‘A Lot More to Do’ for Longevity of Kids Who Receive Organs

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By Jake Remaly

Sara Kathryn Smith, MD, knows better than most that studying pediatric organ transplant recipients in adulthood can be a challenge.

Smith, the medical director of pediatric liver transplantation at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center in Baltimore, is a transplant recipient herself.

“Following somebody 20, 30 years after a liver transplant when they are out there running their life and having no issues at all, it is hard to convince them to come back every month for labs,” Smith said. Read the full article in Medscape.

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Research reveals novel insights into transplant rejection and new drug development targets

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By Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center

Imagine a day when a urine test could inform a doctor precisely why a kidney transplant patient was experiencing organ rejection and suggest the best medication for specifically addressing the problem.

That day took a leap closer to reality thanks to a remarkable set of single-cell analyses that have identified the most specific cellular signatures to date for kidney transplant rejection. The findings were detailed May 25, 2023, in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. Read more in Medical Xpress.

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OPTN Board approves measures to improve kidney offer acceptance process

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Richmond, Va., – The Board of Directors of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, at its meeting June 26, unanimously approved measures intended to improve the process kidney transplant programs use to consider available organ offers. By making better usage of offer filters, kidney offers may be made more efficiently to programs that are most likely to accept such offers for their candidates.

“Every transplant program is responsible for deciding which characteristics of donor organs are acceptable for their transplant candidates,” said Jerry McCauley, M.D., M.P.H., president of the board. Read the full article from UNOS here.

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Transplant Outcomes and Usage Patterns in Adult Recipients of Deceased Donor Kidneys with COVID-19

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The following is a summary of “Patterns in Use and Transplant Outcomes Among Adult Recipients of Kidneys From Deceased Donors With COVID-19,” published in the May 2023 issue of Nephrology by Ji et al. 

For a study, researchers aimed to determine the kidney utilization patterns and transplant outcomes in adult recipients of deceased donor kidneys with active or resolved COVID-19. This study analyzed the information from 35,851 deceased donors (71,334 kidneys) and 45,912 adult patients who underwent kidney transplantation between March 1, 2020, and March 30, 2023. Read the complete article in Physician’s Weekly.

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Race-Neutral Testing Could Reduce Bias in Lung Transplant Allocation, Study Suggests

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By Rose McNulty

Interpreting spirometry with race-specific reference equations led to a lower Lung Allocation Score (LAS) for Black patients and higher LAS among White patients, which could potentially contribute to racially biased allocation of lung transplants.

Interpreting spirometry with race-specific reference equations led to a lower Lung Allocation Score (LAS) for Black patients and higher LAS among White patients,1 which could potentially contribute to racially biased allocation of lung transplants, according to new research published in Annals of the American Thoracic Society. Read the full article in AJMC.

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How Common is Cancer in Organ Transplant Recipients?

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As an organ transplant recipient, you already “know” several things:

  • You know what the anxiety and stress of end-stage organ disease feels like
  • You know that your life has been improved after receiving your transplant
  • You know that by taking care of your transplant, you can reduce the risk of rejection of the organ

Did you also know that the important immunosuppressants (anti-rejection medications) you take to prevent your body from rejecting your transplanted kidney, heart, lung, or liver may increase your risk of developing certain types of
cancer?1 Read the complete article on CareDx.com.

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Men share unbreakable bond: Kidney transplant brings strangers together

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By Doug Evans

FAYETTE COUNTY, Ga. – FOX 5 brought together two local men whose lives were changed forever by a kidney transplant back in February. FOX 5 first reported on McIntosh High School athletic director Leon Hammond’s need for a donated kidney last November and U.S. Secret Service agent Alan Reeves who gave him that gift of life. It’s now three months since the transplant surgery. Read or watch the full story from Fox 5 Atlanta.

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Texas Children’s Receives 2023 Outstanding Heart Failure Care Team Award From Heart Failure Society of America

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HOUSTON (JUNE 28, 2023) – The Texas Children’s Hospital Heart Failure Team has been named the 2023 Outstanding Heart Failure Care Team award winner by the Heart Failure Society of America. The team will be formally recognized at an award ceremony in Cleveland, OH later this year.

The Heart Failure Team is part of Texas Children’s Heart Center, recently ranked #1 in the nation by U.S. News and World Report for pediatric cardiology and heart surgery for the seventh consecutive year. The team is uniquely suited to care for the most complex cardiac patients from infancy to adulthood with its world-class expertise in fetal and neonatal cardiology, congenital heart surgery, cardiac intensive care, and adult congenital heart disease. Read the full article from Texas Children’s Hospital.

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What are the Common Lab Tests That Patients Receive After Heart Transplant?

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As a heart transplant recipient, you’ll quickly find yourself being asked to take a laundry list of blood tests. While this can be inconvenient and frustrating, it’s also really important. Your doctor can’t tell what’s going on with your new heart by looking at you. Blood tests provide information on how well your heart is functioning and how your medications may be affecting your body. By reviewing the results, your physician may adjust medications, recommend changes to your diet or fluid intake, or recognize the need for additional examination.
Read the full article on CareDx.com.

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