Have you used the Clinical Decision Support Tool (CDST)?

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a formidable pathogen that can cause significant morbidity and mortality in patients who undergo lifesaving solid organ transplant (SOT) or hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT). Traditional antivirals, including ganciclovir, valganciclovir, foscarnet, and cidofovir have long been the mainstays for CMV treatment, although they are not FDA approved for treating CMV infection or disease in the post-transplant setting. Side effects, including hematologic and renal toxicity, limit the use of traditional antivirals.

Prior to FDA approval in 2021 of a new antiviral, maribavir, there were no FDA approved therapies for drug-resistant or refractory CMV in SOT or HCT patients. Maribavir is an important advancement in CMV therapy since it does not cause hematologic or renal toxicity and it is an oral medication.

In order to assist clinicians with evaluation and treatment selection for resistant or refractory CMV in their SOT or HCT patients, an international panel of CMV experts developed a novel web-based point-of-care tool called the Resistant/Refractory CMV in Transplantation Clinical Decision Support Tool (CDST). The CDST is accessible free of charge from any desktop, laptop, or mobile device at www.CDSTforCMV.com. The new antiviral maribavir is incorporated into the CDST treatment algorithms. 


Upcoming Webinar Presentation


Transplantation Updates

Transplantation - Highlighted Tweets

Kidney transplant recipients have better survival rates and improved quality of life than long-term dialysis patients. However, delayed graft function, immunosuppressive therapy nephrotoxicity, and rejection episodes may compromise graft and patient survival. The KL gene is highly expressed in kidney tubular cells and encodes the antiaging and kidney-protective protein Klotho, which has membrane-anchored and soluble forms and regulates mineral metabolism.

In recent years, there have been calls for implementation of “epitope matching” in deceased-donor organ allocation policies (later changed to “eplet matching”). Emerging data indeed support the use of molecular mismatch load analysis in specific patient groups, with the objective of posttransplant stratification into different treatment arms. For this purpose, the expectation is to statistically categorize patients as low- or high-immune-risk. Importantly, these patients will continue to be monitored‚ and their risk category, as well as their management, can be adjusted according to on-going findings.

Transplantation Direct - Highlighted Tweet

Few studies have addressed immunosuppression management after allograft failure (AF). Immunosuppression withdrawal to minimize complications must be balanced with the risk of sensitization and potentially reduced retransplantation. We aimed to determine relationships between immunosuppression, death, sensitization, and retransplantation among patients with AF.

Scarcity of donor hearts continues to be a challenge for heart transplantation (HT). The recently Food and Drug Administration–approved Organ Care System (OCS; Heart, TransMedics) for ex vivo organ perfusion enables extension of ex situ intervals and thus may expand the donor pool. Because postapproval real-world outcomes of OCS in HT are lacking, we report our initial experience.


Survey on Transplant Infections

Australasian Kidney Trials Network

Identifying patient, caregiver and health professional perspectives for the design of a trial to prevent urinary tract infection in kidney transplant recipients

Deadline - March 31, 2023



Urinary tract infections survey - invitation to participate in a 5-10 minute survey to identify important aspects to include in a clinical trial.

Urinary tract infection after transplantation was identified by patients, caregivers and health professionals as an important infection.

We are inviting patients, caregivers and health professionals to complete a survey to identify what aspects of urinary tract infections are important, when designing a clinical trial to prevent transplant-associated urinary tract infections. These aspects may include the population to target, the treatments to evaluate, and the outcomes that are important to report in the trial. Participation is voluntary and anonymous, and you may exit the survey at any time.

Further information can be found on the Participant Information Sheet. All participants will receive a copy of the results. The survey will close March 31, 2023.

Please complete these questions on your own. By clicking “begin”, you are consenting for your data to be used for research purposes.

Click the following link to begin: Start survey or copy and paste the URL (https://uqmedicine.syd1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_d42Jdb9JDXvpG6i) into your Internet browser:

Your opinion will be valuable and important to help ensure that we consider the most important aspects of urinary tract infection in kidney transplant trials. Participation in this survey will not impact the care provided to patients in any way. If you have any questions, please email contact us at samuel.chan@uqconnect.edu.au

If you would like to speak to an officer of the University not involved in the study, you may contact the Ethics Coordinator at 617 3365 3924 / 617 3443 1656 or email (humanethics@research.uq.edu.au)

Thank you for considering the invitation to participate.


TTS Representation at WCN 2023!

TTS President Elmi Muller and TTS Executive Director Marcelle McPhaden will be attending WCN and would welcome meeting you!
Let us know if you will be attending WCN and to hear more about activities we are planning! Email us at initiatives@tts.org for details!

Highlighted Sessions


Research Grants Program

TTS will provide funding to three individual investigators to support their research in transplantation. The spectrum of studies includes basic, clinical/epidemiological and translational. This individual should have spent five years or less performing research in transplantation (and/or immunology relating to transplant) since obtaining their last doctoral degree (PhD, MD, PharmD, or equivalent). One of these research grants will be preferentially designated to TTS members from a low- or middle-income country. Please send application materials and any questions to jennifer.groverman@tts.org.
Please note, only applicants whose notice of intent is accepted by April 30th by our peer-review committee will be eligible to submit a full grant application.

Women in Transplantation Research Grants

2023-2025 WIT Fellowship Grants and Inaugural LMIC Grants
for Research in Gender and Sex in Transplantation

Application Deadline: April 1, 2023

The Women in Transplantation executive is very excited to announce the 2023 WIT funding opportunities. This year, we are thrilled to be able to support THREE 2-year Fellowships. This will be the third year that we are offering these fellowships.

In addition, for the first time, we are also offering ONE grant open to faculty working in low or middle income countries. This very special new grant will allow transplant professionals working in low and middle income countries to work with an experienced mentor from among the WIT membership to address an important question within their own unique context. We hope that this award will spur exciting international collaborations and build more research capacity in lower resource settings.

Research Fellowship Grants

Grants for LMIC

If you have any further questions and for information on how to apply, please contact Katie Tait (WIT Manager) at katie.tait@tts.org to request more information.

Report on earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria

Report from Baskent Unversity following the devastating earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria

We have set up a donation page for victims of the earthquake - click for details

Following the devastating earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria on Monday, February 6, 2023, more than 34000 people have lost their lives and tens of thousands have been injured. Relief efforts are ongoing one week after the quake struck and aid campaigns are being organized from all over Turkey and the world.

Upcoming Meeting Announcements

Register Today for ITS 2023!

Join us in Niagara-on-the-Lake and contribute to an exciting and stimulating scientific meeting that will inspire and challenge you!

Register Today for MESOT 2023!

Abstract and Scientific Congress Award Submissions are open!

Abstract Submission Deadline: April 13, 2023
Award Application Deadline: May 5, 2023


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Contact

Staff Directory
+1-514-874-1717
info@tts.org

Address

The Transplantation Society
International Headquarters
740 Notre-Dame Ouest
Suite 1245
Montréal, QC, H3C 3X6
Canada