Transplantation

Letter Biophysics

Allogeneic stem cell transplantation as a curative therapeutic approach for VEXAS syndrome: a case report

Michael Loschi, Christian Roux, Isabelle Sudaka, Corinne Ferrero-Vacher, Alice Marceau-Renaut, Nicolas Duployez, Thierry Passeron, Thomas Cluzeau

Summary: VEXAS syndrome is a disease associated with somatic mutation of UBA1, causing inflammatory symptoms in the skin, joints, and lungs. Most patients do not respond to standard anti-inflammatory or immunosuppressive treatments and eventually develop hematological diseases, with a poor prognosis. A case report demonstrates successful treatment of a VEXAS patient through allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

BONE MARROW TRANSPLANTATION (2022)

Article Surgery

Use of anti-spike monoclonal antibodies in kidney transplant recipients with COVID-19: Efficacy, ethnic and racial disparities

Elizabeth J. Klein, Anna Hardesty, Kendra Vieira, Dimitrios Farmakiotis

Summary: It has been shown that passive immunization with anti-spike monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) may greatly benefit organ transplant recipients in mounting an immune response to COVID-19. The study found that mAb therapy significantly decreased hospitalizations or emergency room visits among kidney transplant recipients with COVID-19, with potential disparities in treatment access and outcomes based on patient race and ethnicity.

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TRANSPLANTATION (2022)

Article Biophysics

Long-term results and GvHD after prophylactic and preemptive donor lymphocyte infusion after allogeneic stem cell transplantation for acute leukemia

Christoph Schmid, Myriam Labopin, Nicolaas Schaap, Hendrik Veelken, Arne Brecht, Michael Stadler, Juergen Finke, Frederic Baron, Matthew Collin, Gesine Bug, Per Ljungman, Didier Blaise, Johanna Tischer, Adrian Bloor, Aleksander Kulagin, Sebastian Giebel, Norbert-Claude Gorin, Jordi Esteve, Fabio Ciceri, Bipin Savani, Arnon Nagler, Mohamad Mohty

Summary: This study analyzed 318 acute leukemia patients who received DLI after alloSCT, showing that preemptive DLI was effective in reducing MRD and increasing chimerism, thus improving survival rates for patients.

BONE MARROW TRANSPLANTATION (2022)

Article Surgery

SARS-COV-2 vaccination with BNT162B2 in renal transplant patients: Risk factors for impaired response and immunological implications

Gianluca Russo, Quirino Lai, Luca Poli, Maria Paola Perrone, Aurelia Gaeta, Massimo Rossi, Claudio M. Mastroianni, Manuela Garofalo, Renzo Pretagostini

Summary: Solid organ transplant patients are at higher risk for poor COVID-19-related outcomes and have been prioritized for vaccination. A study in Italy assessed the safety and efficacy of the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine in 82 kidney transplant patients, finding a 52.4% seroprevalence after 43 days post-vaccination with no impact on rejection or graft function. Age over 60 and use of anti-metabolites were associated with lack of seroconversion following vaccination. Further large studies are needed to determine the best vaccination strategy for transplanted patients.

CLINICAL TRANSPLANTATION (2022)

Article Transplantation

Urine proteomics for prediction of disease progression in patients with IgA nephropathy

Michael Rudnicki, Justyna Siwy, Ralph Wendt, Mark Lipphardt, Michael J. Koziolek, Dita Maixnerova, Bjorn Peters, Julia Kerschbaum, Johannes Leierer, Michaela Neprasova, Miroslaw Banasik, Ana Belen Sanz, Maria Vanessa Perez-Gomez, Alberto Ortiz, Bernd Stegmayr, Vladimir Tesar, Harald Mischak, Joachim Beige, Heather N. Reich

Summary: This multicenter study developed an algorithm based on urinary biomarkers to predict rapid kidney function decline in patients with IgA nephropathy (IgAN), providing a potential personalized risk stratification.

NEPHROLOGY DIALYSIS TRANSPLANTATION (2022)

Editorial Material Transplantation

What should European nephrology do with the new CKD-EPI equation?

Ron T. Gansevoort, Hans-Joachim Anders, Mario Cozzolino, Danilo Fliser, Denis Fouque, Alberto Ortiz, Maria Jose Soler, Christoph Wanner

NEPHROLOGY DIALYSIS TRANSPLANTATION (2023)

Article Surgery

Excess mortality in solid organ transplant recipients hospitalized with COVID-19: A large-scale comparison of SOT recipients hospitalized with or without COVID-19

Karola S. Jering, Martina M. McGrath, Finnian R. Mc Causland, Brian Claggett, Jonathan W. Cunningham, Scott D. Solomon

Summary: Solid-organ transplant recipients hospitalized with COVID-19 have higher odds of complications and in-hospital mortality compared to admissions for other causes, including non-COVID-19 pneumonia. The odds of in-hospital death are 2.5 times higher for SOT recipients with COVID-19 compared to those with non-COVID-19 pneumonia, regardless of the time of hospitalization.

CLINICAL TRANSPLANTATION (2022)

Article Surgery

The negative impact of T cell-mediated rejection on renal allograft survival in the modern era

Christie Rampersad, Robert Balshaw, Ian W. Gibson, Julie Ho, Jamie Shaw, Martin Karpinski, Aviva Goldberg, Patricia Birk, David N. Rush, Peter W. Nickerson, Chris Wiebe

Summary: The study shows that in kidney transplant recipients receiving tacrolimus/mycophenolate-based maintenance therapy, TCMR is common, correlates with HLA-DR/DQ molecular mismatch scores, and is associated with the risk of graft loss.

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TRANSPLANTATION (2022)

Article Surgery

SARS-CoV-2-specific humoral and cell-mediated immune responses after immunization with inactivated COVID-19 vaccine in kidney transplant recipients (CVIM 1 study)

Jackrapong Bruminhent, Chavachol Setthaudom, Pongsathon Chaumdee, Sarinya Boongird, Sasisopin Kiertiburanakul, Kumthorn Malathum, Arkom Nongnuch, Angsana Phuphuakrat, Sopon Jirasiritham, Chitimaporn Janphram, Sansanee Thotsiri, Supparat Upama, Montira Assanatham

Summary: Solid organ transplant recipients who received inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccination showed weak humoral immunity but comparable cell-mediated immunity responses compared to immunocompetent individuals.

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TRANSPLANTATION (2022)

Article Transplantation

Independent effects of secondary hyperparathyroidism and hyperphosphataemia on chronic kidney disease progression and cardiovascular events: an analysis from the NEFRONA cohort

Milica Bozic, Juan M. Diaz-Tocados, Marcelino Bermudez-Lopez, Carles Forne, Cristina Martinez, Elvira Fernandez, Jose M. Valdivielso

Summary: The study found that SHPT and hyperphosphatemia are independently associated with CKD progression and cardiovascular event incidence in CKD patients, while hypercalcemia does not act as an effect modifier for SHPT.

NEPHROLOGY DIALYSIS TRANSPLANTATION (2022)

Article Transplantation

Performance of creatinine-based equations to estimate glomerular filtration rate in White and Black populations in Europe, Brazil and Africa

Pierre Delanaye, Emmanuelle Vidal-Petiot, Jonas Bjork, Natalie Ebert, Bjorn O. Eriksen, Laurence Dubourg, Anders Grubb, Magnus Hansson, Karin Littmann, Christophe Mariat, Toralf Melsom, Elke Schaeffner, Per-Ola Sundin, Arend Bokenkamp, Ulla B. Berg, Kajsa Asling-Monemi, Anna Akesson, Anders Larsson, Etienne Cavalier, R. Neil Dalton, Marie Courbebaisse, Lionel Couzi, Francois Gaillard, Cyril Garrouste, Lola Jacquemont, Nassim Kamar, Christophe Legendre, Lionel Rostaing, Thomas Stehle, Jean-Philippe Haymann, Luciano da Silva Selistre, Jorge P. Strogoff-de-Matos, Justine B. Bukabau, Ernest K. Sumaili, Eric Yayo, Dagui Monnet, Ulf Nyman, Hans Pottel, Martin Flamant

Summary: This study compared and validated the performance of the new Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration equation (CKD-EPIAS) with the European Kidney Function Consortium (EKFC) and Lund-Malmo Revised (LMREV) equations in European and African cohorts. The results showed that the EKFC equation had the best performance in both European and African populations, while CKD-EPIAS had suboptimal performance.

NEPHROLOGY DIALYSIS TRANSPLANTATION (2023)

Article Immunology

The Efficacy and Safety of SGLT2 Inhibitor in Diabetic Kidney Transplant Recipients

Jeong-Hoon Lim, Soie Kwon, Yena Jeon, Young Hoon Kim, Hyunwook Kwon, Yon Su Kim, Hajeong Lee, Yong-Lim Kim, Chan-Duck Kim, Sun-Hee Park, Jong Soo Lee, Kyung Don Yoo, Hyung Eun Son, Jong Cheol Jeong, Jeonghwan Lee, Jung Pyo Lee, Jang-Hee Cho

Summary: This study evaluated the effectiveness and safety of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) with diabetes. The results showed that the SGLT2i group had a lower risk of the primary outcome compared to the control group, and there was also a decreased risk of death-censored graft failure and serum creatinine doubling in the SGLT2i group. The overall estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) remained stable, with a minority of patients experiencing an acute eGFR dip that recovered afterwards. The risk factors for the eGFR dip were time from transplantation to SGLT2i usage and mean tacrolimus trough level.

TRANSPLANTATION (2022)

Article Surgery

Survey of current transplant center practices regarding COVID-19 vaccine mandates in the United States

Benjamin E. Hippen, David A. Axelrod, Kennan Maher, Ruixin Li, Deepali Kumar, Yasar Caliskan, Tarek Alhamad, Mark Schnitzler, Krista L. Lentine

Summary: There is significant heterogeneity in COVID-19 vaccination mandate policies for transplant candidates in US transplant centers. While vaccination is encouraged, most centers have not mandated COVID-19 vaccination for candidates and living donors, citing administrative opposition, legal prohibitions, and concern about equity in access to transplants.

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TRANSPLANTATION (2022)

Article Hematology

Therapy Socioeconomic and Racial Disparity in Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cell Therapy Access

Nausheen Ahmed, Moazzam Shahzad, Ernie Shippey, Rajat Bansal, Muhammad Umair Mushtaq, Zahra Mahmoudjafari, Muhammad Salman Faisal, Marc Hoffmann, Al-Ola Abdallah, Clint Divine, Mehdi Hamadani, Joseph McGuirk, Leyla Shune

Summary: CAR T cell therapy has shown disparities in racial/ethnic distribution, socioeconomic strata, and insurance coverage, with African Americans and Hispanics being underrepresented. Patients living farther from treatment centers tend to be from higher socioeconomic backgrounds. Low enrollment of minorities in clinical trials contributes to these disparities, indicating a need for strategies to address the root causes.

TRANSPLANTATION AND CELLULAR THERAPY (2022)

Letter Immunology

COVID-19 Clinical Outcomes in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients During the Omicron Surge

Willa Cochran, Pali Shah, Lindsay Barker, Julie Langlee, Kristin Freed, Lauren Boyer, R. Scott Anderson, Maura Belden, Jaclyn Bannon, Olivia S. Kates, Nitipong Permpalung, Heba Mostafa, Dorry L. Segev, Daniel C. Brennan, Robin K. Avery

TRANSPLANTATION (2022)

Article Surgery

Donor-derived cell-free DNA levels predict graft injury in liver transplant recipients

Josh Levitsky, Manoj Kandpal, Kexin Guo, Steve Kleiboeker, Rohita Sinha, Michael Abecassis

Summary: The study evaluates the utility of donor-derived cell-free DNA (dd-cfDNA) to diagnose graft injury in liver transplant recipients and as a predictive biomarker for different causes of graft dysfunction. The findings suggest that dd-cfDNA can identify pre-clinical graft injury and rejection in liver transplant recipients, helping to inform management strategies.

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TRANSPLANTATION (2022)

Article Transplantation

Clinical characterization of primary hyperoxaluria type 3 in comparison with types 1 and 2

Prince Singh, Jason K. Viehman, Ramila A. Mehta, Andrea G. Cogal, Linda Hasadsri, Devin Oglesbee, Julie B. Olson, Barbara M. Seide, David J. Sas, Peter C. Harris, John C. Lieske, Dawn S. Milliner

Summary: Primary hyperoxaluria type 3 (PH3) is characterized by symptoms at a younger age compared to PH1 and PH2, with lower urine oxalate excretion and higher urine calcium levels. Stone events are similar across age groups and PH types, with a lower risk of kidney failure in PH3 patients compared to PH1 and PH2 by age 40. Long-term follow-up studies of larger cohorts are needed to further understand the PH3 phenotype.

NEPHROLOGY DIALYSIS TRANSPLANTATION (2022)

Letter Immunology

Impaired Humoral Response to Third Dose of BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine Despite Detectable Spike Protein-specific T cells in Lung Transplant Recipients

Jan Havlin, Aneta Skotnicova, Eliska Dvorackova, Petr Hubacek, Monika Svorcova, Jan Lastovicka, Anna Sediva, Tomas Kalina, Robert Lischke

TRANSPLANTATION (2022)

Article Transplantation

Genetics-first approach improves diagnostics of ESKD patients <50 years old

Rozemarijn Snoek, Richard H. van Jaarsveld, Tri Q. Nguyen, Edith D. J. Peters, Martin G. Elferink, Robert F. Ernst, Maarten B. Rookmaaker, Marc R. Lilien, Eric Spierings, Roel Goldschmeding, Nine V. A. M. Knoers, Bert van der Zwaag, Arjan D. van Zuilen, Albertien M. van Eerde

Summary: Genetic testing in chronic kidney disease patients, especially those with high likelihood of genetic disease, can provide early diagnosis, impact prognosis and treatment, and reduce the need for invasive biopsies.

NEPHROLOGY DIALYSIS TRANSPLANTATION (2022)

Article Transplantation

Design of the COmbinatioN effect of FInerenone anD EmpaglifloziN in participants with chronic kidney disease and type 2 diabetes using a UACR Endpoint study (CONFIDENCE)

Jennifer B. Green, Amy K. Mottl, George Bakris, Hiddo J. L. Heerspink, Johannes F. E. Mann, Janet B. McGill, Masaomi Nangaku, Peter Rossing, Charlie Scott, Alain Gay, Rajiv Agarwal

Summary: This study aims to investigate the efficacy of dual therapy with finerenone and an SGLT2i in reducing chronic kidney disease and type 2 diabetes. The results will provide important insights for improving treatment methods for kidney disease and cardiovascular risks.

NEPHROLOGY DIALYSIS TRANSPLANTATION (2023)