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Donated kidneys from deceased COVID-19 patients are safe to transplant

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Study finds that such organs don’t transmit virus that causes COVID-19

By Jim Dryden

Kidneys from organ donors who were diagnosed with COVID-19 are safe to transplant and don’t transmit the virus to people who receive those organs, according to a new study led by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

Of the many thousands of kidneys transplanted since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been no reported infections after transplant surgery related to kidneys donated by people who died and had tested positive for the virus. Most donors died of causes other than COVID-19, but even in those who had tested positive for the virus within a week of their deaths, there was no effect on the success of the transplants. Read more from the Washington School of Medicine in St. Louis.

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Assessment of the Effectiveness of Patient Education and Interviews in Improving Medication Adherence of Renal Transplant Recipients

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Abstract

Background

Non-compliance with immunosuppressive drugs has been reported as the most significant cause of graft loss. Since non-compliance with immunosuppressive drugs is preventable, certain approaches based on the risk factors and causes of non-compliance can help eliminate this problem.
Read the complete abstract in Cureus.

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Questions remain on patient costs, formulary for expanded immunosuppressive drug benefit

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Demand for transplantation has rapidly increased around the world during the past decade due to an increase in incidence of comorbidities leading to organ failure along with a rise in longevity in patient years.

This increase in demand has outpaced current graft survival and resulted in the need for re-transplantation – and for more organs. Consequently, there has been a major increase in the number of patients on transplant waitlists, as well as an increase in the number of patients dying waiting for a transplant. Read more in Healio.

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Video therapy improves medication adherence for adolescent heart transplant recipients

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A digital medication adherence program with virtual video check-ins was associated with adolescent heart transplant recipients taking more of their medications as prescribed 6 months after the intervention, data from a pilot study show.

“Medication nonadherence is a significant problem which can lead to graft failure and patient mortality,” Dipankar Gupta, MBBS, DCH, MD, assistant professor of pediatric cardiology at the Congenital Heart Center at UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital, University of Florida, told Healio. Read the full story in Healio.

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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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