May 10: Recent Transplant News

Lung transplant: Jump to top of list may carry risk
MedPage Today 
An acute increase in lung allocation score (LAS) of more than 5 units in the month before lung transplant is a strong and independent predictor of post-transplant death, according to a new study. Read more. 

Concept of 'awake venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation' in pediatric patients awaiting lung transplantation
Pediatric Transplantation (subscription required) 
In patients awaiting LuTx, MV and ECMO are often the last ways to create a bridge to LuTx. Both interventions are associated with a poor posttransplant outcome and survival rate. To improve the results of these patients, new "bridging-strategies" are necessary. Recent reports demonstrate promising results for the concept of "awake ECMO" in adult patients.  Read more.

Incidence of death and potentially life-threatening near-miss events in living donor hepatic lobectomy: A world-wide survey
Liver Transplantation (subscription required)
The incidence of morbidity and mortality after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) is not well understood because reporting is not standardized and relies on single-center reports. Aborted hepatectomies (AHs) and potentially life-threatening near-miss events (during which a donor's life may be in danger but after which there are no long-term sequelae) are rarely reported. A recent survey was conducted to determine the incidence of these events.  Read more.

Testing for HCV infection: An update of guidance for clinicians and laboratorians
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
In the United States, an estimated 4.1 million persons have been infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV), of whom an estimated 3.2 (95 percent confidence interval [CI] = 2.7–3.9) million are living with the infection. New infections continue to be reported particularly among persons who inject drugs and persons exposed to HCV-contaminated blood in healthcare settings with inadequate infection control. Read more.

Antihypertensive pharmacotherapy and long-term outcomes in pediatric kidney transplantation
Clinical Transplantation 
Hypertension (HTN) is common in pediatric recipients following kidney transplantation (KT). Researchers retrospectively assessed the impact of HTN on long-term (more than 10 year) outcomes in pediatric KT recipients (aged less than 18 yr) at our center. Two hundred and 93 pediatric KT recipients (83 percent living donor [LD]) with graft survival (GS) for less than or equal to 5 year were studied. Read more.

Survival improving for kids on dialysis
MedPage Today 
Overall survival among children with end-stage renal disease who are being treated with dialysis has greatly improved over the last 20 years, researchers said here.  Read more.

Graft macrosteatosis and time of T-tube removal as risk factors for biliary strictures after liver transplantation
Clinical Transplantation 
Biliary strictures (BS) remain a significant problem following liver transplantation (LT), representing an important cause of morbidity. The purpose of this follow-up study was to evaluate the incidence and risk factors associated with BS after LT. Read more.