Cognitive profile of kidney transplant patients and impact of deceased vs. living donor transplantation.

Background: It is important to learn more about the prevalence, severity and characteristics (i.e., which cognitive abilities are especially affected) of cognitive impairment in kidney transplant patients.

Neuropsychological Assessment of Cognitive Impairment in Kidney Transplantation (NAsKiT) and its related risk factors: a study protocol.

Background: Association of cognitive impairment with chronic kidney disease has been reported over the last decade. Individuals show better cognitive performance after kidney transplantation than individuals on dialysis but are more likely to be affected by cognitive impairment than age-matched comparison groups. Better knowledge of the prevalence as well as course and profile of cognitive impairment is important for the design of future studies assessing the clinical impact of cognitive impairment and developing management strategies.

ATG induction therapy: long-term effects on Th1 but not on Th2 responses.

Antithymocyte globulin (ATG) induction therapy is associated with an increased long-term risk of infection- and cancer-related death. To analyze long-term effects of ATG induction on lymphocyte function, we prospectively assessed CD4 helper function, B-cell/monocyte and cytokine responses in 84 renal transplant recipients (ATG, n = 44) up to 1 year post-transplant. A PWM-driven allogeneic coculture system was used to assess helper function of CD4+ T cells and T-cell-dependent B-cell responses.