Effect of Insulin Therapy using Hyper-insulinemic Normoglycemic Clamp on Inflammatory Response in Brain Dead Organ Donors

Deceased organ donor factors influencing pancreatic graft transplantation and survival

Criteria for organ acceptance in brain-dead organ donors remain inconsistent, especially when concerning pancreatic transplants. We sought to examine donor-specific predictors of pancreatic graft use and survival to better guide the selection and management of potential donors. A prospective observational study of all donors from ten organ procurement organizations was conducted from March 2012 to January 2015. Critical care endpoints were collected at 4 standardized time points. Data associated with pancreatic transplantation and graft survival rates were first determined using univariate analyses, and then logistic regression was used to identify independent predictors of these two outcomes. From 1819 donors, 238 (13.1%) pancreata were transplanted, and at a mean follow-up of 192 days, 218 (91.6%) grafts had survived. After regression analysis, donor age (OR = 0.89), HgbA1C (OR = 0.07), and achieving the donor management goal (DMG) for ejection fraction at allocation of ≥50% (OR = 3.29) remained as independent predictors of pancreatic utilization. On regression analysis, graft survival was independently predicted by lower donor age (OR = 0.93) and achieving the DMGs for mean arterial pressure (60-110 mm Hg) and glucose (≤180 mg/dL) at separate time points. These results may help guide the management and selection of potential pancreatic donors after brain death.

Intraoperative glycemic control in patients undergoing Orthotopic liver transplant: a single center prospective randomized study

Background

Perioperative hyperglycemia is associated with poor outcomes yet evidence to guide intraoperative goals and treatment modalities during non-cardiac surgery are lacking. End-stage liver disease is associated with altered glucose homeostasis; patients undergoing liver transplantation display huge fluctuations in blood glucose (BG) and represent a population of great interest. Here, we conduct a randomized trial to compare the effects of strict versus conventional glycemic control during orthotopic liver transplant (OLT).

Methods

Following approval by the Institutional Review Board of the University of Michigan Medical School and informed consent, 100 adult patients undergoing OLT were recruited. Patients were randomized to either strict (target BG 80–120 mg/dL) or conventional (target BG 180–200 mg/dL) BG control with block randomization for diabetic and nondiabetic patients. The primary outcomes measured were 1-year patient and graft survival assessed on an intention to treat basis. Graft survival is defined as death or needing re-transplant (www.unos.org). Three and 5-year patient and graft survival, infectious and biliary complications were measured as secondary outcomes. Data were examined using univariate methods and Kaplan-Meir survival analysis. A sensitivity analysis was performed to compare patients with a mean BG of ≤120 mg/dL and those > 120 mg/dL regardless of treatment group.

Results

There was no statistically significant difference in patient survival between conventional and strict control respectively;1 year, 88% vs 88% (p-0.99), 3 years, 86% vs 84% (p- 0.77), 5 years, 82% vs 78. % (p-0.36). Graft survival was not different between conventional and strict control groups at 1 year, 88% vs 84% (p-0.56), 3 years 82% vs 76% (p-0.46), 5 years 78% vs 70% (p-0.362).

Conclusion

There was no difference in patient or graft survival between intraoperative strict and conventional glycemic control during OLT.

Trial registration

Clinical trial number and registry: www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT00780026. This trial was retrospectively registered on 10/22/2008.

Liver Inflammation Relates to Decreased Canalicular Bile Transporter Expression in Pediatric Onset Intestinal Failure

OBJECTIVE

Although liver disease is a major complication of parenteral nutrition (PN) for intestinal failure (IF), its pathogenesis remains unclear. We investigated potential molecular mechanisms of liver injury in pediatric onset IF.

METHODS

Liver expression of canalicular phospholipid (ABCB4), bile acid (ABCB11), and sterol (ABCG5/8) transporters, their upstream regulators LXR and FXR as well as pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 (IL6) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) were investigated among patients with IF [age median 3.8 (IQR 1.2 to 11)] in relation to biochemical and histologic liver injury, PN, serum plant sterols, fibroblast growth factor 19, and α-tocopherol.

RESULTS

Patients receiving PN currently (n = 18) showed more advanced liver injury than patients after weaning off PN (n = 30). Histologic portal inflammation strongly segregated PN-dependent (44%) from weaned off patients (3%, P = 0.001) and coupled with progression of cholestasis and liver fibrosis. Patients with portal inflammation demonstrated markedly induced liver RNA expression of IL6 and TNF, repression of FXR and its canalicular bile transporter target gene RNA expression, including ABCB4 and ABCB11 as well as decreased protein expression of ABCB11 and ABCB4. Furthermore, upregulation of LXR and ABCG5/8 RNA expression was suppressed in patients with portal inflammation. Current PN, increased serum levels of plant sterols stigmasterol, avenasterol, and sitosterol along with serum citrulline, a marker of enterocyte mass, predicted portal inflammation.

CONCLUSIONS

In pediatric onset IF, current PN delivery synergistically with intestinal compromise promote liver inflammation, which associates with progression of biochemical and histologic liver injury, while reducing expression of canalicular bile transporters.

Insulin therapy in organ donation and transplantation

Hyperglycaemia is common in hospitalized individuals, and is often caused by physiological stress associated with critical illness or major surgery. Insulin therapy is an established treatment for hyperglycaemia and acute hyperkalaemia, and has also been used for myocardial dysfunction resistant to inotropic support. Insulin is commonly used in both organ donors and transplant recipients for hyperglycaemia, but the underlying knowledge base supporting its use remains limited. Insulin therapy plays an important yet poorly understood role in both organ donation and transplantation. Tight glycaemic control has been extensively studied in critical care over the past 15 years; however, this has not yet translated into the field of transplantation, where patients are more unwell and where improved outcomes remain an ongoing challenge. Insulin therapy and optimization of glycaemic control represent important areas for future hypothesis-driven research into organ donation and transplantation, such as amelioration of ischaemia-reperfusion injury, rejection and infection.

[Critical care management of the potential organ donor : Current recommendation for adults]

The shortage of donor organs has not improved in recent years. To increase the number and success of transplantation it is crucial to optimize the processes of early identification of potential organ donors and structured critical care management. The therapy starts long before brain death is diagnosed. Structured in-house organ donor management protocols ensure a highly qualified critical care that has a direct impact on the transplantation outcome. The therapy is based on the established standards. The main focus is on differentiated catecholamine and volume therapy. Vasopressin, in combination with norepinephrine, is effective for both treating vasoplegia and electrolyte disturbances. Despite poor evidence, steroids are useful for stabilizing hemodynamics and treating the consequences of neuroendocrine dysfunction. Overall, prospective studies are required to give general recommendations for critical care.

Insulin resistance in patients with recurrent pregnancy loss is associated with lymphocyte population aberration

This study was designed to investigate the relationship of insulin resistance (IR) and cellular immune abnormalities associated with women with recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). Women with RPL were divided into two groups according to their homeostasis model assessment for IR (HOMA-IR) scores. The IR group received metformin approximately 3 months before pregnancy. The percentage of lymphocyte subsets and other blood biochemical indices were tested. The HOMA-IR and fasting serum insulin levels were related to the percentage of lymphocyte subsets. The women with RPL had higher CD3⁺ and CD3⁺CD4⁺ cell levels while CD56⁺CD16⁺cell levels were lower. A higher likelihood of cellular immune abnormalities was observed. Women with normal lymphocyte subsets had normal pregnancy outcomes. Metformin significantly downregulated CD3⁺ and CD3⁺CD4⁺ cells and improved pregnancy outcomes. IR was associated with cellular immune abnormalities in RPL. The data suggests that metformin affected the immune/inflammatory response, which may regulate the cellular immune balance and improve pregnancy outcomes. Abbreviations RPL: recurrent pregnancy loss; IR insulin resistance; HOMA-IR: homeostasis model assessment for IR.

Gene expression in the twilight of death: The increase of thousands of transcripts has implications to transplantation, cancer, and forensic research

After a vertebrate dies, many of its organ systems, tissues, and cells remain functional while its body no longer works as a whole. We define this state as the "twilight of death" - the transition from a living body to a decomposed corpse. We claim that the study of the twilight of death is important to ethical, legal and medical science. We examined gene expression at the twilight of death in the zebrafish and mouse reaching the conclusion that apparently thousands of transcripts significantly increase in abundance from life to several hours/days postmortem relative to live controls. Transcript dynamics of different genes provided "proof-of-principle" that models accurately predict an individual's elapsed-time-of-death (i.e. postmortem interval). While many transcripts were associated with survival and stress compensation, others were associated with epigenetic factors, developmental control, and cancer. Future studies are needed to determine whether the high incidence of cancer in transplant recipients is due to the postmortem processes in donor organs.