The Journal of heart and lung transplantation : the official publication of the International Society for Heart Transplantation
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J. Heart Lung Transplant. · May 2010
Novel 2009 H1N1 influenza virus infection requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in a pediatric heart transplant recipient.
The novel 2009 H1N1 influenza virus has been reported to have increased severity in patients with underlying cardiovascular and lung disease. Pediatric patients also appear to have an increased incidence of infection. The impact on cardiothoracic transplant recipients, especially in pediatric recipients, has not been established. ⋯ Importantly, the initial specimen evaluated by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction was negative for novel 2009 H1N1 influenza virus. The patient was successfully weaned from ECMO after 24 days, extubated at 6 weeks, and continues to make steady rehabilitative progress. Early suspicion for infection and initiation of treatment, even with negative testing, is essential for cardiothoracic transplant recipients during the current pandemic of novel 2009 H1N1 influenza virus.
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J. Heart Lung Transplant. · Apr 2010
Increased erythrocyte C4D is associated with known alloantibody and autoantibody markers of antibody-mediated rejection in human lung transplant recipients.
Immune responses to mismatched donor human leukocyte antigens (HLA) are important in the pathogenesis of chronic rejection. This study evaluated whether erythrocyte-bound C4d (E-C4d) is associated with known alloimmune and autoimmune markers of antibody-mediated rejection after human lung transplantation (LTx). ⋯ Increased %E-C4d levels are found in patients with positive DSA, high antibody titers to KA1T and Col-V, and have C3d+ lung biopsy findings. Therefore, %E-C4d can serve as a potential marker for antibody-mediated rejection after LTx.
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J. Heart Lung Transplant. · Mar 2010
Factors indicative of long-term survival after lung transplantation: a review of 836 10-year survivors.
Despite 20 years of lung transplantation (LTx), factors influencing long-term survival remain largely unknown. The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) data set provides an opportunity to examine long-term LTx survivors. ⋯ Examination of a cohort of long-term LTx survivors in the UNOS data set indicates that bilateral LTx and fewer hospitalizations for rejection may portend improved long-term survival after LTx.
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J. Heart Lung Transplant. · Feb 2010
Randomized Controlled TrialExercise improvement and plasma biomarker changes with intravenous treprostinil therapy for pulmonary arterial hypertension: a placebo-controlled trial.
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) remains a poorly understood and frequently lethal disease with few treatment options. ⋯ We conclude that treprostinil treatment significantly improved exercise capacity, dyspnea and functional class. Several plasma proteins that might track disease were abnormal at baseline, and changes were associated with improved exercise capacity.