New kidney and pancreas transplant allocation policies in effect

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“UNOS has implemented a new system for matching kidney and pancreas transplant candidates with organs from deceased donors.

The new approach is projected to increase equity in transplant access for candidates nationwide. It replaces distribution based on donation service area (DSA) and OPTN region with a more consistent measure of distance between the donor hospital and the transplant hospital for each candidate. This will further ensure the right organ gets to the right patient at the right time based on medical need rather than geography.

The policy was developed over nearly three years by organ donation and transplant experts, organ recipients and donor families from around the country, and input from thousands of people during three public comment cycles.

Kidney and pancreas offers will be offered first to candidates listed at transplant hospitals within 250 nautical miles of the donor hospital. Offers not accepted for any of these candidates will then be made for candidates beyond the 250 nautical mile distance.

Candidates also will receive proximity points based on the distance between their transplant program and the donor hospital. Proximity points are intended to improve the efficiency of organ placement by adding priority for candidates closer to the donor hospital. Candidates within the initial 250 nautical mile radius will receive a maximum of two proximity points, while those outside the initial circle will receive a maximum of four proximity points. The point assignment will be highest for those closest to the donor hospital and will decrease as the distance increases.”

Read all about the new policy, here.

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Immunocompromised And Concerned About The Vaccine? Here’s What You Need To Know

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“Lots of people have questions about getting vaccinated against COVID-19. That includes the millions of Americans with weakened immune systems that put them at higher risk of severe disease if they do get infected with the coronavirus.

“Patients want to know whether it’s safe to get it and, if they do get it, which one should they get? And of course, they also have concerns about how it can affect their own condition as well,” says Dr. Sharon Dowell, a rheumatologist at Howard University Hospital in Washington, D.C., who says she has been getting a barrage of questions from patients lately.

People can be immunocompromised for a wide range of reasons. Some are being treated with immunosuppressive medications for conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, Crohn’s disease or psoriasis. Others are organ transplant recipients on powerful anti-rejection medications or cancer patients receiving chemotherapy.

Dowell and other doctors say vaccinating immunocompromised patients is especially important. But it also raises special considerations that these patients should discuss with their doctor beforehand. Here’s what you need to know.”

Read the full article, here.

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Outcomes among Transplant Recipients Hospitalized Due to COVID-19

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“Due to chronic immunosuppression as well as the presence of numerous comorbidities, the risk of developing severe COVID-19 may be high in kidney transplant recipients. Researchers in the United States, Italy, and Spain conducted a retrospective cohort study to examine the clinical outcomes among kidney transplant recipients to identify predictors of poor clinical outcomes. Results of the study were reported in the American Journal of Transplantation [2020;20(11):3140-3148].

The study was led by Paolo Cravedi, MD, PhD, division of nephrology, department of medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York. The cohort included 144 kidney transplant recipients who were hospitalized due to COVID-19 at 12 transplant centers in North America and Europe. The 12 centers were participating in the TANGO International Transplant Consortium. All kidney transplant recipients ≥18 years of age with a functioning allograft who were admitted to a hospital between March 2 and May 15, 2020, were included.”

Read the full study, here.

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Cancer Patients and Transplant Recipients Need Both COVID-19 Vaccine Doses

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“Natural immunity and vaccine responses may be weaker in people with immune suppression, so they should get their second dose promptly

A majority of people with cancer and organ transplant recipients are capable of mounting an immune response to the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and can gain immunity from COVID-19 vaccines, according to recent research. But people with immune suppression may have slower and weaker responses to natural infection or vaccination, so it is especially important that they get their second dose on schedule.

People with serious immune suppression are at risk for more severe complications and death due to COVID-19. This group includes cancer patients who use immune-suppressing therapy, transplant recipients who take immunosuppressive drugs to prevent organ rejection and people with AIDS (advanced, uncontrolled HIV disease).

It is well known that immunosuppressed people can have weaker immune responses to natural infection and vaccination, but SARS-CoV-2 immunity in this population is not well understood. What’s more, cancer patients on treatment and other people with advanced immune suppression were generally excluded from COVID-19 vaccine trials (though people with well-controlled HIV could enroll).”

Read the full article, here.

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Signs & Symptoms That Your Body is Rejecting Your Transplanted Kidney or Heart

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A person living with a transplanted organ can live a healthy and normal life.

However, to increase your chances of long-term success, experts say that immunosuppressants (anti-rejection medications) must be taken every day as directed.1

“A transplanted organ is seen as a foreign object—or an ‘unwelcome visitor’—by your body,” says Nikhil Agrawal, MD, a nephrologist with Beth Israel Deaconess in Boston. “That is why your body’s immune system works hard to react against—or ‘reject’—the transplanted organ. Immunosuppressants suppress your body’s immune system and prevent rejection.”

The signs and symptoms of rejection could differ based on your transplanted organ. Below are a few things to look out for if you are a kidney- or heart-transplant recipient.

Read the full article, here.

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American Kidney Fund Applauds White House Decision to Distribute COVID-19 Vaccines Directly to ESRD Patients at Dialysis Clinics

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“The American Kidney Fund (AKF) today issues the following statement in response to the Biden-Harris administration’s announcement that COVID-19 vaccines will be distributed directly to end-stage renal disease (ESRD, or kidney failure) patients at dialysis clinics:

“On behalf of the 555,000 Americans who rely on dialysis to survive, AKF is grateful to the Biden-Harris administration for announcing its plans to distribute COVID-19 vaccines directly to ESRD patients at the nation’s dialysis clinics. AKF recently met with Congressional and Biden-Harris administration officials to recommend this action. Vaccine distribution for ESRD patients at dialysis clinics will be a major step forward in protecting people with kidney failure from COVID-19 and in addressing disparities in our health care system that disproportionately impact the kidney patient community.”

Read the full article, here.

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After Two Kidney Transplants, Tiffany Archibald is On Top of Her Game More Than Ever

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If you play basketball for a prestigious program like the University of Southern California (USC) or professionally in China and Europe, it’s a pretty good bet you are an athlete at the top of your game.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is just not something that should rear its ugly head if your life is about proper nutrition, consistent exercise, and high-level competition.

Right?

Tiffany Archibald would beg to differ.

Read Tiffany’s full story, here.

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Recipe: Chicken Curry

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Sedalia, Colorado, can be prepared in 40 minutes. The people who eat it, however, will think you spent hours crafting it.

It is a low-calorie entree (362 calories per serving), and is also low in carbs, sodium, and cholesterol.

Andrea Ogg uses low-sodium chicken broth and says you can use low-sodium canned tomatoes—although she says fresh tomatoes are preferred.

Ingredients:

Spice blend

  • 1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp fennel seeds, crushed in a small bag with a meat mallet
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp ground mustard
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves

Curry

  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, chopped (1 cup)
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced (1 1/2 Tbsp)
  • 1 Tbsp peeled and minced fresh ginger
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 3/4 cup drained canned low sodium diced tomatoes or peeled, seeded, diced fresh tomatoes (preferred)
  • Salt, to taste
  • Cayenne pepper, to taste
  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced into 1 1/4-inch cubes
  • 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tsp water (optional— I have not needed this)
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream
  • 2 Tbsp chopped cilantro

Directions:

  1. In a small mixing bowl whisk together all the spices in the spice blend, set aside.
  2. Heat olive oil in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
  3. Add in onion and sauté until slightly golden brown, about 4 – 6 minutes.
  4. Add in garlic and ginger, sauté 30 seconds more then add in spice blend and sauté 30 seconds.
  5. Pour in chicken broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer 5 minutes.
  6. Pour mixture into a blender then cover with lid and remove lid insert, cover opening with a clean folded kitchen rag.
  7. Blend mixture until well pureed and smooth then return to skillet and heat skillet over medium-high heat.
  8. Season sauce with salt and cayenne pepper (start with about 1/2 tsp salt and a few dashes cayenne then add more to taste) then add in chicken.
  9. Bring to a simmer then reduce heat to medium-low, cover skillet with lid and simmer until chicken has cooked through, stirring occasionally, about 8 – 12 minutes.
  10. During the last minute of cooking stir in the cornstarch and water slurry if desired, to thicken sauce slightly (or if needed thin with a little chicken broth).
  11. Stir in cream then serve warm with fresh cilantro leaves as garnish.

The recipe recommends serving over rice, but we do not as rice is simply empty calories. If you need a carb with it, go with freshly toasted naan. Much tastier!

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