Transplantation proceedings
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Observational Study
Association of Platelet Count and Platelet Transfusion With Serotonin Level During Living Donor Liver Transplantation: Possible Connection to Graft Regeneration.
We recently showed that platelet counts and the amount of platelet transfusion during liver transplantation are positively associated with early graft regeneration. It was hypothesized that platelet-derived serotonin mediates liver regeneration. ⋯ Our findings indicate that allogeneic platelets could act as effector cells deriving serotonins. Also, our findings support the hypothesis that the association between platelets and post-transplantation graft regeneration is mediated by serotonin. Further studies are warranted regarding the respective role of serotonin and other platelet-derived molecules mediating liver regeneration.
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Smoking is known to result in a decline in renal allograft function and survival of recipients; however, the effect of smoking on living kidney donors remains unknown. In this study we evaluated the impact of cigarette smoking on renal function of kidney donors. ⋯ Even if they no longer smoke, donors with a smoking history require close observation due to increased risk of CKD development after kidney donation. A detailed pack-years smoking history should be obtained, and smoking cessation strategies should be implemented in kidney donors.
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Administrative processing by the police may affect the process involved in organ donation in the event of an accidental brain injury. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the knowledge and attitude of police toward brain-dead donors and organ donation. ⋯ It is necessary to understand and cooperate with the police when processing brain death organs from accidents. Education about organ donation can enhance the information and knowledge of the police and can also help to establish a positive attitude about organ donation.
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The improvement in understanding the process that determines the death of an individual and his or her evolution toward brain death allows organization and planning of health policies, optimization of clinical activity and management of organ and tissue procurement processes for transplantation. ⋯ Based on epidemiological data, models capable of improving the understanding of the complex process of death and particularly brain death can be generated. More studies are needed to explore the differential evolutionary behavior of critical neurological illness.
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Observational Study
Analysis of the Predictive Ability for Graft Loss and Mortality of Two Criteria for Early Allograft Dysfunction After Liver Transplantation.
The current imbalance between available donors and potential recipients for orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) has led to a liberalization of organ acceptance criteria, increasing the risk of post-transplant complications such as early allograft dysfunction (EAD). Consequently, we need accurate criteria to detect patients with early poor graft function to guide the strategies of management. We evaluated the usefulness of two frequently used criteria: the definition from Olthoff et al and the Model for Early Allograft Function (MEAF) scoring. ⋯ MEAF score and Olthoff criteria are useful tools for detection of EAD. The latter could select more appropriately patients at risk, but its calculation cannot be done until the seventh day after OLT, unlike MEAF score, available on third day.