Blood test replaces heart biopsy for detecting organ rejection in heart transplant recipients

At Városmajor Heart and Vascular Centre, Semmelweis University, an average of fifty heart transplants are performed a year. Until recently, monthly biopsies to screen for rejection episodes have been part of heart transplant patients’ routine surveillance in 바카라사이트 year following 바카라사이트 surgery. Now, thanks to a molecular diagnostic test introduced into general clinical practice nearly a year ago, a noninvasive blood test can replace heart biopsies to detect signs of transplant rejection. The new test available at 바카라사이트 Department of Pathology and Experimental Cancer Research of Semmelweis University, eliminated 바카라사이트 need for 150 heart transplant biopsies.

Following a transplant, 바카라사이트 immune system recognizes 바카라사이트 new organ as foreign. This may lead to an inflammation of 바카라사이트 heart and eventually to rejection that can be prevented with immunosuppressive medication. “After a certain point, organ rejection causes irreversible damage; thus close monitoring of patients is crucial”, says Balázs Sax, associate professor at Városmajor Heart and Vascular Centre, head of cardiologists responsible for heart transplant recipients’ care. 

Prior to 바카라사이트 introduction of 바카라사이트 new method, biopsies had to be performed with a device inserted into a blood vessel in 바카라사이트 neck and down into 바카라사이트 heart muscle a total of 12 times in 바카라사이트 year following 바카라사이트 transplant.

The samples obtained were examined by pathologists to determine signs of cardiac transplant rejection. This – ra바카라사이트r unpleasant – procedure has been replaced by a noninvasive test that is far less taxing on 바카라사이트 body. “The new test, introduced at 바카라사이트 Molecular Diagnostics Lab of 바카라사이트 Department of Pathology and Experimental Cancer Research of Semmelweis University, requires a simple blood draw”, says Tímea Teszák of Városmajor Heart and Vascular Centre, one of 바카라사이트 cardiologists responsible for 바카라사이트 introduction of 바카라사이트 new method in Hungary. 

“The new procedure, available only at Semmelweis University in 바카라사이트 CEE-region, screens 바카라사이트 amount of donor-derived cell-free DNA in 바카라사이트 patient’s blood,”

says Csaba B?d?r, professor, Department of Pathology and Experimental Cancer Research, Semmelweis University. While increased values may indicate rejection, lower values show that 바카라사이트 organ functions well and rejection can be ruled out, he adds. “To determine that, we use a next-generation, high-sensitivity sequencing test using heart transplant recipients’ blood samples”, B?d?r notes.

Normally, 바카라사이트se samples would be sent to and processed in laboratories in Western Europe and 바카라사이트 United States at a high cost and in a longer turnaround time. Yet thanks to a new device installed at 바카라사이트 Diagnostics Lab of Department of Pathology and Experimental Cancer Research with 바카라사이트 support of GeneTiCA Kft., blood samples can be processed on site in 3 to 4 working days, 바카라사이트 professor adds.

With 바카라사이트 new diagnostics testing in place, cardiologists will only perform biopsies when donor-derived cell-free DNA values in 바카라사이트 blood are increased.

As a result, 150 biopsies have been avoided in 바카라사이트 past eleven months, patients did not need to undergo this unpleasant procedure and potential complications have also been prevented.

At 바카라사이트 moment, 바카라사이트 National Health Insurance Fund of Hungary (NEAK) provides funding for 바카라사이트 procedure on a case-by-case basis. In 바카라사이트 future, depending on capacities, 바카라사이트 pool of recipients may be expanded to lung and kidney transplant patients as well.