Top in 2022 renal transplantation: Organ donations increase during motorcycle rallies

During motorcycle rallies, researchers noticed a 21% increase in organs donated per day and a 26% increase in daily transplant recipients compared with the days before and after these events.

“It is important for transplant communities in places where these events are held to be aware of the potential for increased organ donors during those periods. Organ donation is often called the gift of life, and we should make sure that we do not squander it and can turn any of these tragic deaths into a chance to potentially save other lives,” David C. Cron, MD, MS, Harvard Medical School clinical fellow in surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital, and colleagues wrote in their study.

It was the top story in transplantation in 2022.

Another top story covered a study that found a correlation between inflammation and increased long-term all-cause mortality in the early phase following a kidney transplant.

“The results also give insight into why kidney transplant recipients have high long-term mortality rates, and this could be targeted in future studies on for instance different immunosuppressive regimes for patients with various grades of inflammation,” Torbjørn Fossum Heldal, MD, PhD student and member of the department of internal medicine at Telemark Hospital Trust in Norway, and colleagues wrote.

Read these and more top stories in transplantation below:

Organ donation, transplant rates increase during motorcycle rallies

An analysis by Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital researchers shows steep increases in organ donations and transplantations take place during large motorcycle rallies. Read more.

Inflammation after kidney transplantation correlates with increased mortality

In the early phase following a kidney transplantation, inflammation is associated with increased long-term all-cause mortality, according to data published in the American Journal of Transplantation. Read more.

US Senate Committee on Finance calls out transplant procurement system for poor performance

Members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance grilled leaders of the United Network for Organ Sharing during a recent congressional hearing on poor management of the nation’s organ supply. Read more.

For-profit dialysis facilities correlate with increased time to wait-listing, transplant

Pediatric patients who received care at for-profit dialysis facilities experienced significantly longer time for placement on the waitlist and receipt of a kidney transplant compared with those who received care at a nonprofit facility. Read more.

Older living kidney donor age may be negative predictor of recipient, graft survival

Compared with living donors aged 50 to 70 years, donor age older than 70 years may be a negative predictor of kidney transplant and graft survival, according to a presentation at the American Transplant Congress. Read more.

Low incidence of donor-specific antibodies for kidney transplant recipients with COVID-19

Despite a significant decrease in immunosuppression, the occurrence of post-COVID-19 donor-specific antibodies among COVID-19-positive kidney transplant recipients was low, according to data published in Kidney International Reports. Read more.