipients at risk of suboptimal post-transplantation adherence to immunosuppressant drugs. We hypothesized that complex patients (INTERMED>20 might have lower medication adherence than noncomplex patients (INTERMED≤20. Methods: Each patient eligible for transplantation at the University Hospital of Lausanne, Switzerland, has to undergo a pre-transplantation psychiatric evaluation. In this context the patient was asked to participate in our study. The INTERMED was completed pre-transplantation, and adherence to immunosuppressive medication was monitored post-transplantation by electronic monitors for 12 months. The main outcome measure was the implementation and persistence to two calcineurin inhibitors, cyclosporine and tacrolimus, according to the dichotomized INTERMED score (>20 or ≤20. Results: Among the 50 SOT recipients who completed the INTERMED, 32 entered the study. The complex (N=11 and noncomplex patients (N=21 were similar in terms of age, sex and transplanted organ. Implementation was 94.2% in noncomplex patients versus 87.8% in complex patients (non-significant p-value. Five patients were lost to follow-up: one was non-persistent, and four refused electronic monitoring. Of the four patients who refused monitoring, two were complex and withdrew early, and two were noncomplex and withdrew later in the study. Conclusion: Patients identified as complex pre-transplant by the INTERMED tended to deviate from their immunosuppressant regimen, but the findings were not statistically significant. Larger studies are needed to evaluate this association further, as well as the appropriateness of using a nonspecific biopsychosocial instrument such as INTERMED in highly

The construct validity of the health utilities index mark 3 in assessing health status in lung transplantation

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Zuk Dalyce

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Purpose To assess the cross-sectional construct validity of the Health Utilities Index Mark 3 (HUI3 in lung transplantation. Methods Two hundred and thirteen patients (103 pre-transplant and 110 post-transplant with mean age 53 years old (SD 13 were recruited during a randomized controlled clinical trial at the out-patient clinic in a tertiary institution. At baseline, patients self-completed measures that included the HUI3, EuroQol EQ-5D, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS and socio-demographic questionnaire. Six-minute walk test scores and forced expiratory volume in 1 second data were collected from patient's medical records. A priori hypotheses were formulated by members of the transplant team about the expected degree of association between the measures. Correlation coefficients of Results Of the ninety predictions made, forty three were correct but in 31 the correlation was slightly lower than predicted and in 7 the correlations were much higher than predicted. In 48% of the cases, predicted and observed associations were in agreement. Predictions of associations were off by one category in 42% of the cases; in 10% of the cases the predictions were off by two categories. Conclusions This is the first study providing evidence of cross-sectional construct validity of HUI3 in lung transplantation. Results indicate that the HUI3 was able to capture the burden of lung disease before transplantation and that post-transplant patients enjoyed higher health-related quality of life than pre-transplant patients.

Recipient characteristics and morbidity and mortality after liver transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Asrani, Sumeet K; Saracino, Giovanna; O'Leary, Jacqueline G; Gonzales, Stevan; Kim, Peter T; McKenna, Greg J; Klintmalm, Goran; Trotter, James

2018-02-15

Over the last decade, liver transplantation of sicker, older non-hepatitis C cirrhotics with multiple co-morbidities has increased in the United States. We sought to identify an easily applicable set of recipient factors among HCV negative adult transplant recipients associated with significant morbidity and mortality within five years after liver transplantation. We collected national (n = 31,829, 2002-2015) and center-specific data. Coefficients of relevant recipient factors were converted to weighted points and scaled from 0-5. Recipient factors associated with graft failure included: ventilator support (five patients; hazard ratio [HR] 1.59; 95% CI 1.48-1.72); recipient age >60 years (three patients; HR 1.29; 95% CI 1.23-1.36); hemodialysis (three patients; HR 1.26; 95% CI 1.16-1.37); diabetes (two patients; HR 1.20; 95% CI 1.14-1.27); or serum creatinine ≥1.5 mg/dl without hemodialysis (two patients; HR 1.15; 95% CI 1.09-1.22). Graft survival within five years based on points (any combination) was 77.2% (0-4), 69.1% (5-8) and 57.9% (>8). In recipients with >8 points, graft survival was 42% (model for end-stage liver disease [MELD] score recipients receiving grafts from donors with a donor risk index >1.7. In center-specific data within the first year, subjects with ≥5 points (vs. 0-4) had longer hospitalization (11 vs. 8 days, p need to be reassessed. The proposed clinical tool may be helpful for center-specific assessment of risk of graft failure in non-HCV patients and for discussion regarding relevant morbidity in selected subsets. Over the last decade, liver transplantation of sicker, older patient with multiple co-morbidities has increased. In this study, we show that a set of recipient factors (recipient age >60 years, ventilator status, diabetes, hemodialysis and creatinine >1.5 mg/dl) can help identify patients that may not do well after transplant. Transplanting sicker organs in patients with certain combinations of these

An observational study of health literacy and medication adherence in adult kidney transplant recipients.

Science.gov (United States)

Demian, Maryam N; Shapiro, R Jean; Thornton, Wendy Loken

2016-12-01

There is a high prevalence of non-adherence to immunosuppressants in kidney transplant recipients. Although limited health literacy is common in kidney recipients and is linked to adverse outcomes in other medical populations, its effect on medication adherence in kidney transplant recipients remains poorly understood. The objective was to investigate the effect of lower health literacy on immunosuppressant adherence. Kidney recipients who were at least 6 months post-transplant and outpatients of Vancouver General Hospital in B.C., Canada were recruited through invitation letters. A total of 96 recipients completed the Health Literacy Questionnaire, which provides a multifactorial profile of self-reported health literacy and the Transplant Effects Questionnaire-Adherence subscale measuring self-reported immunosuppressant adherence. Hierarchical linear regression was used to analyze the association between health literacy and adherence after controlling for identified risk factors of non-adherence. Our sample was on average 53 years old, 56% male and 9 years post-transplant. Kidney recipients reported low levels of health literacy on scales measuring active health management and critical appraisal of information and 75% reported non-perfect adherence. Worse adherence was associated with poorer overall health literacy (Δ R 2 = 0.08, P = 0.004) and lower scores on six of nine of the health literacy factors. Poorer health literacy is associated with lower immunosuppressant adherence in adult kidney transplant recipients suggesting the importance of considering a recipient's level of health literacy in research and clinical contexts. Medication adherence interventions can target the six factors of health literacy identified as being risk factors for lower medication adherence.

Knowledge, attitudes, practices and behaviors regarding deceased organ donation and transplantation in Malaysia's multi-ethnic society: a baseline study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Li Ping

2011-01-01

Malaysia's organ and tissue donation rates are among the lowest in the world. The study aims to explore the knowledge, attitudes, practices and behaviors regarding deceased organ donation and transplantation in the diverse ethnic communities in the state of Selangor, Malaysia. A cross-sectional, population-based, computer-assisted telephone interview exploring multi-ethnic participants' knowledge, attitudes, practices and behavioral on deceased organ donation and transplantation was conducted from February to April 2009. Although only 5.5% of the total participants (N = 1174) reported that they have registered to be organ donor, a further 35.2% of those who have not register for organ donation indicated willingness to donate their own. Significant socio-demographic disparities with respect to knowledge and attitudes scores were observed. In particular, Malays (20.7%) indicated lower willingness to donate organs compared to the Chinese (36.6%) and Indians (51.4%) (p < 0.001). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, willingness to donate one's own organ was associated with knowledge score (odds ratio [OR] = 1.17, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.13-1.22), attitude score (OR = 1.17, 95% CI = 1.05-1.31), secondary school education (OR = 1.46, 95% CI = 1.05-2.02), and Malay ethnicity (OR = 0.18, 95% CI = 0.03-0.94). Findings assist organ donation and transplantation organizations to reach out the diverse socio-demographic and ethnic communities with cultural-specific information about organ donation. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Quality of recipient-caregiver relationship and psychological distress are correlates of self-care agency after lung transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

DeVito Dabbs, Annette; Terhorst, Lauren; Song, Mi-Kyung; Shellmer, Diana A; Aubrecht, Jill; Connolly, Mary; Dew, Mary Amanda

2013-01-01

Self-care behaviors are crucial for following the complex regimen after lung transplantation, yet little is known about recipients' levels of self-care agency (the capability and willingness to engage in self-care behaviors) and its correlates. We examined levels of self-care agency and recipient characteristics (socio-demographics, psychological distress, quality of relationship with primary lay caregiver, and health locus of control) in 111 recipients. Based on Perceived Self-Care Agency scores, recipients were assigned to either the low- or high-self-care agency comparison group. Characteristics were compared between groups to identify characteristics likely to be associated with lower-self-care agency. Mean (SD) score for self-care agency (scale range, 53-265) was 223.02 (22.46). Recipients with lowest-self-care agency scores reported significantly poorer quality of caregiver relationships (p recipient-caregiver relationship remained significantly associated with self-care agency. Every one-point decrease in the quality of caregiver relationship increased the risk of low-self-care agency by 12%. Recipients with poorer caregiver relationships and greater psychological distress may need additional support to perform the self-care behaviors expected after lung transplantation. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

PROUD: Effects of preoperative long-term immunonutrition in patients listed for liver transplantation

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Büchler Markus W

2007-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Patients with end stage liver disease are characteristically malnourished which is associated with poor outcome. Formulas enriched with arginine, ω-3 fatty acids, and nucleotides, "immunonutrients", potentially improve their nutritional status. This study is designed to evaluate the clinical outcome of long-term "immunonutrition" of patients with end-stage liver disease while on the waiting list for liver transplantation. Methods/design A randomized controlled double blind multi-center clinical trial with two parallel groups comprising a total of 142 newly registered patients for primary liver transplantation has been designed to assess the safety and efficacy of the long-term administration of ORAL IMPACT®, an "immunonutrient" formula, while waiting for a graft. Patients will be enrolled the day of registration on the waiting list for liver transplantation. Study ends on the day of transplantation. Primary endpoints include improved patients' nutritional and physiological status, as measured by mid-arm muscle area, triceps skin fold thickness, grip strength, and fatigue score, as well as patients' health related quality of life. Furthermore, patients will be followed for 12 postoperative weeks to evaluate anabolic recovery after transplantation as shown by reduced post-transplant mechanical ventilation, hospital stay, wound healing, infectious morbidities (pneumonia, intraabdominal abscess, sepsis, line sepsis, wound infection, and urinary tract infection, acute and chronic rejection, and mortality. Discussion Formulas enriched with arginine, ω-3 fatty acids, and nucleotides have been proven to be beneficial in reducing postoperative infectious complications and length of hospital stay among the patients undergoing elective gastrointestinal surgery. Possible mechanisms include downregulation of the inflammatory responses to surgery and immune modulation rather than a sole nutritional effect. Trial registration Clinical

Development and validation of the Approach-Iron Skill Test for use in golf.

Science.gov (United States)

Robertson, Samuel John; Burnett, Angus F; Newton, Robert U

2013-01-01

The primary aim of this study was to develop and validate a golf-specific approach-iron test for use with elite and high-level amateur golfers. Elite (n=26) and high-level amateur (n=23) golfers were recruited for this study. The 'Approach-Iron Skill Test' requires players to hit a total of 27 shots. Specifically, three shots are hit at each of nine targets on a specially constructed driving range in a randomised order. A real-time launch monitor positioned behind the player, measured the carry distance for each of these shots. A scoring system was developed based on the percentage error index of each shot, meaning that 81 points was the maximum score possible (with a maximum of three points per shot). Two rounds of the test were performed. For both rounds of the test, elite-level golfers scored significantly higher than their high-level amateur counterparts (56.3 ± 5.6 and 58.5 ± 4.6 points versus 46.0 ± 6.3 and 46.1 ± 6.7 points, respectively) (P<0.05). For both elite and high-level players, 95% limits of agreement statistics also indicated that the test showed good test-retest reliability (2.1 ± 7.9 and 0.2 ± 10.8, respectively). Due to the clinimetric properties of the test, we conclude that the Approach-Iron Skill Test is suitable for further examination with the players examined in this study.

Transplant tourism: a growing phenomenon.

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen, David J

2009-03-01

Medical tourism is increasing owing to high costs of care, lack of availability or long waits for procedures, and improvements in technology and standards of care in many countries. Transplant tourism is one example of medical tourism that has been attracting increasing attention because of concerns over poor treatment and outcomes of both donors and recipients. Most such cases involve vended kidneys obtained from vulnerable populations, and both donors and recipients receive inferior care by US standards. This commentary discusses a paper by Gill et al. that compared outcomes of 33 transplant tourists with those of patients transplanted at a US center. Fewer complications and better outcomes were seen in patients transplanted in the US center than among transplant tourists. Large transplant centers with long waiting times are increasingly likely to see patients return newly transplanted from overseas; such patients require urgent attention, with particular consideration to infectious complications.

Age adjusted hematopoietic stem cell transplant comorbidity index predicts survival in a T-cell depleted cohort.

Science.gov (United States)

Saeed, Hayder; Yalamanchi, Swati; Liu, Meng; Van Meter, Emily; Gul, Zartash; Monohan, Gregory; Howard, Dianna; Hildebrandt, Gerhard C; Herzig, Roger

2018-02-01

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HCT) continues to evolve with the treatment in higher risk patient population. This practice mandates stringent update and validation of risk stratification prior to undergoing such a complex and potentially fatal procedure. We examined the adoption of the new comorbidity index (HCT-CI/Age) proposed by the Seattle group after the addition of age variable and compared it to the pre-transplant assessment of mortality (PAM) that already incorporates age as part of its evaluation criteria. A retrospective analysis of adult patients who underwent HCT at our institution from January 2010 through August 2014 was performed. Kaplan-Meier's curve, log-rank tests, Cox model and Pearson correlation was used in the analysis. Of the 114 patients that underwent allogeneic transplant in our institution, 75.4% were ≥40 years old. More than 58% had a DLCO ≤80%. Although scores were positively correlated (correlation coefficient 0.43, p < 0.001), HCT-CI/Age more accurately predicted 2-year overall survival (OS) and non-relapse mortality (NRM) in patients with lower (0-4) and higher (5-7) scores (52% and 36% versus 24% and 76%, p = 0.004, 0.003 respectively). PAM score did not reach statistical significance for difference in OS nor NRM between the low (<24) and high-risk (≥24) groups (p = 0.19 for both). Despite our small sample population, HCT-CI/Age was more discriminative to identify patients with poor outcome that might benefit from intensified management strategies or other therapeutic approaches rather than allogeneic HCT. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.