Clinical Outcomes of Perioperative Desensitization in Heart Transplant Recipients.

Background: Sensitization remains a barrier to heart transplantation (HT). Perioperative desensitization strategies have been described; however, a paucity of evidence exists to demonstrate efficacy and safety in HT.

Methods: This single-center, retrospective study consisted of adults who received an HT.

Pharmacophore development, drug-likeness analysis, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulations for identification of new CK2 inhibitors.

Protein kinase 2 (CK2), an essential serine/threonine casein kinase, is considered an interesting target for cancer treatments. Different molecular modeling approaches such as pharmacophore modeling, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulations have been used to develop new CK2 inhibitors. This study presents a pharmacophore model that was generated by combining and merging the structure-based and ligand-based pharmacophore features and validated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC).

Alternatives to immediate release tacrolimus in solid organ transplant recipients: When the gold standard is in short supply.

Given the current climate of drug shortages in the United States, this review summarizes available comparative literature on the use of alternative immunosuppressive agents in adult solid organ transplant recipients including kidney, pancreas, liver, lung, and heart, when immediate-release tacrolimus (IR-TAC) is not available. Alternative options explored include extended-release tacrolimus (ER-TAC) formulations, cyclosporine, belatacept, mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors, and novel uses of induction therapy for maintenance immunosuppression. Of available alternatives, only ER-TAC formulations are of non-inferior efficacy compared to IR-TAC when used de novo or after conversion in stable kidney transplant recipients (KTRs).

Using technology to enhance medication regimen education after solid organ transplantation.

Purpose: The design and implementation of a tool that combines clinical teaching with cutting-edge, simplified technology for providing medication education to solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients are described.

Methods: In a retrospective study of adults who received kidney transplants from February 2015 through May 2017, patients were educated about their medications using a tablet computer application, Medication Regimen Education (MRxEd), that presented concise videos describing the name, indication, dose, adverse effects, and associated interactions of all medications received, as well as special considerations applicable to each agent. Assessment questions were used to reinforce key concepts and identify knowledge gaps.