Articles tagged with Organ Transplantation
Research reveals that heart transplant recipients from economically disadvantaged areas are at a greater risk of graft failure and mortality, with a 10% increased relative risk compared to those from non-distressed communities. The disparity in outcomes has widened since the implementation of the 2018 UNOS Heart Allocation policy.
The Texas Heart Institute has received a five-year, $2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to advance organ bioengineering. The project aims to develop transplantable bioartificial hearts to combat end-stage heart failure.
Researchers investigating early liver transplantation for alcohol-associated liver disease aim to understand who benefits most and develop best practices. They will collect data on patient outcomes, biological samples, and audio recordings to identify factors influencing selection decisions.
A long-term study of nearly 2,400 solid organ transplant recipients found that COVID-19 vaccination significantly reduced hospitalization rates, with a 75% decrease in later omicron waves. Despite this, post-vaccination SARS-CoV-2 viral infections remain common, highlighting the importance of vaccination in high-risk populations.
Researchers have found that mouse stem cells mimic their parent animals' cold resistance, generating energy differently at low temperatures. This discovery opens up new avenues for studying organ preservation and human hibernation using in vitro models.
A new study found that around one in five people with compromised immune systems have no COVID-19 antibodies after three or more vaccinations. The MELODY study identified specific groups at higher risk of not producing antibodies, highlighting the need for targeted interventions and booster vaccines.
A third COVID-19 vaccination dose significantly improved antibody responses in transplant recipients, offering better protection against variants. However, cross-protection was only partial, highlighting the need for multiple vaccine doses to maintain immunity in this vulnerable population.
Researchers identify key protein interactions that control the body's immune response during liver transplantation, leading to improved transplant survival rates. The study found that a specific communication pathway between CEACAM1 and TIM-3 proteins plays a crucial role in controlling the immune response.
In a groundbreaking procedure, Adriana Rodriguez received a dual-organ transplant, with her healthy liver transplanted into another patient to mitigate rejection risk. This innovative approach, known as HALT-D, demonstrates the potential for immunoprotection and has implications for highly sensitized patients requiring multiple organs.
The study found that the presence of microbiota increases tacrolimus levels in the blood, reducing the risk of rejection but also increasing side effects. Clinical tests revealed two specific types of bacteria associated with reduced tacrolimus dosages, and a link between Anaerostipes bacteria and diabetes prevention.
Researchers analyzed data from the first genetically-modified pig heart transplant into a human patient and found that several overlapping factors contributed to heart failure, including poor pre-transplant health, immunocompromised state, and use of intravenous immunoglobulin. The study provides crucial insight into how these factors ...
Researchers aim to prevent transplant rejection by targeting trained immunity, a newly explored part of the immune system. The five-year program will investigate how trained immunity drives rejection and develop tools for diagnosing and regulating it.
Researchers have identified specific cellular signatures for kidney transplant rejection, which could lead to the development of more effective anti-rejection therapies. The study's findings suggest that treatments often do not thoroughly eliminate T cells responsible for rejection, and new drug targets may be able to address this issue.
A study published in Annals of the American Thoracic Society found that race-neutral lung function interpretation could lead to more equitable access to lung transplants for Black patients. The researchers analyzed data from over 8,900 patients and discovered that a race-specific approach resulted in lower Lung Allocation Scores (LAS) ...
Researchers have developed a new manufacturing pipeline to simplify and advance high-value manufacturing of tissue-compatible organs, reducing costs and increasing efficiency. This breakthrough aims to address the dire need for artificially engineered organs and tissue grafts, potentially saving thousands of lives in the UK.
A study found that most kidneys offered to transplant centers were given to lower-priority candidates, citing concerns about organ quality. This practice, known as 'list diving,' harms some patients and contributes to disparities in organ transplantation.
Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine have successfully converted human stomach stem cells into insulin-secreting cells, offering a promising approach to treating type 1 and severe type 2 diabetes. The transplants reversed disease signs in mouse models, suggesting good durability.
Scientists have developed a new method to deliver genetic information to stem cells using nanoparticles coated with a specific polymer, enabling more efficient control over cellular differentiation. This innovation has the potential to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of regenerative medicine treatments.
A new study suggests that the US liver allocation policy remains biased towards certain regions, with a customized approach to equalize supply-to-demand ratios being recommended. The researchers developed a model that accurately predicts the change in a patient's organ-offer acceptance probability due to changes in policy.
Researchers at University of Pittsburgh have discovered a type of immune cell that drives chronic organ transplant failure and uncovered pathways to improve patient outcomes. Blocking IL-15 signaling has been shown to prolong graft survival in mouse kidney recipients, offering a promising therapeutic target.
The funding will support preclinical research using genetically modified pigs, aiming to improve compatibility and reduce immune rejection in xenotransplantation. The goal is to enable human clinical trials and address the organ shortage crisis.
Researchers found that restoring function to donor hearts through taNRP can significantly increase the donor pool, leading to more transplantations. The study showed comparable survival rates between DCD and DBD heart transplants, with 97% of patients surviving for over 30 days.
Researchers at UC San Diego develop new bioink with iodixanol, reducing light scattering and enabling high cell density printing. The technique creates functional human-like tissues with improved resolution and perfusion systems for long-term culture.
Researchers found better survival rates at all points in time for pediatric patients with more serious heart disease, thanks to improved immunosuppression therapies, techniques, and postoperative care. A multidisciplinary team approach also contributed to the better outcomes.
A recent study published in JAMA Surgery found that underperforming organ procurement organizations significantly impact the nation's organ supply. The research analyzed data from 13 hospitals and identified large gaps between potential and actual donors, highlighting the need for improved oversight and performance standards.
A new study found that a medication previously used to treat seizures can reprogram donor hearts to boost the production of beneficial enzymes, increasing storage time and improving post-transplant function. This technology could lead to a paradigm shift in extending heart storage and reducing primary graft dysfunction.
A study found that standardizing evaluation processes and expanding telehealth use can significantly improve access to kidney transplants for African Americans. The interventions also led to increased organ acceptance rates, but post-transplant survival outcomes were not statistically significant.
A recent UK trial found that treating patients with transplant-rejecting antibodies did not reduce transplant failure rates. The OuTSMART trial tested two groups of over 2000 transplant patients and found no significant difference in failure rates between those who received oral drugs and those who followed standard care.
Researchers compared two methods of corneal transplant tissue preparation, finding the new DMEK EndoGlide technique to be safe and effective while providing a faster process. The study suggests this method may lead to better long-term outcomes for patients with Fuchs' dystrophy.
A recent study found that patients treated at centers that don't perform transplants have a 79% higher odds of being denied bridge-to-transplant designation. This change could exacerbate existing disparities in access to heart transplantation, according to the research team.
Researchers have created a humanized mouse model that can predict the best match for a living organ donor and detect early signs of transplant rejection. The model uses a combination of HLA-G and B regulatory cells to identify patients who may need less immunosuppressive therapy.
A new analysis by Cedars-Sinai investigators shows that similar levels of COVID-19 antibodies are reached over an extended period of time in different population groups. Individuals with autoimmune diseases and solid organ transplant patients experience lower long-term antibody levels.
A new system will prioritize medical needs over geographical location for lung transplant candidates. The change is expected to reduce waitlist mortality and improve post-transplant survival.
Researchers at UCSF have developed a novel approach to prevent antibodies from triggering immune rejection of engineered therapeutic and transplant cells. By using a decoy receptor, they can capture the antibodies and take them out of circulation before they can kill the therapeutic cells.
A University of Michigan-led study found most heart transplant center websites are written at a college junior's reading level, making them difficult for patients to understand. Only 56% offered resources for non-English speakers, with the mid-Atlantic region performing poorly.
A study by Harvard Medical School researchers found that organ donations and transplants increase by 21% during the week of large motorcycle rallies, with 26% more transplant recipients per day. The surge in donations does not alleviate the critical shortage of donor organs, highlighting the need for improved safety protocols.
A recent study found that American transplant centers and organ procurement organizations were 5% less likely to choose organs from 70-year-old donors compared to those who were 69. This bias, known as left digit bias, has significant implications for the availability of deceased donor organs
Researchers have discovered how a new class of drugs can inhibit the complement system, which causes damage to the body in some cases. These findings pave the way for further optimization of such inhibitors, potentially leading to novel therapeutic strategies for treating autoimmune diseases.
A team of researchers is developing a new method to evaluate the viability of donor kidneys using optical coherence tomography (OCT) scanning technology. OCT scans provide a more complete view of the organ's overall functional capacity, allowing for better matching with transplant patients. The goal is to increase kidney availability a...
A multistate study found that mRNA COVID vaccines were less effective in immunocompromised adults, with protection rates ranging from 34% to 71% after multiple doses. The study emphasizes the importance of non-pharmaceutical interventions, such as masks and antibody treatment, for additional protection against severe COVID-19.
The University of Missouri has earned an $8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to expand its National Swine Resource and Research Center. The center will support research using genetically modified pigs to study human diseases, with a focus on therapies that can be translated from pig models to humans.
Researchers found a significant association between NTM infection and increased mortality in patients with end-stage renal disease. Early diagnosis and treatment may improve survival. NTM can cause nonspecific symptoms like fever and weight loss, and patients with compromised immune systems are at higher risk.
Researchers found a drastic decrease in bacterial abundance on the skin of patients with graft-versus-host disease, while an increased occurrence of staphylococci was observed. This discovery may lead to improved treatment measures for GVHD, which affects approximately 30-70% of stem cell transplant recipients.
A national US kidney disease registry found that 60% of participants were unaware of their kidney function level, hindering clinical trial recruitment. The National Kidney Foundation Patient Network aims to address this issue through real-world data collection and patient-centered research.
A new study identified a remdesivir-resistant version of COVID-19 in two kidney transplant patients treated with immunosuppressive drugs. The virus developed the V7921 gene mutation, which allows it to resist antiviral therapy, highlighting the need for continued monitoring and potential development of additional treatments.
In a new study, researchers found that immune T cells lacking the key transcription factor Satb1 are more susceptible to suppression by regulatory T cells, leading to transplant tolerance. The study provides insight into the mechanism behind transplantation tolerance and may lead to the development of new immunosuppression regimens.
A new study published in the Journal of Hepatology found that living donor liver transplants can reduce waitlist time and deaths in Western countries. Long-term outcomes were excellent despite relatively low use of this procedure, with high patient survival rates and similar mortality risk among three countries.
In the UK, both eligible organ donors and actual organ donations decreased by around 30% during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. The proportion of eligible donors who proceeded to donation remained relatively constant.
Researchers have developed a model mouse embryo that has beating hearts, foundations for a brain, and all the organs in a mouse body. This breakthrough could help understand why some embryos fail and provide insights into repairing synthetic human organs.
The TMDU research team successfully transplanted a mini organoid into a patient with Ulcerative Colitis, showing potential for a radical cure. The treatment uses the patient's own cells and minimally invasive colonoscopy, reducing transplant rejection risk and laparotomy needs.
A proof-of-concept study developed three machine learning models to predict posttreatment recurrence in early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma patients. The models achieved high accuracy using imaging data alone, while combining clinical data did not significantly improve performance.
A new study published in Pediatric Transplantation found that pediatric kidney transplant patients have better long-term outcomes when their kidney comes from a living donor. The study analyzed data from the Organ Procurement and Transplant Network database and compared the rates of graft failure and death among children who received k...
Researchers at the University of South Australia have discovered that combining anti-rejection medication with immune checkpoint inhibitors can significantly reduce the risk of organ rejection and eliminate cancer cells in a quarter of patients. The study involved 22 patients with renal transplants and incurable locally advanced or met...
Researchers develop new method to preserve organs by freezing them partially, allowing for longer storage duration and improved organ matching. This breakthrough could lead to more successful transplants and increased organ availability.
A study by researchers from the University of Chicago reveals that bacteria in donated organs complicate the immune response after transplantation. The findings show that immune responses against commensal bacteria add to the rejection of the organ, reducing the effectiveness of immunosuppressive drugs and causing damage to the graft.
A recent study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that Black children who have stroke after heart transplant are more than three times as likely to die compared to their white counterparts. The researchers analyzed data from 8,224 children who received cardiac transplants between 1994 and 2019.
Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine conducted a groundbreaking xenotransplant surgery, implanting a genetically modified pig heart into a 57-year-old patient with terminal heart disease. The patient survived for two months with a strong functioning heart showing no obvious signs of rejection.
A recent study published in the Journal of Cardiac Surgery found that lung transplant recipients have a standardized mortality rate approximately five times higher than nonhospitalized adults. The main causes of death include rejection of the new organ, pneumonia, and infections.
A third dose of COVID-19 vaccine may be essential for kidney transplant patients in Japan to prevent severe disease and infection. Researchers found that only a third of patients developed sufficient antibodies after two doses, highlighting the need for additional protection.
A team of researchers at University of Zurich successfully transplanted a human liver that was treated in a machine, paving the way for a potential solution to the global organ shortage. The liver was preserved for three days outside the body using a custom-made perfusion machine.