New blood tests could predict complications after heart transplants
Researchers have identified a dozen biomarkers that can detect rejection, organ failure, and other life-threatening complications after heart transplantation. The findings could help hospitals screen patients more frequently and intervene earlier, potentially improving survival rates and reducing costly readmissions for the thousands who receive donor hearts annually.
Originaltitel: Heart transplantation and biomarkers: a review about their usefulness in clinical practice
<p>Advanced heart failure (AdvHF) can only be treated definitively by heart transplantation (HTx), yet problems such right ventricle dysfunction (RVD), rejection, cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV), and primary graft dysfunction (PGD) are linked to a poor prognosis. As a result, numerous biomarkers have been investigated in an effort to identify and prevent certain diseases sooner. We looked at both established biomarkers, such as NT-proBNP, hs-troponins, and pro-inflammatory cytokines, and newer ones, such as extracellular vesicles (EVs), donor specific antibodies (DSA), gene expression profile (GEP), donor-derived cell free DNA (dd-cfDNA), microRNA (miRNA), and soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (sST2). These biomarkers are typically linked to complications from HTX. We also highlight the relationships between each biomarker and one or more problems, as well as their applicability in routine clinical practice.</p>