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Registration Now Open for CEOT 2015
The Cutting Edge of Transplantation
Immunity and Inflammation: Engineering Cell, Gene, and Drug Therapies
AST
Feb. 5-7, 2015
Sheraton Wild Horse Pass – Chandler, Arizona
Click here to register for CEOT 2015 and take advantage of early registration discounted rates! Make plans to attend this high-energy, intimate meeting where expert clinicians, leading diagnosticians, and world class scientists will address the field’s cutting edge challenges together with an engaged audience. This year’s CEOT will feature sessions on:
- A Critical Review of Cell Therapies
- Whatever Happened to Gene Therapy?
- Organ Repair and Regeneration, and Organ Generation
- Drug Development and Rediscovering Pathways
Click here to submit your basic, clinical or translational abstract.
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UPCOMING EVENTS IN TRANSPLANTATION
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Register now for ESOT + AST Joint Meeting
AST
Personalized Transplantation: From New Diagnostics to New Therapeutics
Oct. 17-19, 2014
Madrid, Spain
Register by Sept. 7 to take advantage of early registration and a discounted rate. Join the ESOT and AST in beautiful Madrid, Spain as together we explore:
- New Options to Improve Immunosuppressive Therapy
Belatacept, Anti CD40 trial (ASKP1240), Anti- IL-6 and Tacrolimus formulations
- Novel Diagnostics
Donor DNA - Biomarker of Graft Injury, In vivo Live Imaging of the Immune Response and Tolerance Profile
- Novel Targets for Immunosuppression
B-cells, Plasma Cells and Complement
- Personalized Medicine: Technique and Technology
Sequencing for TCR Repertoire, Pharmacogenetics, Epigenetics and Mixed Chimerism
- Cellular Strategies to Optimize Long Term Outcomes
T-regs, Mesenchymal Cells, Facilitator Cells
Click here to learn more about this enlightening meeting, or view the full program.
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Raptor's mission is to develop and commercialize life-altering therapeutics that treat rare, debilitating, and often fatal diseases.
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To find out how to feature your company in the AST eNewsletter and other advertising opportunities, Contact Tom Crist at 972-402-7724.
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Quality Improvement Taskforce seeks input on Joint Commission Standards
In conjunction with the Organ Donation and Transplantation Alliance (ODTA) and the Donation and Transplantation Community of Practice (DTCP) Quality Improvement Task Force (QITF), The Joint Commission is conducting an evaluation of its existing organ donation/transplantation requirements for hospitals. In addition, The Joint Commission is requesting the identification of practices, even those unrelated to Joint Commission standards or regulatory requirements, which have been particularly helpful in improving donation and/or transplantation quality improvement processes and outcomes.
The purpose of this quality improvement activity is to ensure that the Joint Commission standards continue to support a culture of donation and transplantation, thus preserving the option of donation to the maximum extent possible. By increasing the clarity in hospital standards, it helps to facilitate the entire organ donation process. Please note that The Joint Commission is not contemplating the development of a comprehensive set of standards for transplant centers. Also, please note that the scope of this review excludes those standards related to tissue acquisition, testing, storage, issuance and tracking.
As key stakeholders in the organ donation and transplantation process, AST members are invited to participate in this evaluation and feedback process.
To complete the evaluation, please click on the following link: http://www.cvent.com/d/b4q5ct. If this link does not open up to the evaluation, copy and paste it directly into the top line of your internet browser and hit enter. Do not paste the link into the search line of your browser.
Please complete the evaluation tool by Oct. 1, 2014. If you have questions regarding the evaluation instrument, please contact Vicki Cantwell at vcantwell@jointcommission.org.
PRODUCT SHOWCASE
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The UCLA Immunogenetics Center (UIC) provides comprehensive testing for organ and tissue transplantation. Transplant testing has a long history at UCLA. HLA typing was pioneered here in the 1960's. The development of the microcytoxicity test in 1964 marked the beginning of international testing and standardization of HLA typing. The UCLA Immunogenetics Center has retained its leadership position in HLA research, and in the development of accompanying diagnostic testing. MORE
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Disparities in access to kidney transplantation between donor service areas in Texas
American Journal of Transplantation
This study examined the current status of pronounced disparities in waiting times to kidney transplantation (KTx) within the state of Texas first documented more than a decade ago. The state's three, geographically contiguous donor service areas (DSAs) were compared for rates of deceased donor KTx within 3 years of listing as well as population base; waiting list size; number of dialysis patients; annual eligible deaths; number and size of acute care hospitals; organ procurement organization performance; correspondence between DSA of residence versus DSA of listing; and distribution of alternative local units (ALUs).
Infection and rejection risk after cardiac transplantation with induction vs. no induction: A multi-institutional study
Clinical Transplantation
Data from Cardiac Transplant Research Database (CTRD) were analyzed from 1999 to 2006 to examine the effects of different induction strategies at the time of cardiac transplantation. A total of 2090 primary heart transplants were categorized by induction with interleukin-2 receptor blocker (IL-2RB), antithymocyte globulin (ATG), or no induction (NI). Probabilities for rejection and infection were estimated with parametric time-related models.
Critical role of NKT cells in posttransplant alloantibody production
American Journal of Transplantation
They previously reported that posttransplant alloantibody production in CD8-deficient hosts is IL-4+CD4+ T cell–dependent and IgG1 isotype-dominant. The current studies investigated the hypothesis that IL-4-producing natural killer T cells (NKT cells) contribute to maximal alloantibody production. To investigate this, alloantibody levels were examined in CD8-deficient WT, CD1d KO and Jα18 KO transplant recipients.
Improving monitoring after pancreas transplantation alone: Fine-tuning of an old technique
Clinical Transplantation
Graft survival after pancreas transplantation alone (PTA) is significantly poorer than graft survival after simultaneous pancreas kidney (SPK) and is particularly affected by difficulty in monitoring rejection. Exocrine bladder drainage allows assessment of pancreas graft function as urinary amylase (UA). However, standards for UA collection and interpretation are not well defined. In this study, 21 bladder-drained PTA recipients were monitored with daily values for UA and urine creatinine (Creat) concentration from post-transplant 10-mL samples and 24-h collections. Clinical events were documented and correlated to UA measurements.
An empirically based practice perspective on the transition to adulthood for solid organ transplant recipients
Pediatric Transplantation
Preparing patients for transitioning to self-managed care and subsequently transferring to the adult healthcare system has become a critical process for clinicians working with pediatric transplant recipients. This paper reviews several barriers to a successful transition. These include patient barriers, caregiver barriers, and considerations within pediatric and adult centers. To date, few approaches for improving the transition process have been empirically tested.
Differential effect of bortezomib on HLA class I and class II antibody
Transplantation
Bortezomib has been used to reduce HLA antibody in patients either before transplantation or as treatment for antibody-mediated rejection (AMR). Reports on its efficacy show mixed results. The mechanism of action of this agent is via proteasome inhibition. The primary route of synthesis of HLA class I molecules is dependent on peptide generation by the proteasome, whereas that of class II is not. This study observed a differential effect of bortezomib on class I versus class II antibody and hypothesized that this was related to a reduced expression of class I HLA antigens.
Solid organ transplant donors with central nervous system infection
Transplantation (login required)
While donor-derived infections (DDI) remain uncommon, multiple reports describe DDI with pathogens that cause central nervous system (CNS) infection resulting in significant recipient disease. The Ad Hoc Disease Transmission Advisory Committee (DTAC) reviewed the records of potential donor-derived disease transmission events (PDDTE) to describe donor characteristics and outcomes associated with DDI from CNS pathogens.
Missed last week's issue? See which articles your colleagues read most.
Cardiovascular MRI predicts 5-year adverse clinical outcome in heart transplant recipients
American Journal of Transplantation
Imaging recommendations for the follow-up of heart transplant recipients (HTRs) lack evidence justifying their prognostic value. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI) can characterize heart structure and function and has prognostic value in many myocardial diseases. We hypothesized that CMRI evaluation of cardiac allografts would predict adverse events. They performed CMRI on 60 HTRs evaluating biventricular size, function and myocardial scar.
Use of octogenarian donors for liver transplantation: A survival analysis
American Journal of Transplantation
Use of very old donors in liver transplantation (LT) is controversial because advanced donor age is associated with a higher risk for graft dysfunction and worse long-term results, especially for hepatitis C virus (HCV)-positive recipients. This was a retrospective, single-center review of primary, ABO-compatible LT performed between 2001 and 2010. Recipients were stratified in four groups based on donor age (<60 years;="" 60–69="" years;="" 70–79="" years="" and="" ≥80="" years)="" and="" their="" outcomes="" were="" compared.="" years;="" 60–69="" years;="" 70–79="" years="" and="" ≥80="" years)="" and="" their="" outcomes="" were="">
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