Kidney Transplant News and Research

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A kidney transplant is an operation where a healthy kidney from one person (the donor) is transferred to a person who has little or no kidney function (the recipient).

Cancer linked with increased risk of kidney failure

Previous studies have shown an increased cancer risk within the dialysis and kidney transplant populations compared to the general population. However, it is unclear whether cancer increases the risk of kidney failure.

18 Aug 2021

Response to a third SARS-CoV-2 vaccine dose amongst immunocompromised

In a research paper recently uploaded to the preprint server medRxiv* by Schrezenmeier et al. (August 12th, 2021) the potential benefit of three vaccine doses in either a homogenous or heterogeneous dosing regimen amongst kidney transplant patients is assessed, finding that the search for viable vaccination approaches amongst these patients remains an urgent medical need.

16 Aug 2021

‘I don’t want to risk my life for a paycheck’: Immunosuppressed people grapple with returning to work

Elizabeth Groenweghe got a kidney transplant 14 years ago. She now takes several medications to prevent her body from rejecting her transplant organ. But these medications also weaken her immune system, putting her at higher risk of becoming seriously ill if she catches covid-19.

13 Aug 2021

Pilot study assesses antibody response to third COVID-19 vaccine dose in kidney transplant recipients

A pilot study has begun to assess the antibody response to a third dose of an authorized COVID-19 mRNA vaccine in kidney transplant recipients who did not respond to two doses of the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

10 Aug 2021

Polymer-based coating for blood vessels can reduce organ rejection following a transplant

Researchers have found a way to reduce organ rejection following a transplant by using a special polymer to coat blood vessels on the organ to be transplanted.

9 Aug 2021

COVID-19 vaccination offers significant protection for solid organ transplant recipients

In a Brief Communication, published July 29, 2021 in the journal Transplant Infectious Disease, a team of physician-scientists at University of California San Diego School of Medicine found that solid organ transplant recipients who were vaccinated experienced an almost 80 percent reduction in the incidence of symptomatic COVID-19 compared to unvaccinated counterparts during the same time.

5 Aug 2021

Artificial pancreas may soon help patients with type 2 diabetes

An artificial pancreas could soon help people living with type 2 diabetes and who also require kidney dialysis. Tests led by the University of Cambridge and Inselspital, University Hospital of Bern, Switzerland, show that the device can help patients safely and effectively manage their blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of low blood sugar levels.

4 Aug 2021

Immunity to SARS-CoV-2 in renal transplant and dialysis patients using Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines

A study analyzes the immune responses of medical personnel, as well as immunocompromised DP and immunosuppressed KTR patients.

27 Jul 2021

The impact of COVID-19 on dialysis patients

In this interview, News-Medical speaks to Professor Simon Davies and Dr. Raymond Vanholder about the impact of COVID-19 on kidney dialysis patients.

1 Jul 2021

Analysis of COVID-19 patients with repeatedly positive SARS-CoV-2 tests

New research published on the medRxiv preprint server provides a detailed analysis of COVID-19 patients who had repeated positive PCR tests for SARS-CoV-2 infection in a large US COVID-19 electronic health record (EHR) database.

15 Jun 2021

Kidney experts say it’s time to remove race from medical algorithms. Doing so is complicated.

Alphonso Harried recently came across a newspaper clipping about his grandfather receiving his 1,000th dialysis treatment. His grandfather later died — at a dialysis center — as did his uncle, both from kidney disease.

8 Jun 2021

Melatonin prevents kidney damage caused by metabolic complications of obesity

Scientists from the University of Granada (UGR), the Hospital Universitario La Paz (Madrid), and the University of Texas (USA) have taken an important step in the fight against kidney damage and its progression towards kidney failure, which is closely related to diabesity (obesity and its type 2 diabetes) and its complications.

27 May 2021

Farxiga approved in the US for the treatment of chronic kidney disease in patients at risk of progression with and without type-2 diabetes

Approval is the most significant advancement in the treatment of chronic kidney disease in more than 20 years. In DAPA-CKD Phase III trial, Farxiga demonstrated unprecedented reduction in the risk of the composite of worsening of renal function, end-stage kidney disease and cardiovascular or renal death.

From AstraZeneca 14 May 2021

Study could pave way for new therapies for kidney disease

Our kidneys are charged with the extraordinary task of filtering about 53 gallons of fluid a day, a process that depends on podocytes, tiny, highly specialized cells in the cluster of blood vessels in the kidney where waste is filtered that are highly vulnerable to damage.

5 May 2021

Anti-diabetic drug metformin inhibits disease progression in Alport syndrome mouse model

Researchers from Kumamoto University have found that the anti-diabetic drug metformin significantly prolongs the survival of mice in a model that simulates the pathology of non-diabetic chronic kidney disease (ND-CKD) by ameliorating pathological conditions like reduced kidney function, glomerular damage, inflammation and fibrosis.

15 Apr 2021

Doctors warn about the potential cardiovascular dangers of energy drink consumption

Heavy energy drink consumption may be linked to heart failure, doctors have warned in the journal BMJ Case Reports after treating a 21 year old, who had regularly drunk 4 such cans every day for around 2 years.

15 Apr 2021

Study demonstrates that the main creators of SARS-CoV-2 mutations are vaccine-suppressed

A new research paper posted to the medRxiv* preprint server describes the changes in genomic sequence observed during the course of infection in a patient on the drug tacrolimus, along with steroids, both potent immunosuppressants, and who also received convalescent plasma treatment. These mutations were observed to occur within three weeks from infection.

14 Apr 2021

Chemical modification of RNA appears to play a critical role in inherited kidney disorder

A chemical modification of RNA that can be influenced by diet appears to play a key role in polycystic kidney disease, an inherited disorder that is the fourth leading cause of kidney failure in the U.S., UT Southwestern researchers report in a new study.

13 Apr 2021

Cats with chronic kidney disease may help inform treatment for humans in future

The Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine is investigating how cats with chronic kidney disease could someday help inform treatment for humans.

13 Mar 2021

Study proposes a new, noninvasive way to detect kidney transplant rejection

Patients can spend up to six years waiting for a kidney transplant. Even when they do receive a transplant, up to 20 percent of patients will experience rejection.

5 Mar 2021