OPTN/SRTR 2021 Annual Data Report: Pancreas.

The number of pancreas transplants in the United States was largely unchanged in 2021 at 963 transplants compared with 962 in 2020, showing that recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic was not as pronounced in pancreas transplantation as in other organs. The number of simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplants (SPKs) decreased from 827 to 820, whereas the number of pancreas-after-kidney transplants and pancreas transplants alone increased marginally to compensate. The proportion of patients with type 2 diabetes on the waiting list increased to 22.9% in 2021, compared with 20.1% in 2020. Consequently, the proportion of transplants in patients with type 2 diabetes increased from 21.3% in 2020 to 25.9% in 2021. The proportion of transplants in older recipients (aged 55 years or older) also increased to 13.5% in 2021 from 11.7% in 2020. Outcomes after SPK continue to be the best of the three categories of pancreas transplants: 1-year graft failure for kidney at 5.7% and pancreas at 10.5% for transplants performed in 2020. The proportion of pancreas transplants performed by medium-volume centers (11-24 transplants per year) increased sharply to 48.3% in 2021 from 35.1% in 2020, with a corresponding decrease in transplants in large-volume centers (25 or more transplants per year) to 15.9% in 2021 from 25.7% in 2020.

Pancreas transplantation.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To define recent changes and future directions in the practice of pancreas transplantation (PT). Two major events have occurred in the past 18 months: COVID-19 pandemic, and the first world consensus conference on PT. Several innovative studies were published after the consensus conference. RECENT FINDINGS: During COVID-19 pandemic PT activity decreased. COVID-19 in transplant recipients increases mortality rates, but data from kidney transplantation show that mortality might be higher in waitlisted patients.The world consensus conference provided 49 jury deliberations on the impact of PT on management of diabetic patients and 110 practice recommendations.Recent evidence demonstrates that PT alone is safe and effective, that results of simultaneous pancreas and kidney (SPK) remain excellent despite older recipient age and higher prevalence of type 2 diabetes, that use of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-positive donors into HCV-negative recipients is associated with good outcomes, and that use of sirolimus as primary immunosuppressant and costimulation blockade does not improve results of SPK. SUMMARY: COVID-19 pandemic and the first world consensus conference on PT were major events. Although COVID-19 pandemic should not reduce PT activity in the future, a major positive impact on both volume and outcomes of PT is awaited from the proceedings of the world consensus conference.

The 2022 International Pancreas Transplant Registry Report-A Review.

Over the last decades, the number of pancreas transplants has increased all over the world. Since the first pancreas transplant in 1966, patient and graft survival after simultaneous pancreas and kidney as well as after solitary pancreas transplantation have improved significantly. Patient survival at 1 year is >96% in all 3 recipient categories and pancreas graft survival is >90% for simultaneous pancreas and kidney and >86% for solitary transplants. For transplants performed between 2001 and 2010, with >10 years' follow-up time, the half-life (50% graft function) was 13 years for simultaneous pancreas and kidney, almost 10 years for a pancreas after kidney transplant, and >6 years for a pancreas transplant alone. These excellent results are even more astonishing because more high-risk patients were transplanted. The main reasons for improvement in outcome were reductions in technical failures and immunologic graft losses. These decreases were due to better patient and donor selection, standardization of surgical techniques, and superior immunosuppressive protocols.

A Worldwide Survey of Activities and Practices in Clinical Islet of Langerhans Transplantation.

A global online survey was administered to 69 islet transplantation programs, covering 84 centers and 5 networks. The survey addressed questions on program organization and activity in the 2000-2020 period, including impact on activity of national health care coverage policies. We obtained full data from 55 institutions or networks worldwide and basic activity data from 6 centers. Additional data were obtained from alternative sources. A total of 94 institutions and 5 networks was identified as having performed islet allotransplantation. 4,365 islet allotransplants (2,608 in Europe, 1,475 in North America, 135 in Asia, 119 in Oceania, 28 in South America) were reported in 2,170 patients in the survey period. From 15 centers active at the start of the study period, the number of simultaneously active islet centers peaked at 54, to progressively decrease to 26 having performed islet allotransplants in 2020. Notably, only 16 centers/networks have done >100 islet allotransplants in the survey period. Types of transplants performed differed notably between North America and the rest of the world, in particular with respect to the near-absence of simultaneous islet-kidney transplantation. Absence of heath care coverage has significantly hampered transplant activity in the past years and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

Abdominal Organ Transplantation: Noteworthy Literature in 2021.

This review highlights noteworthy literature pertinent to anesthesiologists and critical care physicians caring for patients undergoing abdominal organ transplantation. In 2021, we identified noteworthy papers from over 1,200 peer-reviewed publications on pancreatic transplantation, over 1,400 on intestinal transplantation, and over 9,000 on kidney transplantation. The liver transplantation section focuses on clinical trials and systematic reviews and meta-analyses published in 2021 and features 20 selected papers. COVID-19 and abdominal organ transplantation are featured in an independent section.

COVID-19 in Kidney Transplant Patients From a Large UK Transplant Center: Exploring Risk Factors for Disease Severity.

BACKGROUND: The novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has raised concern for the health of immunocompromised individuals, who are potentially at higher risk of more severe infection and poorer outcomes. As a large London transplant center serving a diverse patient population, we report the outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection in our cohort of 2848 kidney and/or pancreas transplant patients. METHODS: Data were obtained retrospectively for all transplant patients who attended hospital during the peak of the pandemic and had a positive nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 test. RESULTS: Sixty-six patients were found to be positive for SARS-CoV-2. Twenty percent were treated as outpatients, 59% were admitted to the general ward, and 21% required intensive care. Treatment consisted of reduced immunosuppression, antibiotics for pneumonia or sepsis, and other supportive treatments. Within our cohort, 12 patients died (18%), with an overall mortality of 0.4%. Predictive risk factors for COVID-19 severity were explored. CONCLUSIONS: Severe disease was associated with lower hemoglobin prior to COVID-19 diagnosis and lower lymphocyte count at the time of diagnosis but not age, sex, ethnicity, or preexisting comorbidities. Lower glomerular filtration rate and higher C-reactive protein were associated with more severe disease. Despite no use of hydroxychloroquine, azithromycin, antiviral, or immunomodulatory medications, our mortality rate (kidney and pancreas transplant patients) is similar to current international rates.

Complete recovery from COVID-19 of a kidney-pancreas transplant recipient: potential benefit from everolimus?

We present a kidney-pancreas transplant recipient who achieved complete recovery from COVID-19. A 45-year-old patient with T3 paraplegia underwent kidney-pancreas transplantation 18 years ago, followed by a subsequent kidney transplant 9 years ago, and presented with fever, hypoxia and hypotension after exposure to two confirmed cases of COVID-19. History of solid organ transplant, pre-existing renal impairment, asthma and an elevated D-dimer were identified as established risk factors for severe COVID-19. Supportive management was provided, baseline immunosuppression with everolimus was continued, and oral prednisolone was increased. A complete recovery was observed. Given the favourable outcome despite risk factors for severe COVID-19, we identify and review the potential mitigating roles of immunosuppression and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors in this disease. Further investigation is required to establish whether mTOR inhibitors could be used as therapeutic agents to treat COVID-19, or as alternative immunosuppression implemented early in the COVID-19 disease course.

Mortality Rates in Transplant Recipients and Transplantation Candidates in a High-prevalence COVID-19 Environment.

BACKGROUND: The risk of COVID-19 infection in transplant recipients (TRs) is unknown. Patients on dialysis may be exposed to greater risk of infection due to an inability to isolate. Consideration of these competing risks is important before restarting suspended transplant programs. This study compared outcomes in kidney and kidney/pancreas TRs with those on the waiting list, following admission with COVID-19 in a high-prevalence region. METHODS: Audit data from all 6 London transplant centers were amalgamated. Demographic and laboratory data were collected and outcomes included mortality, intensive care (ITU) admission, and ventilation. Adult patients who had undergone a kidney or kidney/pancreas transplant, and those active on the transplant waiting list at the start of the pandemic were included. RESULTS: One hundred twenty-one TRs and 52 waiting list patients (WL) were admitted to hospital with COVID-19. Thirty-six TR died (30%), while 14 WL patients died (27% P = 0.71). There was no difference in rates of admission to ITU or ventilation. Twenty-four percent of TR required renal replacement therapy, and 12% lost their grafts. Lymphocyte nadir and D-dimer peak showed no difference in those who did and did not die. No other comorbidities or demographic factors were associated with mortality, except for age (odds ratio of 4.3 [95% CI 1.8-10.2] for mortality if aged over 60 y) in TR. CONCLUSIONS: TRs and waiting list patients have similar mortality rates after hospital admission with COVID-19. Mortality was higher in older TRs. These data should inform decisions about transplantation in the COVID era.

Activity and short-term outcomes of kidney transplantation during the COVID-19 pandemic. / Actividad y resultados a corto plazo del trasplante renal durante la pandemia COVID-19.

INTRODUCTION: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the national transplant activity has been reduced due to the overload of the health system and concern for patient safety in this situation. The aim of our work is to expose the activity of kidney transplantation in Cantabria during the state of alarm, as well as to assess the safety of the transplantation program. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective study of kidney transplants performed in our Center from the beginning of the state of alarm until the beginning of the lockdown easing in Cantabria. Descriptive analysis of the demographic data of recipients and their donors, intraoperative data and postoperative outcomes. Comparative analysis with the data of the same period in 2017-2019, by means of the χ2 for categorical variables, Student's T and Mann-Whitney U tests in case of quantitative variables of normal and non-normal distribution, respectively. RESULTS: Fifteen kidney transplants were performed in the period described. Delayed renal function (DRF) was seen in 7.5% of patients, and 26.6% showed data of acute rejection; no patient presented COVID-19 disease. Comparative analysis showed a remarkable increase in the number of transplants in comparison with previous periods (15 vs 5.6), at the expense of donors from outside Cantabria (93.3%). We found no statistically significant differences in terms of cold ischemia time (p=0.77), DRF (p=0.73), need for dialysis (p=0.54), or appearance of post-surgical complications (p=0.61). CONCLUSIONS: The evolution of the pandemic in our region, and the adoption of strict protective measures has allowed the early and safe resumption of the renal transplantation program, increasing the number of transplants performed compared to previous years and maintaining comparable early post-operative results.

Immune monitoring facilitates the clinical decision in multifocal COVID-19 of a pancreas-kidney transplant patient.

The optimal management in transplant recipients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remains uncertain. The main concern is the ability of immunosuppressed patients to generate sufficient immunity for antiviral protection. Here, we report on immune monitoring facilitating a successful outcome of severe severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-associated pneumonia, meningoencephalitis, gastroenteritis, and acute kidney and pancreas graft failure in a pancreas-kidney transplant recipient. Despite the very low numbers of circulating B, NK, and T cells identified in follow-up, a strong SARS-CoV-2 reactive T cell response was observed. Importantly, we detected T cells reactive to Spike, Membrane, and Nucleocapsid proteins of SARS-CoV-2 with majority of T cells showing polyfunctional proinflammatory Th1 phenotype at all analyzed time points. Antibodies against Spike protein were also detected with increasing titers in follow-up. Neutralization tests confirmed their antiviral protection. A correlation between cellular and humoral immunity was observed underscoring the specificity of demonstrated data. We conclude that analyzing the kinetics of nonspecific and SARS-CoV-2-reactive cellular and humoral immunity can facilitate the clinical decision on immunosuppression adjustment and allow successful outcome as demonstrated in the current clinical case. Although the antiviral protection of the detected SARS-CoV-2-reactive T cells requires further evaluation, our data prove an ability mounting a strong SARS-CoV-2-reactive T cell response with functional capacity in immunosuppressed patients.

Pharmacologic management of patients with hepatic and pancreatic diseases that involve immunosuppressive therapies. Position statement within the framework of the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic. / Manejo farmacológico de pacientes con enfermedades hepáticas y pancreáticas que involucran terapias inmunosupresoras. Posicionamiento en el marco de la pandemia de SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19).

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus. COVID-19 affected more than 6million persons worldwide in fewer than 4 months, after the report of the first cases in China in December 2019. The relation of the disease caused by SARS-Cov-2 to immunosuppressive treatment used in different gastrointestinal disorders is uncertain, resulting in debate with regard to suspending immunosuppressive therapy to improve infection outcome. Said suspension implies the inherent risk for graft rejection or autoimmune disease exacerbation that can potentially worsen the course of the infection. Based on the presently available evidence, a treatment stance has been established for patients with gastrointestinal diseases that require immunosuppressive therapy.

COVID-19 in pancreas transplant recipients.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a pandemic since first being described in January 2020. Clinical manifestations in non-transplant patients range from asymptomatic infection to severe pneumonia with acute respiratory distress syndrome, multiorgan system failure, and death. Limited reports in kidney transplant recipients suggest similar characteristics in that population. We report here the first case series of COVID-19 infection occurring in pancreas transplant recipients.