Modifying the vessel walls in porcine kidneys during machine perfusion

Background

Endothelial glycocalyx regulates the endothelial function and plays an active role in maintaining vascular homeostasis. During ischema and reperfusion, the glycocalyx is rapidly shed into the blood stream. A Corline heparin conjugate (CHC; Corline systems AB, Uppsala, Sweden) consists of 70 heparin molecules that have the capacity to adhere strongly to biological tissues expressing heparin affinity. We hypothesized that CHC could be used to restore disrupted glycocalyx in vivo in kidneys from brain-dead pigs.

Materials and methods

Brain death was induced in male landrace pigs (n = 6) by inflating a balloon catheter in the epidural space until obtaining negative cerebral perfusion. The recovered kidneys (n = 5 + 5) were perfused by hypothermic machine perfusion using two Lifeport kidney transporters (Organ Recovery Systems, Chicago, IL). CHC (50 mg) (including 25 mg biotinylated CHC) or 50 mg unfractionated heparin (control) was added to the perfusion fluid in the respective machines. In one case, the kidneys were used only for dose escalation of CHC with the same procedure.

Results

CHC was detected by immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy in the inner surface of the vessel walls. The binding of CHC in the kidney was confirmed indirectly by consumption of CHC from the perfusion fluid.

Conclusions

In this first attempt, we show that CHC maybe used to coat the vessel walls of perfused kidneys during hypothermic machine perfusion, an approach that could become useful in restoring endothelial glycocalyx of kidneys recovered from deceased donors to protect vascular endothelium and possibly ameliorate ischemia and reperfusion injuries.     

实验设备采购管理平台在医学院校中的应用

目的：分析首都医科大学实验设备采购现状,设计实验设备采购管理平台。方法：根据医科大学教学和科研工作对实验设备的实际需求进行分析探讨,提出设备采购管理平台的12个功能模块,并应用于实验设备管理的实际工作中。结果：实验设备采购管理平台实现了设备采购的全流程动态管理和数据的查询统计。结论：实验设备采购管理平台的应用极大地方便了设备采购管理工作,达到了优化工作流程、提高工作效率和提升管理效益的目的。     

Temperature profiles of different cooling methods in porcine pancreas procurement

Porcine islet xenotransplantation is a promising alternative to human islet allotransplantation. Porcine pancreas cooling needs to be optimized to reduce the warm ischemia time (WIT) following donation after cardiac death, which is associated with poorer islet isolation outcomes. This study examines the effect of four different cooling Methods on core porcine pancreas temperature (n = 24) and histopathology (n = 16). All Methods involved surface cooling with crushed ice and chilled irrigation. Method A, which is the standard for porcine pancreas procurement, used only surface cooling. Method B involved an intravascular flush with cold solution through the pancreas arterial system. Method C involved an intraductal infusion with cold solution through the major pancreatic duct, and Method D combined all three cooling Methods. Surface cooling alone (Method A) gradually decreased core pancreas temperature to <10 °C after 30 min. Using an intravascular flush (Method B) improved cooling during the entire duration of procurement, but incorporating an intraductal infusion (Method C) rapidly reduced core temperature 15–20 °C within the first 2 min of cooling. Combining all methods (Method D) was the most effective at rapidly reducing temperature and providing sustained cooling throughout the duration of procurement, although the recorded WIT was not different between Methods (P = 0.36). Histological scores were different between the cooling Methods (P = 0.02) and the worst with Method A. There were differences in histological scores between Methods A and C (P = 0.02) and Methods A and D (P = 0.02), but not between Methods C and D (P = 0.95), which may highlight the importance of early cooling using an intraductal infusion. In conclusion, surface cooling alone cannot rapidly cool large (porcine or human) pancreata. Additional cooling with an intravascular flush and intraductal infusion results in improved core porcine pancreas temperature profiles during procurement and histopathology scores. These data may also have implications on human pancreas procurement as use of an intraductal infusion is not common practice.     

Impact of adverse pancreatic injury at surgical procurement upon islet isolation outcome

The consequence of a pancreas injury during the procurement for islet isolation purpose is unknown. The goal of this work was to assess the injuries of the pancreata procured for islet isolation, and to determine their effect on the islet yield. Between January 2007 and October 2013, we prospectively documented every injury of the pancreata processed in our centre for islet isolation. Injuries involving the main duct were classified as major, the others as minor. Donors’ characteristics and islet yields were compared between the groups of injuries. A pancreas injury was identified in 42 of 452 pancreata received for islet isolation (9.3%). In 15 cases, the injury was major (3.3% of all pancreata). Although a minor injury did not affect the islet yield, a major injury was significantly associated with unfavourable outcomes (postpurification mean islet equivalent of 364 ± 181, 405 ± 190 and 230 ± 115 × 10³ for absence of injury, minor injury and major injury, respectively). A major injury was significantly more prevalent in lean and short donors. We recommend assessing the quality of the pancreas in the islet isolation centre before starting the isolation procedure. Each centre should determine its own policy based on its financial resources and on the wait list.     

药品带量采购的政策路径分析及思考

上海从2015年开始,陆续开展了3批次的药品带量采购试点,形成了较完整的制度框架和操作规范,为国家组织药品集中采购和使用(国家集采)工作提供了上海经验.本文在总结上海药品带量采购试点和国家集采工作实践经验的基础上,分析当前药品带量采购工作面临的问题和挑战,为进一步完善相关政策,促进带量采购工作的健康可持续发展提供新思路...     

Improving pancreas graft utilization through importation

Background

We analyze our outcomes utilizing imported allografts as a strategy to shorten wait list time for pancreas transplantation.

Methods

This is an observational retrospective cohort of 26 recipients who received either a locally procured (n = 16) or an imported pancreas graft (n = 10) at our center between January 2014 and May 2017. Wait list times of this cohort were compared to UNOS Region 9 (New York State and Western Vermont). Hospital financial data were also reviewed to analyze the cost‐effectiveness of this strategy.

Results

Imported pancreas grafts had significantly increased cold ischemia times (CIT) and peak lipase (PL) levels compared to locally procured grafts (CIT 827 vs 497 minutes; P = .001, PL 563 vs 157 u/L; P = .023, respectively). There were no differences in graft or patient survival. The median wait time was significantly lower for simultaneous kidney‐pancreas transplants at our center (518 days, n = 21) compared to Region 9 (1001 days, n = 65) P = .038. Despite financial concerns, the cost of transport for imported grafts was offset by lower standard acquisition costs.

Conclusions

Imported pancreas grafts may be a cost‐effective strategy to increase organ utilization and shorten wait times in regions with longer waiting times.     

常州市第二批国家药品集中采购政策实施效果研究——基于双组间断时间序列分析

目的：我国于2019年12月开展了第二批国家药品集中采购工作,本研究旨在探讨第二批国家集采政策实施效果。方法：使用江苏常州医疗机构2019年1月—2021年3月间36万条药品采购数据,以25种国家集采品种和20种在临床使用中与国家集采品种有替代关系的品种为研究样本,采用描述性统计和双组间断时间序列,分析药品使用频度、采购金额、日均费用、价格指数、仿制药数量替代率及金额替代率6个指标的变化。结果：国家集采政策下集采品种使用频度上涨、日均费用下降、价格指数下降、采购金额下降、仿制药数量和金额替代率均明显提高,替代品种使用频度略有增长、日均费用、价格指数、采购金额略为下降、同时仿制药数量和金额替代率有所增长。但模型运行结果显示,国家集采政策对集采品种影响显著,对替代品种影响不显著。结论：建议推行国家集采政策过程中,应当加强用药监测和合理用药管理,并在考虑临床用药实际情况下将更多品种纳入集采范围,真正实现惠及民生的政策目标。     

中成药集中带量采购分组规则对比研究

目的：系统梳理全国及各省、市(区)中成药集中带量采购(以下简称集采)有关政策文件,对比分析各地集采分组规则和方法,为完善我国中成药集采分组规则提供借鉴。方法：通过文献分析法和比较分析法,对纳入研究的22个政策文本进行深入分析,总结全国及省际联盟中成药集采的进展情况。结果：全国和省际联盟中成药集采按照功能主治、给药途径、市场情况划分采购组,分组规则与药品剂型及质量的关联度不高;根据市场竞争格局划分竞价组别,忽视了部分中成药的创新价值,亦未考虑企业及其产品特有的品牌价值和中医药文化传播能力,分组规则的完备性有待提升。结论：中成药剂型繁多,质量控制指标复杂,现有分组规则沿用化学药集采分组思路,缺乏以中成药价值为导向的顶层设计。建议采取多元分组方式,将现有入围规则中的技术评价“前置”,即在制定分组规则时考虑药品剂型、质量、创新价值、弘扬中医药文化等因素,并对分组规则做进一步完善与细化。     

Increasing access to kidney transplantation for sensitized recipient through three-way kidney paired donation with desensitization: The first Indian report

The combination of kidney paired donation (KPD) with desensitization represents a promising method of increasing the rate of living donor kidney transplantation (LDKT) in immunologically challenging patients. Patients who are difficult to match and desensitize due to strong donor specific antibody are may be transplanted by a combination of desensitization and KPD protocol with more immunologically favorable donor. We present our experience of combination of desensitization protocol with three-way KPD which contributed to successful LDKT in highly sensitized end stage renal disease patient. All recipients were discharged with normal and stable allograft function at 24 mo follow up. We believe that this is first report from India where three-way KPD exchange was performed with the combination of KPD and desensitization. The combination of desensitization protocol with KPD improves access and outcomes of LDKT.