63 Clinical Trials for Various Conditions
This study is designed to assess how effective letermovir is in preventing recurrence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in adult kidney or kidney/pancreas transplant recipients who are UW Health patients. Participants will be in the study for about 6 months.
This is a non-randomized, non-interventional, prospective pilot cohort study to monitor SPK patients post-transplant to determine if non-invasive measures using dd-cfDNA (Allosure) and AlloMap can assess an array of immune panels to predict and confirm the development of allograft injury and rejection in either organ. Aims of the study 1. To develop and validate AlloSure and AlloMap in SPK transplant recipients with stable allograft function and in diagnosis of acute TCMR and ABMR in either organ 2. To assess the ability of AlloSure and AlloMap to determine early discordant rejection in SPK recipients 3. To investigate AlloSure and AlloMap in SPK transplant recipients with diagnosis of BKV viremia
Pancreas transplantation is currently the most reliable method for glycemic control in insulin dependent diabetic patients. Outcomes of pancreas transplantation have improved significantly over the years due to improved surgical techniques, medical management and immunosuppression. However, weight gain after pancreas transplantation remains a common problem with associated consequences such as development of type 2 diabetes, coronary artery disease, graft loss, metabolic syndrome and increased risk of cardiovascular death. Excessive weight gain is well known after liver and kidney transplantation; however there are very few studies that have looked at weight gain after pancreas transplantation. In a recent study by Knight et al, 26% of the pancreas transplant recipients had excessive weight gain, defined as more than 30% of their baseline weight by 1-year post transplant. The study focused mainly on the endocrine function of the pancreas, explaining that excessive peripheral insulin circulation post-transplant may explain the weight gain. Other factors like immunosuppression, increased oral intake and potentially reduced activity may also have played a role. However no study has looked at the possible role of exocrine secretion from the new pancreatic allograft, combined with exocrine secretion of the old pancreas, leading to excessive availability of digestive juices like trypsin, chymotrypsin, lipase, amylase, gelatinase, elastase etc. Our hypothesis is that the excessive weight gain after pancreas transplant, which is more than in other solid organ transplants, is driven by the excessive digestive juice leading to improved conversion of available food and nutrient into storable energy and subsequently leading to weight gain. The patient will therefore need to either increase physical activity to avoid weight gain post-transplant or significantly reduce caloric intake. Fecal elastase test (FE-1)-elastase is a proteolytic enzyme produced by pancreatic acinar cells. They bind to bile salt and pass through the gut without degradation. These levels correlate well with the other pancreatic enzyme levels. Fecal elastase concentration (FEC) has been used routinely to screen for pancreatic exocrine insufficiency (PEI). Exocrine pancreatic juice has been a target for the management of obesity lately, with the use of drugs like Orlistat (Xenical) that inhibits pancreatic lipase and therefore interfere with the absorption of fat. If our theory of excessive pancreatic juice availability after pancreas transplant can be proven, it can help guide the targeted use and appropriate dosing of such drugs based on the level of the pancreatic juice as measured by the FEC.
Kidney damage is a major complication of current antirejection medicines used in transplantation. An increasing number of brittle diabetics are successfully receiving a pancreas transplant. One of the challenges following pancreas transplant is that a patient can develop kidney damage from one of their antirejection medicines, tacrolimus. The objective of this study is to substitute a new antirejection medicine which does not cause kidney damage, belatacept for tacrolimus in patients that have developed signs of tacrolimus related kidney damage to slow the progression of kidney disease.
Clinical measures of adipose tissue mass (BMI, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio) do not adequately explain the inter-individual and ethnic heterogeneity in diabetes. . There is a need to identify novel/universal markers of risk for diabetes (DM) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). These biomarkers also can become additional outcome measures for an intervention such as pancreatic/kidney transplant. If biological markers show an improvement with an intervention before anthropometric changes occur, intermediate outcomes can be an encouraging finding for practitioners. This study will focus on the central question of "adipose tissue dysfunction" as mediator of metabolic complications of positive energy balance, independent of body fat content and distribution. This study will address the question of effect of hyperglycemia on adipose tissue function independent of body fat mass. This project will take advantage of unique expertise of our investigators to perform detailed metabolic studies in patients with diabetes who undergo pancreatic/kidney transplant. The results of the proposed study will provide support to the novel approach of identifying adipose tissue dysfunction, rather than obesity and fat distribution, as predictor of diabetes and CVD across all ethnic groups, age and gender. We will obtain necessary preliminary data for future grant submissions to support our central hypothesis and develop stronger interactions within and outside The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) with clinical investigators in the area of DM and its complications.
This is an observational study for patients with type 1 diabetes, whom are already scheduled to have desensitization treatment to help increase the chance of receiving a pancreas transplant.The study staff will be looking at medical records in order to collect past, present and future information for each subject's medical condition and/or transplant. There are no additional study tests, procedures or devices needed for our analysis.
Examine the clinical utility of the dobutamine stress contrast echoes and angiograms obtained routinely in the evaluation of patients prior to kidney or pancreas transplantation.
The purpose of this study is to understand how the pancreas functions after transplantation and particularly why high blood sugar levels develop. It will also analyze the effect of the medicines used to prevent rejection on blood sugar levels. The hypothesis to be tested is that hyperglycemia more than six months after successful pancreas transplant results from a defect in insulin secretion, insulin resistance, or both.
Evaluate techniques for monitoring the course of interstitial therapy for polyomavirus nephritis in kidney and kidney pancreas transplant recipients by monitoring blood, urine, and renal transplant biopsies of patients affected by polyomavirus.
The purpose of the study is to determine the safety and efficacy of two dosing regimens of daclizumab in simultaneous kidney/pancreas transplant recipients.
The proposed protocol aims to characterize the infectious episodes in pancreas transplant recipients under the current medical care. Knowing these patients infectious risks, the types of infections that commonly affect them and the morbidity and mortality associated with it will provide valuable information in the evaluation of the safety and efficacy of the current practices. The information generated by this study will also serve as the basis for development of strategies targeting prophylaxis of infectious episodes.
The purpose of this research study is to compare the effects of the two most commonly used anti-T cell induction agents(alemtuzumab and rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin) to prevent rejection in kidney and pancreas transplant patients. Alemtuzumab is Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved for treating a certain type of cancer (leukemia), and Thymoglobulin® (rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin) is approved for anti-rejection treatment, but neither drug is FDA approved for administration at the time of transplantation to help prevent rejection. Even so, many transplant centers use these medications at the time of transplantation and believe that their use helps to decrease the risk of developing rejection following kidney and pancreas transplantation. Which drug might be better is not known. Subjects will receive either alemtuzumab (one administration) or rabbit anti-thymocyte (3 to 7 doses) at and within the first week of transplantation. Subjects will be assigned to either the alemtuzumab or rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin groups by chance. The two groups will be compared to see if there are meaningful differences for survival, organ function, side effects, and quality of life. The follow-up care after transplant for subjects in the study is the same as that for patients who are not in the study, except that a quality of life questionnaire (estimated to take 10 minutes to complete) will be completed at the time of transplant and through year 2 during selected scheduled clinic visits. A retrospective chart review will occur at 3-5 years post-transplant to follow incidence of chronic rejection, patient and graft survival and graft function.
CMV viral disease negatively affects transplant patients. CMV is the most prevalent infection in transplant patients and 3 month drug regimens to prevent the virus have been mostly unsuccessful, usually after the drug has been stopped, the patient develops the viral disease. Extended use of anti-viral drugs may, in fact, may lead to the development of resistant virus. We hypothesize that extended use (12 months) of valganciclovir (Valcyte™)will not only be efficacious but will not be associated with the development of resistant CMV. Sample Size: 100 patients at 3 sites have been enrolled Patient Selection: Adult (\>18 years) recipients of cadaveric or living donor kidneys, pancreas, or combine kidney-pancreas transplants. Immunosuppression: To be determined according to each center's standard protocol (s). Study Drug: Valcyte™ Days 0 - 90: All Patients, 900 mg QD Days 91 - 365: Group 1: 900 mg QD Group 2: 450 mg QD Assessment of Valgancicovir (Valcyte™)Resistant CMV : Serial serum samples (at transplant, 6 weeks, and 3, 6, 9 and 12 months post-transplant) for PCR amplification and DNA sequence analysis from detectable CMV to identify the presence of mutations within the UL97 and UL54 genes. Other Analyses: Additional information will be evaluated relating to the development of CMV disease, development of ganciclovir toxicity, graft rejection or graft loss and patient death. Preliminary information regarding the predictive value of DNA assays for the development of CMV disease will be evaluated.
This pilot study is to assess whether using CytoGam® in combination with ganciclovir is more effective in reducing the CMV viral load over time, as compared to standard treatment with IV ganciclovir only. Serial blood samples are drawn to measure the amount of CMV viral load weekly, while the subject is receiving treatment with ganciclovir, or ganciclovir + CytoGam®. Additional CMV viral load blood sampling (CMV DNA capture qualitative testing only) will occur weekly thereafter until the subject is 8 weeks from the time of CMV diagnosis or until the CMV infection is no longer detectable, whichever is longer duration.
This study will compare different ways of giving the drugs ganciclovir and valganciclovir to kidney or kidney and pancreas transplant recipients to determine the most effective dose of valganciclovir for protecting against cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in these patients. One of the most common viral infections following organ transplant, CMV can cause serious illness and even death. Ganciclovir reduces the incidence of CMV disease after kidney transplantation. The drug is given either intravenously (through a vein) twice a day or by mouth 3 times a day. Valganciclovir is converted to ganciclovir in the body and is absorbed into the bloodstream better than oral ganciclovir. In most transplant patients, a single daily dose of valganciclovir prevents CMV. Because of these advantages, some transplant patients are being given valganciclovir instead of ganciclovir to prevent CMV infection. However, the drug has not been studied in kidney and kidney transplant patients. This study will provide dosing information for this patient population. Patients 18 years of age and older who have had a kidney or kidney and pancreas transplant at the NIH Clinical Center may be eligible for this study. Participants will undergo the following treatments and procedures: - Phase 1 - Treatment with intravenous ganciclovir for at least 7 days after transplantation. Sometime before starting phase 2, patients will provide a 24-hour urine collection to test for kidney function. The day before starting phase 2, they will have a cannula (small needle) inserted into an arm vein for about 12 hours to draw blood samples-one before starting the ganciclovir infusion, then at 15, 30, 60, and 90 minutes, and 2, 4, 6, 8, and 12 hours after the dose. * Phase 2 - Treatment with oral valganciclovir once a day for 7 to 21 days at a dose approximately equivalent to intravenous ganciclovir. Sometime between 4 and 21 days on this dose, patients will have blood sampling in the morning before taking the drug and then at 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, and 24 hours after the dose. * Phase 3 - Treatment with valganciclovir at a dose reduced by half to approximate oral ganciclovir dosing. After at least 4 days on this dose, patients will be admitted to the hospital for 1 day for blood sampling before the drug dose and then at 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, and 24 hours after the dose. Kidney function will be assessed by blood tests within 2 days of the blood sampling. If kidney function is not within the normal range, further dosing and blood sampling will be delayed until kidney function returns to the normal range. - Phase 4 - Treatment with oral ganciclovir every 8 hours. After at least 4 days on this regimen, patients will be admitted to the hospital for 1 day for blood sampling before the drug dose and then at 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 4, 6, and 8 hours after the dose. Kidney function will be estimated by blood tests within 2 days of the blood sampling. If kidney function is not within the normal range, further dosing and blood sampling will be delayed until kidney function returns to normal range. After completing phase 4, patients will continue valganciclovir daily or oral ganciclovir treatment and blood sampling for a length of time prescribed by the transplant surgeon.
This study will observe donor derived cell free DNA percentages (via the Allosure test) in combined kidney-pancreas transplant recipients to establish both stable and dysfunctional Allosure assay levels
The AlloSure test is approved by the Centers for Medicare \& Medicaid Services (CMS) for use in Medicare patients to assess the probability of allograft rejection in kidney transplant patients. The pivotal DART study discusses the use of the non-invasive AlloSure test to measure donor derived cell-free DNA (dd-cfDNA) and the Allosure test can by used to discriminate active rejection in renal transplant patients. Pancreas allograft rejection still remains a major clinical challenge and is a primary cause of death censored pancreas allograft loss. Pancreas transplant rejection is diagnosed by biopsy, however it is not commonly performed because of the complications such as pancreatic leak, graft loss and patient death. Currently at Rush surveillance biopsy of the pancreas are not performed routinely due to the above risks. At RUMC, patients are followed post-transplant with series of labs at set intervals that include lipase, DSA, C-Peptide, and GAD65 for surveillance of rejection The AlloSure test was introduced for routine use in kidney transplant recipients at Rush University Medical Center in October 2017, after CMS approval and then as part of the KOAR Study in May of 2018. AlloSure test has been included as part of the routine labs for surveillance of rejection in pancreas transplant recipients at RUMC since September 2018 after it was approved for compassionate use. The addition of AlloSure has helped to improve surveillance of rejection in pancreas transplant recipients and has reduced the need for the kidney biopsy as a surrogate marker of rejection in the pancreas. Our goal is to determine if AlloSure can be used for surveillance for rejection in recipients of Simultaneous Pancreas and Kidney (SPK) Transplant recipients.
This is a Phase II/III, Single-center, Prospective, Open-label, Single Arm Study of 20 Simultaneous Kidney Pancreas recipients who received a transplant at least 3 months, but no more than 5 years prior, with a history of tremors following transplantation.
The purpose of this study is to find out if the drug NULOJIX® (belatacept) will minimize the amount of other anti-rejection medications necessary and thereby reduce the long-term side effects caused by the other medications. The researchers also want to learn more about the safety of this treatment and long term health of transplanted pancreases and kidneys.
Hypothesis 1: 18F-Fluciclovine PET/CT can correctly and easily identify the pancreatic allograft and determine its viability Aim 1: Assess whether 18F-Fluciclovine can identify the pancreatic allograft accurately and assess its viability and visibility Hypothesis 2: 18F-Fluciclovine PET/CT uptake in the pancreas (SUV) is related to total pancreatic function and therefore can indicate whether the pancreatic allograft is at risk of rejection Aim 2: Assess whether 18F-Fluciclovine uptake in the pancreas can be a surrogate for pancreatic function
Although the notions that kidney transplantation is the treatment of choice for patients with end-stage renal disease and that simultaneous kidney and pancreas transplant is the only treatment able to restore euglycemia in patients with type 1 diabetes and selected patients with type 2 diabetes, are now consolidated, rates of transplantation remain low among potential candidates with high levels of preformed anti-HLA antibodies. Most of the data comes from the experience in kidney transplant but can be easily translated to pancreas transplant. Approximately 30% of patients on the transplant waiting list have evidence of sensitization in the form of alloantibodies, generated from exposure to previous transplants, blood transfusions, pregnancy, or other events. The presence of a panel-reactive antibody level of at least 80% (i.e. a high level of sensitization) creates difficulty in finding matched kidneys from compatible donors, leading to lower rates of transplantation in highly sensitized candidates compared to non-sensitized; the longer waiting times translates in an increased mortality rate. Despite the development of desensitization strategies and the advancement in immunosuppression protocols, it is apparent that transplanting these patients carries an increased risk of acute antibody mediated rejection; 25%-50% of transplants will have an early acute antibody mediated rejection . Most of these rejections can be successfully treated, but a high rate of transplant glomerulopathy and chronic antibody mediated rejection (AMR) leading to accelerated allograft failure is common.
Advances in transplant pharmacotherapy have led to improved one-year patient and graft survival in kidney transplant recipients, but have not translated to enhanced long-term survival. An explanation for the disparity in outcomes is the negative role of antibodies in transplant graft survival. There currently does not exist maintenance immunosuppression that targets antibodies and standard of practice aims at removing circulating donor specific antibodies upon detection of antibody mediated graft damage but not prior to the detection of rejection. There exists an insufficiency of data regarding patient and donor characteristics, changes in immunosuppression, the risk of viral donor and patient seropositivity and the risk of non-compliance on the development of antibodies. By measuring antibody levels in the blood at specific time periods after transplant, we may have a better understanding of what types of patients will develop antibodies, when these antibodies appear and how changes to transplant medications may affect antibodies. The proposed project will examine the multifactorial risks associated with the development and appearance of donor-specific antibodies in the first year post-kidney transplant. The data collected will provide a historical perspective and preliminary pilot data to support a proposal for prospective antibody monitoring and to justify pre-emptively treating the antibodies in the absence of clinical signs of rejection.
This study will examine whether insulin-producing cells in the pancreas (beta cells) can recover in patients with type 1 diabetes who have had a pancreas transplant. In type 1 diabetes, the body's immune system destroys the beta cells. Patients are treated with insulin shots or a pancreas transplant to control their blood sugar. Some experiments suggest that the pancreas may have the capacity to recover some of its insulin-producing capacity, but that ability is negated by factors such as the continuing immune attack and erratic blood sugar levels in patients. Patients who have had a pancreas transplant may be in a unique situation to allow their own pancreas to regrow beta cells for two reasons: 1) the medicines they take to prevent rejection of the transplanted pancreas weaken their immune system; and 2) they have near-normal blood sugar levels because of their functioning transplanted pancreas. This study will test this hypothesis by sampling blood from patients' hepatic vein, which drains the liver and native pancreas and from their iliac vein, which drains the transplanted pancreas. This will determine whether insulin is coming from the transplanted pancreas (iliac vein) or the liver and native pancreas (hepatic vein). Patients 18 years of age and older who have had stable pancreatic transplant function for more than 5 years may be eligible for this study. Candidates are screened with a medical history and physical examination. Participants are admitted to the hospital for 2 days for a full medical examination, blood tests and procedures to determine insulin production. The procedures will include the placement of catheters in the neck and groin for blood sampling. Participants will be closely monitored after the procedures and discharged home if there are no complications.
The purpose of this study is to determine the clinical benefit and characterize the safety profile of tabelecleucel for the treatment of Epstein-Barr virus-associated post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease (EBV+ PTLD) in the setting of (1) solid organ transplant (SOT) after failure of rituximab (SOT-R) and rituximab plus chemotherapy (SOT-R+C) or (2) allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) after failure of rituximab.
Gadolinium contrast agents are frequently administered for MRI imaging. Very little is known of its toxicity outside of patients with reduced renal function.
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a common infection with 60-90% of all adults worldwide having evidence of having the infection at sometime in their life. Patients who have undergone transplantation are at risk at developing CMV, especially those patients who do not have antibodies to CMV pre-transplant, but received an organ from a recipient who has antibodies to CMV. Usually the disease CMV causes is mild and sometimes patients are not even aware they have the infection without tests to detect the virus. CMV can less commonly cause serious infections that affect many parts of the body including the intestines, liver, or lungs. In rare cases CMV infection in transplant patients can cause death. All patients who receive a transplant are monitored for CMV infection. The purpose of this study is to determine if there is a way the investigators can determine in advance which patients are at greatest risk of CMV infection. Specifically, this study will analyze the immune system of transplant patients to determine if there are specific elements of the immune system that 1) helps protect the body against CMV infection, and 2) helps the body combat CMV once it is infected. Identifying these specific elements of the immune system could improve the physician's ability to monitor the SOT patients for CMV infection, and to help treat CMV in those patients that become infected.
Current medical therapies are not able to prevent progression of established macroproteinuira (i.e. diabetic nephropathy) to end-stage renal failure in type 1 (insulin dependent) diabetic patients. In this setting, proteinuria is a major risk factor for mortality. Pancreas transplantation, on the contrary, can revert diabetic nephropathy and thereby prevent end-stage chronic renal failure, with theoretically lower risk of death as compared to current medical therapies.The main objective of this study is to assess superiority of isolated pancreas transplantation versus intensive exogenous insulin therapy in type 1 diabetic patients with overt diabetic nephropathy and mildly reduced renal function. The primary endpoint is a composite efficacy/failure end-point including: patient mortality and renal function impairment during 5 years in patients with badly controlled diabetes and nephropathy resisting to up-to-date nephroprotective therapies.Main secondary objectives are safety and efficacy of both regimens, including proteinuria and renal histology evaluation, metabolic control and quality of life, acute and chronic extrarenal complications of diabetes, pancreas survival and all risks related to the transplant procedure (anaesthesia, surgery and immunosuppression side-effects) and to the intensive insulin therapy management.
Does remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) induced by a brief period of occlusion of blood flow to the lower extremity prior to organ recovery in deceased donors, improve short and long term outcomes after transplantation of kidneys, livers and pancreas? To test this hypothesis deceased organ donors will be randomized to receive either RIPC or No RIPC before organ recovery. RIPC will be induced in the operating room after commencement of procurement surgery. RIPC will be induced by tourniquet-induced occlusion of blood flow to the lower extremity for 10 minutes in each side, for a total duration of 20 minutes. The remainder of the organ recovery and organ preservation will be as per standard of practice. Recovered livers, kidneys and pancreas will be transplanted into allocated recipients. Transplantation and patient management after transplantation will be as per standard of practice. Organ-specific function and cell injury parameters will be utilized to assess the early postoperative outcomes of individual organs and recipients. Long term outcomes will be assessed by graft and recipient survival.
The purpose of this project is to compare the effect of oxygenated preservation of the pancreas before transplantation using the "Two-Layer Method" (TLM) against outcomes previously experienced with organs preserved using only standard University of Wisconsin (UW) storage solution. It is our hypothesis that TLM preservation will reduce the frequency and severity of complications of pancreas transplantation, increase the number of organs acceptable for transplantation, and spare individual patients and their families suffering and hardship.
This study was designed to determine which maintenance immunosuppressive agent, rapamycin or mycophenalate mofetil, resulted in better outcome in patients with type 1 diabetes and renal failure, who presented for a kidney-pancreas transplant.