The Role of HLA Antigens and Steroid Dose on the Course of COVID-19 of Patients After Kidney Transplantation.

Kidney transplant recipients appear to be at higher risk for critical COVID-19. Our analysis aimed to identify the possible risk factors for a severe course of the COVID-19 disease and to determine the influence of selected human leukocyte antigens (HLAs) on the course of the disease. This is a retrospective, multicenter analysis that included patients that were confirmed to be severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) positive after kidney transplantation (KT).

Building Kidney Exchange Programmes in Europe-An Overview of Exchange Practice and Activities.

Background: Considerable differences exist among the living donor Kidney Exchange Programmes (KEPs) that are in use and being built in Europe, contributing to a variation in the number of living donor transplants (Newsletter Transplant; International figures on donation and transplantation 2016). Efforts of European KEPs to exchange (best) practices and share approaches to address challenges have, however, been limited.

Methods: Experts from 23 European countries, collaborating on the European Network for Collaboration on Kidney Exchange Programmes Cooperation on Science and Technology Action, developed a questionnaire to collect detailed information on the functioning of all existing KEPs in Europe, as well as their opportunities and challenges.

Subependymal giant cell astrocytoma with atypical clinical and pathological features: a diagnostic pitfall.

Subependymal giant cell astrocytoma (SEGA) is benign, slowly growing tumor linked to the tuberous sclerosis complex. It almost always occurs near the foramen of Monro. Parenchymal extension and worrisome histological features, such as necrosis, mitoses, microvascular proliferation and pleomorphism are unusual in these tumors, but can occur rarely.