Deceased Donor Kidney Nonuse: A Systematic Approach to Improvement.

Unlabelled: A large number of procured kidneys continue not to be transplanted, while the waiting list remains high.

Methods: We analyzed donor characteristics for unutilized kidneys in our large organ procurement organization (OPO) service area in a single year to determine the reasonableness of their nonuse and to identify how we might increase the transplant rate of these kidneys. Five experienced local transplant physicians independently reviewed unutilized kidneys to identify which kidneys they would consider transplanting in the future.

Outcomes Among Undocumented Immigrant Kidney Transplant Recipients in California.

Importance: There are over 2 million undocumented immigrants (UI) in California, where currently, all individuals regardless of immigration status have access to kidney transplant. There is a medical perception that UI face a higher risk of transplant failure due to language barriers and lack of access to immunosuppressive medication and health care when compared with US residents (UR).

Objective: To elucidate the kidney transplant outcomes of UI at an academic medical center in California.

Dysregulation of β-Cell Proliferation in Diabetes: Possibilities of Combination Therapy in the Development of a Comprehensive Treatment.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder characterized by chronic hyperglycemia as a result of insufficient insulin levels and/or impaired function as a result of autoimmune destruction or insulin resistance. While Type 1 DM (T1DM) and Type 2 DM (T2DM) occur through different pathological processes, both result in β-cell destruction and/or dysfunction, which ultimately lead to insufficient β-cell mass to maintain normoglycemia. Therefore, therapeutic agents capable of inducing β-cell proliferation is crucial in treating and reversing diabetes; unfortunately, adult human β-cell proliferation has been shown to be very limited (~0.

Is It Time to Utilize Genetic Testing for Living Kidney Donor Evaluation?

Living donor kidney transplantation is an effective strategy to mitigate the challenges of solid organ shortage. However, being a living kidney donor is not without risk, as donors may encounter short- and long-term complications including the risk of developing chronic kidney disease, end-stage kidney disease, hypertension, and possible pregnancy-related complications. Although the evaluation of potential living donors is a thorough and meticulous process with the intention of decreasing the chance of complications, particularly in donors who have lifetime risk projection, risk factors for kidney disease including genetic predispositions may be missed because they are not routinely investigated.