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Chronic Lung Allograft Dysfunction (CLAD) is a major obstacle for long term survival after lung transplantation (LTx). Besides Bronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome, two other phenotypes of CLAD, restrictive allograft syndrome (RAS) and mixed phenotype, have been described. Trials to test in these conditions are desperately needed and analyzing natural outcome to plan such trials is essential. We performed a retrospective analysis of functional outcome in bilateral LTx recipients with RAS and mixed phenotype, transplanted between 2009 and 2018 in five large European centers with follow- up spirometry up to 12 months after diagnosis. Based on these data, sample size and power calculations for randomized therapeutic trial was estimated using two imputation methods for missing values. Seventy patients were included (39 RAS and 31 mixed phenotype), median 3.1 years after LTx when CLAD was diagnosed. Eight, 13 and 25 patients died within 6, 9 and 12 months after diagnosis and a two patients underwent re-transplantation within 12 months leading to a graft survival of 89, 79 and 61% six, nine and 12 months after diagnosis, respectively. Observed FEV1 decline was 451 ml at 6 months and stabilized at 9 and 12 months, while FVC showed continuous decline. Using two methods of imputation, a progressive further decline after 6 months for FEV1 was noted. The poor outcome of these two specific CLAD phenotypes suggests the urgent need for future therapeutic randomized trials. The number of missing values in a potential trial seems to be high and most frequently attributed to death. Survival may be used as an endpoint in clinical trials in these distinct phenotypes and imputation techniques are relevant if graft function is used as a surrogate of disease progression in future trials.

Static cold storage (SCS) remains the gold standard for preserving donor hearts before transplantation but is associated with ischaemia, anaerobic metabolism, and organ injuries, leading to patient morbidity and mortality. We aimed to evaluate whether continuous, hypothermic oxygenated machine perfusion (HOPE) of the donor heart is safe and superior compared with SCS. We performed a multinational, multicentre, randomised, controlled, open-label clinical trial with a superiority design at 15 transplant centres across eight European countries. Adult candidates for heart transplantation were eligible and randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio. Donor inclusion criteria were age 18–70 years with no previous sternotomy and donation after brain death. In the treatment group, the preservation protocol involved the use of a portable machine perfusion system ensuring HOPE of the resting donor heart. The donor hearts in the control group underwent ischaemic SCS according to standard practices. The primary outcome was time to first event of a composite of either cardiac-related death, moderate or severe primary graft dysfunction (PGD) of the left ventricle, PGD of the right ventricle, acute cellular rejection at least grade 2R, or graft failure (with use of mechanical circulatory support or re-transplantation) within 30 days after transplantation. We included all patients who were randomly assigned, fulfilled inclusion and exclusion criteria, and received a transplant in the primary analysis and all patients who were randomly assigned and received a transplant in the safety analyses. This trial was registered with ClicalTrials.gov (NCT03991923) and is ongoing. A total of 229 patients were enrolled between Nov 25, 2020, and May 19, 2023. The primary analysis population included 204 patients who received a transplant. There were no patients who received a transplant lost to follow-up. All 100 donor hearts preserved with HOPE were transplantable after perfusion. The primary endpoint was registered in 19 (19%) of 101 patients in the HOPE group and 31 (30%) of 103 patients in the SCS group, corresponding to a risk reduction of 44% (hazard ratio 0·56; 95% CI 0·32–0·99; log-rank test p=0·059). PGD was the primary outcome event in 11 (11%) patients in the HOPE group and 29 (28%) in the SCS group (risk ratio 0·39; 95% CI 0·20–0·73). In the HOPE group, 63 (65%) patients had a reported serious adverse event (158 events) versus 87 (70%; 222 events) in the SCS group. Major adverse cardiac transplant events were reported in 18 (18%) and 33 (32%) patients in the HOPE and SCS group (risk ratio 0·56; 95% CI 0·34–0·92). Although there was not a significant difference in the primary endpoint, the 44% risk reduction associated with HOPE was suggested to be a clinically meaningful benefit. Post-transplant complications, measured as major adverse cardiac transplant events, were reduced. Analysis of secondary outcomes suggested that HOPE was beneficial in reducing primary graft dysfunction. HOPE in donor heart preservation addresses the existing challenges associated with graft preservation and the increasing complexity of donors and heart transplantation recipients. Future investigation will help to further elucidate the benefit of HOPE. XVIVO Perfusion.

Primary graft dysfunction (PGD) remains the leading cause of early mortality post-heart transplantation. Despite improvements in mechanical circulatory support and critical care measures, the rate of PGD remains significant. A recent consensus statement by the International Society of Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) has formulated a definition for PGD. Five years on, we look at current concepts and future directions of PGD in the current era of transplantation.

Abstract Rationale Primary graft dysfunction (PGD) causes early mortality after lung transplantation and may contribute to late graft failure. No effective treatments exist. The pathogenesis of PGD is unclear, although both neutrophils and activated platelets have been implicated. We hypothesized that neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) contribute to lung injury in PGD in a platelet-dependent manner. Objectives To study NETs in experimental models of PGD and in lung transplant patients. Methods Two experimental murine PGD models were studied: hilar clamp and orthotopic lung transplantation after prolonged cold ischemia (OLT-PCI). NETs were assessed by immunofluorescence microscopy and ELISA. Platelet activation was inhibited with aspirin, and NETs were disrupted with DNaseI. NETs were also measured in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and plasma from lung transplant patients with and without PGD. Measurements and Main Results NETs were increased after either hilar clamp or OLT-PCI compared with surgical control subjects. Activation and intrapulmonary accumulation of platelets were increased in OLT-PCI, and platelet inhibition reduced NETs and lung injury, and improved oxygenation. Disruption of NETs by intrabronchial administration of DNaseI also reduced lung injury and improved oxygenation. In bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from human lung transplant recipients, NETs were more abundant in patients with PGD. Conclusions NETs accumulate in the lung in both experimental and clinical PGD. In experimental PGD, NET formation is platelet-dependent, and disruption of NETs with DNaseI reduces lung injury. These data are the first description of a pathogenic role for NETs in solid organ transplantation and suggest that NETs are a promising therapeutic target in PGD.

Abstract Rationale Primary graft dysfunction (PGD) is the main cause of early morbidity and mortality after lung transplantation. Previous studies have yielded conflicting results for PGD risk factors. Objectives We sought to identify donor, recipient, and perioperative risk factors for PGD. Methods We performed a 10-center prospective cohort study enrolled between March 2002 and December 2010 (the Lung Transplant Outcomes Group). The primary outcome was International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation grade 3 PGD at 48 or 72 hours post-transplant. The association of potential risk factors with PGD was analyzed using multivariable conditional logistic regression. Measurements and Main Results A total of 1,255 patients from 10 centers were enrolled; 211 subjects (16.8%) developed grade 3 PGD. In multivariable models, independent risk factors for PGD were any history of donor smoking (odds ratio [OR], 1.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2–2.6; P = 0.002); FiO2 during allograft reperfusion (OR, 1.1 per 10% increase in FiO2; 95% CI, 1.0–1.2; P = 0.01); single lung transplant (OR, 2; 95% CI, 1.2–3.3; P = 0.008); use of cardiopulmonary bypass (OR, 3.4; 95% CI, 2.2–5.3; P < 0.001); overweight (OR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.2–2.7; P = 0.01) and obese (OR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.3–3.9; P = 0.004) recipient body mass index; preoperative sarcoidosis (OR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.1–5.6; P = 0.03) or pulmonary arterial hypertension (OR, 3.5; 95% CI, 1.6–7.7; P = 0.002); and mean pulmonary artery pressure (OR, 1.3 per 10 mm Hg increase; 95% CI, 1.1–1.5; P < 0.001). PGD was significantly associated with 90-day (relative risk, 4.8; absolute risk increase, 18%; P < 0.001) and 1-year (relative risk, 3; absolute risk increase, 23%; P < 0.001) mortality. Conclusions We identified grade 3 PGD risk factors, several of which are potentially modifiable and should be prioritized for future research aimed at preventative strategies. Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT00552357).

Kidney transplantation is the best possible treatment for many patients with end-stage renal failure, but progressive dysfunction and eventual allograft loss with return to dialysis is associated with increased mortality and morbidity. Immune injury from acute or chronic rejection and non-immune causes, such as nephrotoxicity from calcineurin inhibitors, ischaemia-reperfusion injury, recurrent glomerular disease, and allograft BK viral infection, are potential threats. Serial monitoring of renal function enables early recognition of chronic allograft dysfunction, and investigations such as therapeutic drug concentrations, urinalysis, imaging, and a diagnostic biopsy should be undertaken before irreversible nephron loss has occurred. Specific interventions targeting the pathophysiological cause of dysfunction include strengthening of immunosuppression for chronic rejection, or calcineurin inhibitor minimisation, substitution, or elimination if nephrotoxicity dominates. Recommended proactive preventive measures are control of hypertension, proteinuria, dyslipidaemia, diabetes, smoking, and other comorbidities. Strategies to maintain transplant function and improve long-term graft survival are important goals of translational research.

Primary graft dysfunction (PGD) is the leading cause of early mortality after lung transplantation, yet no targeted therapy exists. We investigated whether the collagen-derived matrikine proline-glycine-proline (PGP) drives neutrophil-predominant injury in PGD and whether its neutralization confers protection. Human mini-bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid was collected 72 hours post-transplantation from recipients with grade 3 PGD and non-PGD controls. In parallel, a murine orthotopic lung transplantation model incorporating 18 hours of cold ischemia was used to reproduce PGD; mice received vehicle (PBS) or the PGP-sequestering tripeptide L-arginine-threonine-arginine (RTR) immediately before reperfusion. Histology, immunofluorescence, LC-MS/MS quantification of acetyl-PGP (acPGP), gelatin zymography for active MMP-9, and ELISA for MMP-9 and prolyl endopeptidase (PE) were performed four hours later. Human PGD BAL contained approximately fourfold higher acPGP, along with significantly elevated MMP-9 and PE, compared with PGD 0 controls. Murine PGD allografts similarly demonstrated dense neutrophilic infiltrates and increased acPGP, MMP-9, and PE expression. RTR treatment markedly reduced histologic injury, neutrophil accumulation, and composite PGD scores while improving oxygenation and allograft lung function. RTR also restored acPGP, MMP-9, PE, and active MMP-9 levels to near-baseline compared with vehicle-treated PGD allografts. These findings delineate a feed-forward PGP-protease circuit linking extracellular matrix degradation to neutrophil recruitment and vascular leak. Neutralizing PGP effectively disrupts this circuit, attenuating graft injury. By connecting extracellular matrix-derived signals to innate immune activation, this work broadens the immunopathologic framework of PGD.

Despite the widespread use of antibiotics, bacterial pneumonias in donors strongly predispose to the fatal syndrome of primary graft dysfunction (PGD) following lung transplantation. We report that bacterial endotoxin persists in human donor lungs after pathogen is cleared with antibiotics and is associated with neutrophil infiltration and PGD. In mouse models, depletion of tissue-resident alveolar macrophages (TRAMs) attenuated neutrophil recruitment in response to endotoxin as shown by compartmental staining and intravital imaging. Bone marrow chimeric mice revealed that neutrophils were recruited by TRAM through activation of TLR4 in a MyD88-dependent manner. Intriguingly, low levels of endotoxin, insufficient to cause donor lung injury, promoted TRAM-dependent production of CXCL2, increased neutrophil recruitment, and led to PGD, which was independent of donor NCMs. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) increased in human donor lungs starting from the warm-ischemia phase and were associated with increased transcription and translocation to the plasma membrane of TLR4 in donor TRAMs. Consistently, scavenging ROS or inhibiting their production to prevent TLR4 transcription/translocation or blockade of TLR4 or coreceptor CD14 on donor TRAMs prevented neutrophil recruitment in response to endotoxin and ameliorated PGD. Our studies demonstrate that residual endotoxin after successful treatment of donor bacterial pneumonia promotes PGD through ischemia/reperfusion-primed donor TRAMs.

The immune system is designed to robustly respond to pathogenic stimuli but to be tolerant to endogenous ligands to not trigger autoimmunity. Here, we studied an endogenous damage-associated molecular pattern, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), during primary graft dysfunction (PGD) after lung transplantation. We hypothesized that cell-free mtDNA released during lung ischemia–reperfusion triggers neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation via TLR9 signaling. We found that mtDNA increases in the BAL fluid of experimental PGD (prolonged cold ischemia followed by orthotopic lung transplantation) and not in control transplants with minimal warm ischemia. The adoptive transfer of mtDNA into the minimal warm ischemia graft immediately before lung anastomosis induces NET formation and lung injury. TLR9 deficiency in neutrophils prevents mtDNA-induced NETs, and TLR9 deficiency in either the lung donor or recipient decreases NET formation and lung injury in the PGD model. Compared with human lung transplant recipients without PGD, severe PGD was associated with high levels of BAL mtDNA and NETs, with evidence of relative deficiency in DNaseI. We conclude that mtDNA released during lung ischemia–reperfusion triggers TLR9-dependent NET formation and drives lung injury. In PGD, DNaseI therapy has a potential dual benefit of neutralizing a major NET trigger (mtDNA) in addition to dismantling pathogenic NETs.

Liver graft function is related to the quality of liver transplantation (LT). High-quality perioperative glycemic management is considered hepatoprotective. However, no studies have explored the effects of specialized and staged blood glucose management target ranges on reducing glycemic variability (GV) and early allograft dysfunction (EAD) after LT. In this prospective randomized controlled trial, a total of 188 LT recipients were randomly assigned 1:1 to the less intensive glucose management (LIGM) group and the more intensive glucose management (MIGM) group. They followed goals of 7.8–10.0 mmol/L and 4.5–6.7 mmol/L in the pre-anhepatic and anhepatic phases, respectively, and the goals of 4.1–10.0 mmol/L in the neohepatic phase and postoperatively. The primary outcome was EAD, and the secondary outcomes were GV, incidence of hyperglycemia/hypoglycemia, postoperative liver enzyme levels, 30-day postoperative infection rate, one-year survival rate, and TNF-α, IL-6 and C-reactive protein levels. A total of 182 adult patients (89 in the LIGM group and 93 in the MIGM group) completed the study. The mean age of the recipients was 51.46 ± 10.79 years, and the median MELD score before surgery was 16. The incidence of EAD was significantly lower in the LIGM group than in the MIGM group (10.11 % vs 31.18 %, P < 0.001), with a relative risk (RR) of 0.32 (2-sided 95 % CI 0.110–0.562). There was no statistical difference in the 30-day postoperative infection rate between the two groups (P > 0.05). The one-year survival rate of the LIGM group was higher than that of the MIGM group (92.13 % vs 82.02 %, P = 0.044). Adopting LIGM (7.8–10.0 mmol/L) during the pre-anhepatic and anhepatic phases helps to reduce the incidence of EAD after LT and promotes the recovery of liver function, but does not increase the incidence of postoperative infections. •Provides medical evidence for intraoperative glycemic management targets for LT.•Propose a more feasible intraoperative strict glucose management protocol for LT.•Improved the specialized blood glucose management measures in the LT protection strategy.•Increased the precision of LT blood glucose management measures.