Browsing by Author "Ueberfuhr, Peter"

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    Donor-Specific HLA Alloantibodies: Long-Term Impact on Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy and Mortality After Heart Transplant
    (Başkent Üniversitesi, 2008-09) Kaczmarek, Ingo; Ueberfuhr, Peter; Spannagl, Michael; Reichart, Bruno; Sodian, Ralf; Vicol, Calin; Schmoeckel, Michael; Beiras-Fernandez, Andres; Kauke, Teresa; Deutsch, Marcus-André
    Objectives: The clinical significance of anti-HLA-alloantibodies remains controversial. Recent studies have linked development of donor-specific HLA-antibodies to chronic allograft rejection and graft loss after heart, kidney, and lung transplants. We investigated the clinical impact of donor-specific humoral alloreactivity during the follow-up of heart transplant recipients. Patients and Methods: The sera of 213 heart transplant recipients were screened by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for HLA-antibody production. The antigen specificity of the detected HLA class I and class II antibodies was identified using a Luminex assay. Outcome variables were survival, cardiac allograft vasculopathy, and cellular rejection. Results: The cumulative incidence of alloantibody formation was 23/213 patients (10.8%). The majority of detected alloantibodies were donor-specific for HLA class II. Mean follow-up at antibody measurements was 7 ± 4.9 years. Freedom from vasculopathy at 5 and 10 years was 77.9% and 26% in donor-specific HLA-antibody-positive patients compared with 84.6% and 65.2% in antibody-negative controls (P = .025). Freedom from treated, biopsy-proven rejection was 44.4% for donor-specific HLA-antibody-positive patients compared with 70.2% in the controls (P = .06). Multivariate analyses identified donor-specific HLA antibody positivity as an independent risk factor for vasculopathy. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate a strong correlation between the development of donor-specific HLA antibodies and adverse outcomes after heart transplant. Detection of donor-specific HLA antibodies might identify high-risk patients and offer an opportunity for early clinical intervention and modification of immunosuppression.
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    Off-Pump Coronary Surgery for Allograft Vasculopathy 8 Years After Heart Transplant
    (Başkent Üniversitesi, 2009-12) Michel, Sebastian; Vicol, Calin; Reichart, Bruno; Abicht, Jan; Ueberfuhr, Peter; Beiras-Fernandez, Andres; Kaczmarek, Ingo
    Cardiac allograft vasculopathy is a severe complication after heart transplant, and is the major cause of death in patients surviving 1 year after transplant. We present a 59-year-old patient undergoing off-pump, coronary artery bypass surgery, 8 years after heart transplant. Owing to toxic liver disease, the lipid lowering therapy with statins had to be stopped 6 years after transplant, and coronary artery disease developed rapidly within 2 years. Off-pump, coronary bypass surgery was performed using a new, multisuction cardiac positioner; a disposable stabilizer; and a proximal seal system to avoid clamping of the aorta. The patient received 3 bypass grafts: the left internal thoracic artery; to the left anterior descending coronary artery; 1 saphenous vein graft to the marginal branch of the circumflex artery; and 1 saphenous vein graft to the right coronary artery. His postoperative course was uneventful.