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MAYO CLINIC STUDY EXPANDS CRITERIA TO BE A LIVING KIDNEY DONOR

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Mayo Clinic says the pool of people who can be living kidney donors has expanded following the results of a recent study. Doctors say the results can help save more lives.

Previously transplant physicians were concerned about transplanting kidneys from patients with high blood pressure because of the possible long-term health impacts to them while living with just one kidney.

The study from Mayo Clinic included more than 100 patients and was conducted over 20 years. Dr. Mark Stegall, the Professor of Surgery at Mayo Clinic Rochester, says researchers found certain individuals with controlled hypertension can safely donate a kidney.

Read more, here.

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What Evidence Do We Need to Move Forward With COVID Boosters?

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“More data and an evaluation of several factors at home and abroad are key.

On Monday, employees of Pfizer met with high level executives in the Biden administration to discuss the role of boosters — a.k.a. a third vaccination with an mRNA vaccine for SARS-CoV-2. Some have speculated that, as with the first two doses, the emergency use authorization pathway will again be used to market boosters. With the rise of the Delta variant and others, enthusiasm in the media and the Twitter commentariat for boosters is growing. However, there are certain criteria that must be met before we jump on the booster bandwagon. Some of these criteria apply at home, and others apply abroad.”

Learn more, here.

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J&J Recalls Aveeno, Neutrogena Spray Sunscreens

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“Johnson & Johnson is recalling most of its Neutrogena and Aveeno spray sunscreens from U.S. stores after detecting benzene, a potentially cancer-causing chemical, in some samples.

J&J said Wednesday consumers should stop using and discard five of its six Neutrogena and Aveeno spray sunscreens. The company said it is also notifying distributors and retailers to stop selling the products, and arranging for the return of the products.

A company spokesman said the effort would include removing products from shelves.”

Read more about the recall and what to do, here.

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Factors ID’d for COVID-19 Infection Risk in Dialysis Patients

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“For individuals receiving in-center hemodialysis, the risk for having a positive test for infection or admission with suspected COVID-19 is associated with age, diabetes, local community COVID-19 rates, and dialysis unit size, according to a study published online in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

Ben Caplin, MBChB, PhD, from University College London, and colleagues explored the role of variables such as community disease burden, dialysis unit attributes, and infection control strategies among patients receiving in-center hemodialysis between March 2 and May 31, 2020. Data were included for 5755 patients receiving dialysis in 51 units. Outcomes were defined as a positive test for infection or admission to the hospital with suspected COVID-19.”

Read more, here.

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FDA Approves Drug to Reduce Risk of Serious Kidney and Heart Complications in Adults with Chronic Kidney Disease Associated with Type 2 Diabetes

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“FDA has approved Kerendia (finerenone) tablets to reduce the risk of kidney function decline, kidney failure, cardiovascular death, non-fatal heart attacks, and hospitalization for heart failure in adults with chronic kidney disease associated with type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes is the leading cause of chronic kidney disease and kidney failure in the United States. Chronic kidney disease occurs when the kidneys are damaged and cannot filter blood normally. Because of defective filtering, patients can have complications related to fluid, electrolytes (minerals required for many bodily processes), and waste build-up in the body. Chronic kidney disease sometimes can progress to kidney failure. Patients also are at high risk of heart disease.”

Read the full report by the FDA, here.

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Should Transplant Recipients Have Pets?

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Alex Harrison-Flaxman is a kidney transplant recipient who understands the rollercoaster of emotions that patients face after transplant.

“Being a transplant recipient is an absolute blessing, but it doesn’t come without its challenges,” says Harrison-Flaxman. “It’s a constant battle to stay vigilant and be on top of your care. But having my dog Bendel makes it a little more bearable when my anxiety is high, and the road ahead seems impossible.”

Up to 63% of transplant recipients experience depression or anxiety during the first several years post-transplant.1 This makes organ transplant recipients ideal candidates for owning pets that—through companionship—provide emotional support, ease anxiety, depression, and other phobias.

Read the full article, here.

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Q&A: Transplant Patient Immune Response to COVID-19 Vaccines

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CareDx and the Lung Transplant Foundation hosted  the “COVID-19 Vaccines and the Latest Data on Immune Response in Transplant Recipients” webinar on May 12, 2021. More than 1,000 transplant recipients, caregivers, and clinicians tuned in to the live webinar to hear the latest research on the immune response of transplant recipients to the COVID-19 vaccine.

Dorry Segev, MD, PhD, a transplant surgeon from Johns Hopkins Medicine, and one of the authors of a recently published study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) that looked at the antibody response in more than 650 transplant patients, presented findings and answered questions.

Below is a summary of some of the questions posed during the session.

Read the full Q&A, here.

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Young Race Car Driver Raises Awareness About Life-Saving Transplants

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Jeannine Williams saw the writing on the wall. It had been nearly 30 years since a hepatitis infection resulted in the need for a liver transplant at age 22. Decades of taking the immunosuppressive drugs required post-transplant had enabled Jeannine to live a full life, giving birth to two children even though doctors had originally predicted she’d survive just five years.

But those same life-saving drugs had taken a toll. In the years since receiving a new liver, Jeannine, 54, had vanquished breast cancer and multiple skin cancers, brought on because her immune system was suppressed. Then in 2018 came the unwelcome news she’d been expecting: Jeannine, from Oakley, California, needed a kidney transplant.

Read Clayton’s and Jeannine’s full story, here.

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Recipe: Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese, Candied Pecans, and Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette

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If you need a healthy and kidney-friendly dish for any occasion, you can’t go wrong with this recipe for Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese, Candied Pecans, and Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette.

Courtesy of Mike Hargett of Battle Ground, Washington, the recipe is high in folate, magnesium, vitamin C, and fiber.

When choosing beets for the recipe, Mike recommends using “Beets by Mike,” which he says are better than “Beats by Dre.” 

Find the recipe, here.

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