Fascinating Wordle in AJT 2011

Check out this picture that was created on most cited surgical articles in ten surgical journals.
Turns out Transplantation topics rule and show the most results.
Nice
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1600-6143.2011.03459.x/full

Dichotomous Effects of Rapamycin

A recent review in AJT 2011 April issue reviews this concept nicely.

Rapamycin has many faces and many different effects on different cells. Lets summarize
1. Suppression of CD4 T+ differentiation
2. Increased T reg development
3. Decreased response to skin graft
4. Decreased dendritic cell maturation
5. Increased CD8 + T cell  memory differentiation
6. Increased CD8 T cell activation
7. Increased response to pathogen
8. Increased IL-12 production

Commonly noted side effects:- hyperlipidemia, thrombocytopenia, decreased wound healing
Ref and information obtained from:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21446969

Arteries and Kidney Transplant

http://consumer.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=651907
Check out the news release from JASN

Pancreas Transplantation in the Treatment of Diabetes

A nice treat from Nephrology on Demand

Transplant Tourism and Malignancy

Transplant Tourism does still continue and many patients continue to get kidneys from other countries where it could be commercial possible.  A recent study showed that when groups were compared( tourism kidneys to home country based kidneys):- the graft and patient survivals were equal but the 10 year cumulative cancer risk was significantly higher in the transplant tourism kidneys; especially in the older age group.  What might be contributing to this? - immunosuppresive therapy, difficulty in follow ups and were some of the thoughts mentioned in this article. Check it out

Ref:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21270768

IVIG - how does it work from the Immunology blog?

http://allergynotes.blogspot.com/2011/04/intravenous-immune-globulin-ivig-in.html

Neutropenia from Tacrolimus

Post transplant neutropenia has many causes.  Etiology is usually medications, infections, cancer.
In a retrospective evaluation, 28% neutropenia was noted after first year of transplantation.  Most of this was sought to be from MMF-tacrolimus combination.
The drugs we usually consider are: MMF, azathioprine, acyclovir, gancyclovir, bactrim, valcyte.
A recent review on CJASN 2011, presents three patients with pure tacrolimus induced neutropenia and the mechanism behind it. All improved after they were switched to cyclosporine.

Why does it happen?
1. Direct inhibition of myeloid cells
2. effect of the drug on mononuclear accessory cells
3. pharmacokinetic interaction between MMF and tacrolimus
4. autoantibodies against myeloid precursors or mature neutrophils

Ref:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21258040
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19538494

AST Fellows Symposium on Transplantation Medicine

AST Fellows Symposium on Transplantation Medicine

Who gets kidney first?- the thoughts in 2011

Organ allocation system always has been going down the list on a first come first basis. A discussion has been ongoing in the transplant circles and organizations on age based distribution of organs. Hence, someone who is young getting a "better" kidney then someone "older".  Is that reasonable or is that age based discrimination?

Take a look at the reactions of many below. There must be a better way!

http://onpoint.wbur.org/2011/03/01/allocating-kidney-organs

Then look at this opinion
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/articles/2011/03/06/20110306newcomb-transplants-07.html