T Cell Subset Profile and Appearance of Donor-specific Antibodies in Primary and Retransplanted Kidney Recipients

IntroductionAccelerated antibody-mediated rejection is a major challenge after kidney transplantation. While the clinical course, diagnosis, and treatment of cell-mediated acute rejection is agreed upon and has been successfully performed, the antibody-mediated rejection remains a problem. Biopsies cannot be repeated several times, are not always representative, and are refused by many patients. Analysis of T-cell subsets and donor-specific antibodies (DSAs) might be an additive diagnostic tool in the case of kidney transplantation.MethodBetween 2015 and 2017, 50 kidney transplant patients were enrolled in the study. Patients were divided into 2 clinical groups: primary transplants and regrafted patients. Serum samples were collected right before the operation, then in 1 week; 30, 60, and 180 days; and yearly. Besides routine laboratory, multicolor flow cytometry was performed for T cell subsets, and Luminex Single Antigen Bead assay for the detection on donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies. Medical data were also fixed.ResultsThe percentage of CD4+ and CD8+ cells (the CD4+/CD8+ rate) did not change much over time in either group. The percentage of CD19+ cells increased until week 1, then decreased back to its original level by day 180. CD56+/3-% was high in both groups and had no characteristic kinetics by the time. The CD4+ naïve absolute cell count increased in first-time transplants and did not decreased back to its original value until the end of year 1. This is in contrast to retransplants, where CD4+ naïve cell count rapidly dropped below its original value and remained low throughout the first year after transplantation. The CD8+ effector memory absolute cell-count was higher in first-time transplants compared to retransplanted patients in all time points. By the end of month 1, the CD19+ naïve absolute cell-count increased in first-time transplants to 170% of its original value; however, it remained or decreased in second transplants. By the end of the first year, the CD19+ naïve absolute cell count diminished to 70% in first-time transplants and 38% in second transplants. DSA was detected in 9 out of the 38 first-time transplants (23.7%) compared to 7 out of 12 (58.3%) in regrafted patients during the observational period (P = .001). It was typical for regrafted patients for DSAs to appear earlier after transplantation, and that more simultaneously different antibodies were detected against more antigens at the first time point compared to first-time transplants.DiscussionThe 2 groups were similar in demographics and there were no differences regarding the clinical course, complications, or output data. However, we found statistical differences regarding the dynamics of T cell subsets and DSAs. The parallel measurement of CD subsets and DSAs might be a sensitive and useful additive tool in diagnosing subclinical immunologic changes after transplantation.     

Immunisation of migrants in EU/EEA countries: Policies and practices

In recent years various EU/EEA countries have experienced an influx of migrants from low and middle-income countries. In 2018, the “Vaccine European New Integrated Collaboration Effort (VENICE)” survey group conducted a survey among 30 EU/EEA countries to investigate immunisation policies and practices targeting irregular migrants, refugees and asylum seekers (later called “migrants” in this report). Twenty-nine countries participated in the survey. Twenty-eight countries reported having national policies targeting children/adolescent and adult migrants, however vaccinations offered to adult migrants are limited to specific conditions in seven countries. All the vaccinations included in the National Immunisation Programme (NIP) are offered to children/adolescents in 27/28 countries and to adults in 13/28 countries. In the 15 countries offering only certain vaccinations to adults, priority is given to diphtheria-tetanus, measles-mumps-rubella and polio vaccinations. Information about the vaccines given to child/adolescent migrants is recorded in 22 countries and to adult migrants in 19 countries with a large variation in recording methods found across countries. Individual and aggregated data are reportedly not shared with other centres/institutions in 13 and 15 countries, respectively. Twenty countries reported not collecting data on vaccination uptake among migrants; only three countries have these data at the national level. Procedures to guarantee migrants’ access to vaccinations at the community level are available in 13 countries. In conclusion, although diversified, strategies for migrant vaccination are in place in all countries except for one, and the strategies are generally in line with international recommendations. Efforts are needed to strengthen partnerships and implement initiatives across countries of origin, transit and destination to develop and better share documentation in order to guarantee a completion of vaccination series and to avoid unnecessary re-vaccination. Development of migrant-friendly strategies to facilitate migrants' access to vaccination and collection of vaccination uptake data among migrants is needed to meet existing gaps.     

Systolic Blood Pressure Pattern: The Tick Mark Signal of Delayed Renal Graft Function

BackgroundDelayed graft function (DGF) is a multifactorial clinical entity. The aim of our study was to analyze the role of perioperative fluid and noninvasive hemodynamic parameters in DGF patients.MethodsThe medical records of 122 adult deceased donor kidney transplant patients were retrospectively analyzed with respect to donor (medical history, kidney donor risk index), recipient (medical history), transplant (cold-warm ischemia time, renal arterial resistive index), and perioperative anesthetic, especially noninvasive hemodynamic management. Patients were grouped as DGF and immediate graft function.ResultsPrevalence of DGF was 21.3% (n = 26). Delayed graft function was related to higher donor body mass index (P = .04), kidney donor risk index higher than 1.6 (P = .008), recipient age older than 65 years (P = .03), and perioperative factors, such as lower residual diuresis of recipient (8.7 [SD, 5.2] mL/kg vs 14.4 [SD, 10.3] mL/kg; P = .005), higher intradialytic weight gain (2.65 [SD, 1.03] kg vs 2.16 [SD, 0.79] kg; P = .07), and higher fluid balance during the first postoperative day (3310 [SD, 1230] mL vs 2354 [1812] mL; P = .01). The curve of change in systolic blood pressure (SBP) showed a tick mark pattern in DGF and a semicircular shape in the immediate graft function group. In the DGF group, SBP change compared with baseline value was higher at reperfusion (?3.16% [SD, 23.37%] vs ?12.84% [SD, 23.37%]; P = .047), at the ending of surgery (?5.83% [SD, 26.21%] vs ?3.26% [SD, 21.81%]; P = .07), and at the ending of anesthesia (11.81% [SD, 29.77%] vs ?1.26% [SD, 21.87%]; P = .01). The postoperative renal arterial resistive index was higher in the DGF group (0.75 [SD, 0.10] vs 0.69 [SD, 0.08]; P = .007).ConclusionThe tick mark pattern of SBP kinetics might help to identify DGF intraoperatively. When detecting this SBP pattern, the excessive fluid therapy should be avoided during the postoperative period to prevent iatrogenic hypervolemia leading to further graft damage.     

Development of Population Tariffs for the ICECAP-A Instrument for Hungary and their Comparison With the UK Tariffs

ObjectivesThe ICEpop CAPability measure for Adults (ICECAP-A) was developed to assess the capability well-being of adults for use in economic evaluations. Currently, ICECAP-A tariffs are available only for the UK population. The objectives of this study were to develop a Hungarian tariff set for the ICECAP-A instrument and to explore intercountry differences between the Hungarian and the UK value sets.MethodsA survey was conducted by computer-assisted personal interviews on a sample representative of the Hungarian adult population (N = 1000) to elicit their preferences regarding ICECAP-A attributes with the use of a best-worst scaling choice task. A latent class multinomial logit model with continuous variance scale was used to estimate the weights for each of the 4 capability levels of all 5 ICECAP-A attributes, namely, attachment, stability, achievement, enjoyment, and autonomy.ResultsThe model identified 2 preference classes with approximately equal share. The first class had a stronger relative preference for autonomy and achievement, whereas the second class had a strong preference for attachment. Multivariate analysis of the classes revealed that women, pensioners, people who are married or living in a partnership, and people with poorer health status are characteristics associated with the latter class membership (preference for attachment). Population tariffs were estimated from the model. Overall, attachment was found to be the most important attribute, followed by stability, enjoyment, achievement, and autonomy.ConclusionsHungarian tariffs are largely consistent with those found for the United Kingdom; nevertheless, autonomy seems to be less important in Hungary compared with the United Kingdom.     

Health status among elderly Hungarians and Americans

Selected health status data for elderly populations from similar industrial cities-Youngstown, Ohio, USA, and Debrecen, Hungary—were compared. Because of their impoverished health care system, unregulated heavily industrialized society, and unhealthful life-styles Hungarians were hypothesized to have poorer health status than Americans, even after taking into account demographic mediating factors. The study provides a health status baseline for elderly Hungarians shortly after communism's fall in 1989–1990 and shows how great a gap exists between Hungarian health status and that in the West. Hungarians were in much poorer health as measured by functional status, symptomatology, medical condition, depression, and subjective health status. Distinctions persisted when controlling for gender, age, and education. Poverty-level (and income) did not explain health status differences. The paper concludes that Hungary should pay more attention to health promotion, prevention, and primary care, as well as to reforming patient management in hospitals, nursing homes, and home care programs.     

Peculiar myofilament changes near the intercalated disc in isoproterenol-induced cardiac muscle cell injury

A peculiar fine structural change of cardiac muscle cells adjacent to the intercalated disc was noted in Sprague-Dawley rats, following isoproterenol administration. The change consisted of herniation of extensive cellular fields through intercalated discs. In the neighborhood of the irregular intercalated discs, floccular material was found in the early phase but newly formed fine filaments were seen after longer periods. It is suggested that the new filaments were formed by repolymerization of myofilament particles previously fragmented adjacent to the intercalated discs.     

Smoking Typology in a Turkish Sample

The present study attempts to classify motives for smoking on the basis of 39 items related to smoking behavior. The responses of 194 Turkish smokers were subjected to a factor analysis which resulted in nine smoking types. The results of the study are discussed in respect to the typologies developed in some Western countries.