Clinical transplantation
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Clinical transplantation · Sep 2007
Quality of life and psychological well-being during and after left ventricular assist device support.
Left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) are increasingly being used to treat patients in end-stage heart failure to facilitate survival to cardiac transplant or as a bridge to myocardial recovery. The technical innovation of the LVAD has a significant benefit on the patients' physical functioning. However, within the United Kingdom, there has been no systematic evaluation of the psychological adjustment and quality of life (QoL) of patients currently living with an LVAD, or of the differences in QoL for patients who are either explanted or transplanted. ⋯ For patients with an LVAD in situ, there was a trend for QoL and psychological functioning to be poorer than for transplanted and explanted patients. Larger studies will be needed to confirm these findings, but psychological assessment and interventions to reduce psychological morbidity and improve QoL will be important in these patients, particularly in view of the increasing numbers of LVADs being implanted and the possibility of their use for long-term "destination" therapy.
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Clinical transplantation · Sep 2007
Influence of cytokine genes polymorphisms on long-term outcome in renal transplantation.
Recently, polymorphisms of cytokine genes have been associated with modified gene expression and increased cytokine production. We evaluated the influence of interleukin-10 (IL-10) gene G-1082A, tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) gene G-308A and IL-6 gene G-174C polymorphisms on the rejection rate, renal function and long-term outcome in renal transplantation. ⋯ Our results suggest that IL-10 gene G-1082A, TNFalpha gene G-308A and IL-6 gene G-174C polymorphisms are no major risk factors in renal transplantation.