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Hidden Markov Models Offer a Powerful Approach for Understanding Gene Regulation Mechanisms Relevant for Organ Transplantation
Pub Date: 6/24/2025Journal: Transplantation. 2025 Jun 24.Authors: Carlos Goncalves Marissa Di Napoli David Schwartz Bruce KaplanPMID: 40551300The human genome contains sequences of DNA enriched in cytosine-guanine dinucleotides known as CpG islands (CGIs). CGIs play a crucial role in gene regulation and expression, making them an important target for genetic therapies. In this article, hidden Markov models (HMMs) and adaptive window techniques (AWTs) were used to identify CGIs in MUC5B and DSP genes. Both genes are associated with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a progressive pulmonary disease that leads to a lung transplant. The... -
Evaluation of the stability of organ procurement organization performance metrics
Pub Date: 5/23/2025Journal: Am J Transplant. 2025 May 21:S1600-6135(25)00281-3.Authors: Rocio Lopez Sumit Mohan James R Rodrigue Susana Arrigain Deena Brosi Ryan Lavanchy David Zingmond Bruce Kaplan Elizabeth A Pomfret Jesse D ScholdPMID: 40409471In 2020, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services updated the organ procurement organization (OPO) conditions for coverage, redefining deceased donor potential as all inpatient deaths among patients aged ≤75 years with a primary cause of death consistent with organ donation, also called CALC (cause, age [years], and location consistent with donation). This study evaluates CALC performance metrics using 2018-2021 data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) mortality data (currently used... -
Thoracoabdominal Normothermic Regional Perfusion: Real-world Experience and Outcomes of DCD Liver Transplantation
Pub Date: 3/4/2025Journal: Transplant Direct. 2025 Feb 28;11(3):e1767.Authors: Yanik J Bababekov Anna H Ha Trevor L Nydam Carlos Goncalves Rashikh Choudhury JoLynn Shinsako Maria Baimas-George David M Reynolds Cassidy Yoshida Caroline A Racke Han Grewal Sophia Pomposelli Ivan E Rodriguez Jordan R H Hoffman Jesse D Schold Bruce Kaplan Elizabeth A Pomfret James J PomposelliCONCLUSIONS: NRP is a disruptive innovation that improves the utilization of DCD livers. Despite higher-risk donor-recipient pairing for NRP compared with SCS, we demonstrate a decrease in IC for NRP. These data facilitate benchmarking of thoracoabdominal NRP DCD LT and support further protocol development. -
Authors' reply to letter regarding "Association of organ procurement organization volume with CMS performance evaluations"
Pub Date: 1/24/2025Journal: Am J Transplant. 2025 May;25(5):1135-1137.Authors: Rocio Lopez Sumit Mohan James R Rodrigue Susana Arrigain Deena Brosi Ryan Lavanchy Bruce Kaplan Elizabeth A Pomfret Jesse D ScholdPMID: 39855342No abstract -
Evaluating the impact of donor eGFR and HLA-DR mismatch on graft survival in living donor kidney transplants
Pub Date: 1/22/2025Journal: Front Nephrol. 2025 Jan 7;4:1518791.Authors: Pooja Budhiraja Jesse D Schold Rocio Lopez Susana Arrigain Bruce KaplanCONCLUSIONS: Higher donor eGFR was associated with lower risks of graft loss and patient death in the HLA-DR mismatch group but not the 0 HLA-DR mismatch group. These results emphasize the importance of considering both HLA-DR matching and donor kidney function, particularly for younger recipients to avoid sensitization for future transplants. -
The Colorado Heart Failure Acuity Risk Model: A Mortality Model for Waitlisted Cardiac Transplant Patients
Pub Date: 1/6/2025Journal: JACC Adv. 2024 Dec 13;4(1):101449.Authors: Rachel D Murphy Sarah Y Park Larry A Allen Amrut V Ambardekar Joseph C Cleveland Michael T Cain Bruce Kaplan Jordan R H Hoffman John S MalamonCONCLUSIONS: The CHARM score provides reliable calibration and prediction, offering an objective system for identifying critically ill patients on the heart transplant waitlist. The CHARM score will be useful in the era of continuous distribution to standardize organ allocation.