PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Mayo Clinic study suggests acute injured kidneys can be considered for transplant

2015-03-31
(Press-News.org) PHOENIX -- The shortage of kidneys needed for organ transplantation in the U.S. can be alleviated in part by using select kidneys with Acute Kidney Injury (AKI), resulting in safe and positive outcomes, according to research conducted at Mayo Clinic in Arizona.

Results of the single-site study, led by Raymond Heilman, M.D., Chair of the Division of Nephrology, suggest that acutely injured kidneys from deceased donors can be considered for transplantation -- reconsidering previous thinking that such kidneys should be discarded.

Kidneys can result in acute injury when the organ ceases to function, generally caused by heavy blood loss, severe infection, extreme dehydration and some medications. At the same time, according to Dr. Heilman, "The kidney has a remarkable ability to regenerate parts of the organ that weren't working."

The Mayo research examined the results of 162 kidney transplants, using kidneys from deceased donors with AKI between June 2004 and October 2014. Deceased donors with AKI whose kidney function was diminished were studied, with 70 percent classified as having severe AKI. Researchers found that transplant outcomes using kidneys from deceased donors with AKI were no different between the AKI and non-AKI groups at both 1 and 3 years post-transplant. Results included a comparison of graft survival (how long the kidney would last), kidney function and rejection rates.

"A decade ago we were very selective about using these AKI kidneys because of concern they wouldn't function well, or the long-term outcomes would be inferior," says Dr. Heilman. "Over time, however, especially in the past two years, we have found that such stringent criteria are not necessary." He added that AKI kidneys considered for transplantation are carefully examined by pathologists, surgeons and nephrologists to make sure they are viable.

"With our data and evidence, we are confident that we are not short-changing the recipient by offering these AKI organs for their kidney transplant," Dr. Heilman says.

He cites the ever-increasing disparity between the number of patients waiting for a kidney transplant and the available donor pool for driving the need to expand the criteria, noting that organs with AKI are one such option.

"Why would transplant surgeons and physicians push the envelope to get creative in using kidneys?" asks Dr. Heilman, explaining, "Because of the dramatic shortage of organs available for transplant." He notes that currently, some 100,000 patients in the U.S. are on a wait list for a kidney transplant, and because of the donor shortages, only between 12,000 and 13,000 people are able to receive a transplant per year. It is not uncommon for patients to wait 8 years in some parts of the U.S. "And the number of people dying on the wait list is increasing," he says.

"Our data and experience in studying use of AKI kidneys should assure the transplant communities that this results in safe and excellent outcomes," concludes Dr. Heilman. "If this is adopted across the U.S., we estimate that between 300 and 600 additional kidneys per year would be transplanted."

INFORMATION:

The study was published in the March 24 edition of American Journal of Transplantation.

Other Mayo Clinic authors include Maxwell Smith, M.D.; Sunil Kurian, Ph.D.; Janna Huskey, M.D.; Ramesh Batra, MBBS; Harini Chakkera, M.D.; Nitin Katariya, M.D.; Hasan Khamash, M.D.; Adyr Moss, M.D.; Daniel Salomon, M.D. and Kunam Reddy, MBBS.

About Mayo Clinic Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to medical research and education, and providing expert, whole-person care to everyone who needs healing. For more information, visit http://www.mayoclinic.org or http://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org.



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Folic acid may help elderly weather heat waves

2015-03-31
Supplemental folic acid can enhance blood vessel dilation in older adults, according to Penn State researchers, suggesting that folic acid supplements may be an inexpensive alternative for helping older adults to increase skin blood flow during heat waves and reduce cardiovascular events. "We know that when older adults are exposed to heat, their bodies are not able to increase skin blood flow to the same extent that young subjects do, and as a consequence, older adults are at a greater risk for cardiovascular events, such as heart attack and stroke, during environmental ...

Methane monitoring method reveals high levels in Pennsylvania stream

2015-03-31
A new stream-based monitoring system recently discovered high levels of methane in a Pennsylvania stream near the site of a reported Marcellus shale gas well leak, according to researchers at Penn State and the U.S. Geological Survey. The system could be a valuable screening tool to assess the environmental impact of extracting natural gas using fracking. Multiple samples from the stream, Sugar Run in Lycoming County, showed a groundwater inflow of thermogenic methane, consistent with what would be found in shale gas, the researchers report in a recent issue of Environmental ...

Lizard activity levels can help scientists predict environmental change

Lizard activity levels can help scientists predict environmental change
2015-03-31
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Spring is here and ectotherms, or animals dependent on external sources to raise their body temperature, are becoming more active. Recent studies have shown that as the average global temperature increases, some lizards may spend more time in the shade and less time eating and reproducing, which could endanger many species. Now, a detailed field study of the Puerto Rican crested anole by a University of Missouri researcher shows that lizards are active over a broader range of temperatures than scientists previously thought--but when temperatures are either ...

How diverse is your social network? The answer may reveal something about your values

2015-03-31
WELLESLEY, Mass. - A new study out of Wellesley College sheds light on the role of beliefs about the value of diversity in fostering attitudinally diverse friendships. Led by Angela Bahns, a social psychologist studying similarity and diversity in friendship networks, the study demonstrates that people who place a higher value on diversity are more likely to have friends of different races, religions, and/or classes, as well as friends with different sociopolitical views. Bahns' research contributes to our understanding of friendship formation, as well as to growing interest ...

Do consumers think products are better when companies donate to charity?

2015-03-31
Does hearing about a company's charitable donations raise your opinion of their products? According to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research, corporate social responsibility leads consumers to believe products are better quality. "Corporate social responsibility can lead consumers to believe that the products of companies engaged in socially responsible activities are better performing. We attribute this to a 'benevolent halo effect' where positive attitudes toward a company translate into positive beliefs about the company's products," write authors Alexander ...

A matter of taste: When do products benefit from mixed reviews?

2015-03-31
How do consumers react to products with diverse online reviews? According to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research, a mix of positive and negative reviews can benefit products that are evaluated based on personal taste. "Consumers will assume mixed reviews are due to either variability in the product (inconsistent quality), or variability in the reviewers (idiosyncratic tastes). Although a range of reviews based on quality will usually be considered undesirable, a variety of ratings due to differences in individual reviewers' taste is more acceptable, and in ...

Getting the message across: Can active symbols on road signs save lives?

2015-03-31
If you're traveling at 60 miles per hour, just a few milliseconds can mean the difference between life and death when you need to come to a quick stop. According to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research, drivers react more quickly to road signs with symbols depicting motion. "Warning signs are static visuals, yet they can vary in their ability to evoke a sense of movement. For example, the children depicted in a school crossing sign can be drawn as if they were running or walking. We discovered that more dynamic warning signs lead to quicker responses and changes ...

How are ordinary consumers transforming the fashion business?

2015-03-31
One of the most important shifts of the 21st century is the ability of consumers to participate in markets they love such as music and fashion. A new study in the Journal of Consumer Research reveals how ordinary consumers have changed the inner workings of the fashion business by sharing their passion for fashion on a wide variety of websites. "The accumulation of rather small, individually incremental, innovations in existing practices by consumers can cumulatively help to usher in important market-level changes in the institutional work that supports a market, the ...

A risk score for chronic kidney disease can inform choice of HIV medications

2015-03-31
Both traditional and HIV-related risk factors can predict the likelihood of developing chronic kidney disease (CKD), according to a study published this week in PLOS Medicine. In the study, Amanda Mocroft, of University College London, United Kingdom, and colleagues developed and validated a risk score model that can help inform choices among antiretroviral drugs for patients with HIV. Antiretroviral therapy can help control HIV, extending the life expectancy of those with the virus. However, some antiretroviral drugs may be nephrotoxic (harmful to the kidney), increasing ...

Stereotypes persist that class and privilege determine intellect and success

2015-03-31
A meritocracy holds that if you work hard enough, you can succeed in life, regardless of race, religion, gender or social status. But a new study from UC Berkeley suggests that, despite egalitarian efforts to downplay class as a forecaster for intelligence and achievement, many people still believe their destiny is tied to their station in life. The UC Berkeley study looked specifically at attitudes in India to the Hindu caste system. It found that children and adults who were more influenced by caste were also more likely to believe that their own natural aptitude, academic ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

miRNA dysregulation of AGE/RAGE pathway in metabolic syndrome: a novel analysis strategy utilizing miRNA-profiling data

AI catches one-third of interval breast cancers missed at screening

Researchers advocate for separate roles between AI and humans

SwRI expands antenna testing capabilities with spherical near-field range

The complex relationship between fusion fuel and lithium walls

Study refutes blood thinner brain bleed risk after falls in older adults

"Breakthrough in progeria therapy: RNA scissors precisely target and remove mutant gene"

The Mount Sinai Hospital ranked among top in the nation by US News & World Report®

Storage process: a new method reduces the acute toxicity of the essential oil of Artemisia argyi H. Lév. & Vaniot by 40%

Licensed to live

How to survive the explosion of AI slop

GDF-15 and eGFRdiff: Predicting kidney risk and survival in diabetes mellitus

Detecting cancer cells in blood: the development of microchannel devices with microcone arrays

SLAS Discovery: Advancing tools for cancer fibrosis and drug discovery

Researchers create ‘virtual scientists’ to solve complex biological problems

AI-Powered brain stimulation at home could enhance concentration, new research finds

Carbon-based molecules open new pathways for quantum sensing

Immunotherapy for leukemia may affect the bone marrow environment, cancer researchers find

World’s largest tropical peatlands revealed to be more than 40,000 years old

Pick up the pace of your daily walk to boost longevity, experts say

Normal hormone levels trigger severe depression in some women; researcher discovers mechanism

Mexican neuroscientist identifies glutamate biomarker predicting schizophrenia treatment success

Living brain tissue reveals 80% of genes behave differently than assumed

How much time did our ancestors spend up trees? Studying these chimpanzees might help us find out

Discovery of role of gut hormone in chronic diarrhoea could aid development of new tests and treatments

New discovery reveals the spinal cord’s role in bladder control

Kākāpō decline reveals threat of parasite coextinction

Astrocytes identified as hidden culprit behind PTSD

Offering self-collection kits in routine GP appointments could prevent 1,000 women a year from developing cervical cancer

European study offers clearer picture of childhood brain tumor survival

[Press-News.org] Mayo Clinic study suggests acute injured kidneys can be considered for transplant