De Novo Donor-Specific Antibodies after Heart Transplantation: A Comprehensive Guide for Clinicians

Antibodies directed against donor-specific human leukocyte antigens (HLAs) can be detected de novo after heart transplantation and play a key role in long-term survival. De novo donor-specific antibodies (dnDSAs) have been associated with cardiac allograft vasculopathy, antibody-mediated rejection, and mortality. Advances in detection methods and international guideline recommendations have encouraged the adoption of screening protocols among heart transplant units. However, there is still a lack of consensus about the correct course of action after dnDSA detection. Treatment is usually started when antibody-mediated rejection is present; however, some dnDSAs appear years before graft failure is detected, and at this point, damage may be irreversible. In particular, class II, anti-HLA-DQ, complement binding, and persistent dnDSAs have been associated with worse outcomes. Growing evidence points towards a more aggressive management of dnDSA. For that purpose, better diagnostic tools are needed in order to identify subclinical graft injury. Cardiac magnetic resonance, strain techniques, or coronary physiology parameters could provide valuable information to identify patients at risk. Treatment of dnDSA usually involves plasmapheresis, intravenous immunoglobulin, immunoadsorption, and ritxumab, but the benefit of these therapies is still controversial. Future efforts should focus on establishing effective treatment protocols in order to improve long-term survival of heart transplant recipients

De Novo Donor-Specific Antibodies after Heart Transplantation: A Comprehensive Guide for Clinicians

Antibodies directed against donor-specific human leukocyte antigens (HLAs) can be detected de novo after heart transplantation and play a key role in long-term survival. De novo donor-specific antibodies (dnDSAs) have been associated with cardiac allograft vasculopathy, antibody-mediated rejection, and mortality. Advances in detection methods and international guideline recommendations have encouraged the adoption of screening protocols among heart transplant units. However, there is still a lack of consensus about the correct course of action after dnDSA detection. Treatment is usually started when antibody-mediated rejection is present; however, some dnDSAs appear years before graft failure is detected, and at this point, damage may be irreversible. In particular, class II, anti-HLA-DQ, complement binding, and persistent dnDSAs have been associated with worse outcomes. Growing evidence points towards a more aggressive management of dnDSA. For that purpose, better diagnostic tools are needed in order to identify subclinical graft injury. Cardiac magnetic resonance, strain techniques, or coronary physiology parameters could provide valuable information to identify patients at risk. Treatment of dnDSA usually involves plasmapheresis, intravenous immunoglobulin, immunoadsorption, and ritxumab, but the benefit of these therapies is still controversial. Future efforts should focus on establishing effective treatment protocols in order to improve long-term survival of heart transplant recipients.Depto. de MedicinaFac. de MedicinaTRUEpubDescuento UC

Influence of statin treatment in a cohort of patients admitted for COVID-19

Aims and objectives: Statins have been proposed as potentially useful agents for modulating the host response in COVID-19. However, solid evidence-based recommendations are still lacking. Our aim was to study the association between statin use and clinical outcomes in a large cohort of hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection, as well as the specific consequences of chronic treatment withdrawal during hospital admission. Material and methods: Retrospective observational study including 2191 hospitalized patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. Results: Mean age was 68.0±17.8 years and 597 (27.3%) patients died during follow-up. A total of 827 patients (37.7% of the whole sample), received chronic treatment with statins. Even though they underwent more frequent admissions in critical care units, chronic treatment with statins was not independently associated with all-cause mortality [HR 0.95 (0.72-1.25)]. During the whole hospital admission, 371 patients (16.9%) received at least one dose of statin. Although these patients had a significantly worse clinical profile, both treatment with statins during admission [HR 1.03 (0.78-1.35)] and withdrawal of chronic statin treatment [HR 1.01 (0.78-1.30)] showed a neutral effect in mortality. However, patients treated with statins presented more frequently hepatic cytolysis, rhabdomyolysis and thrombotic/hemorrhagic events. Conclusions: In this large cohort of hospitalized COVID-19 patients, statins were not independently associated with all-cause mortality during follow-up. Clinically relevant statin-associated adverse effects should be carefully monitored during hospital admissio

ATLANTIC ANTS: a data set of ants in Atlantic Forests of South America

International audienc

NEOTROPICAL XENARTHRANS: a data set of occurrence of xenarthran species in the Neotropics

Xenarthrans—anteaters, sloths, and armadillos—have essential functions for ecosystem maintenance, such as insect control and nutrient cycling, playing key roles as ecosystem engineers. Because of habitat loss and fragmentation, hunting pressure, and conflicts with domestic dogs, these species have been threatened locally, regionally, or even across their full distribution ranges. The Neotropics harbor 21 species of armadillos, 10 anteaters, and 6 sloths. Our data set includes the families Chlamyphoridae (13), Dasypodidae (7), Myrmecophagidae (3), Bradypodidae (4), and Megalonychidae (2). We have no occurrence data on Dasypus pilosus (Dasypodidae). Regarding Cyclopedidae, until recently, only one species was recognized, but new genetic studies have revealed that the group is represented by seven species. In this data paper, we compiled a total of 42,528 records of 31 species, represented by occurrence and quantitative data, totaling 24,847 unique georeferenced records. The geographic range is from the southern United States, Mexico, and Caribbean countries at the northern portion of the Neotropics, to the austral distribution in Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay. Regarding anteaters, Myrmecophaga tridactyla has the most records (n = 5,941), and Cyclopes sp. have the fewest (n = 240). The armadillo species with the most data is Dasypus novemcinctus (n = 11,588), and the fewest data are recorded for Calyptophractus retusus (n = 33). With regard to sloth species, Bradypus variegatus has the most records (n = 962), and Bradypus pygmaeus has the fewest (n = 12). Our main objective with Neotropical Xenarthrans is to make occurrence and quantitative data available to facilitate more ecological research, particularly if we integrate the xenarthran data with other data sets of Neotropical Series that will become available very soon (i.e., Neotropical Carnivores, Neotropical Invasive Mammals, and Neotropical Hunters and Dogs). Therefore, studies on trophic cascades, hunting pressure, habitat loss, fragmentation effects, species invasion, and climate change effects will be possible with the Neotropical Xenarthrans data set. Please cite this data paper when using its data in publications. We also request that researchers and teachers inform us of how they are using these data

NEOTROPICAL CARNIVORES: a data set on carnivore distribution in the Neotropics

Mammalian carnivores are considered a key group in maintaining ecological health and can indicate potential ecological integrity in landscapes where they occur. Carnivores also hold high conservation value and their habitat requirements can guide management and conservation plans. The order Carnivora has 84 species from 8 families in the Neotropical region: Canidae; Felidae; Mephitidae; Mustelidae; Otariidae; Phocidae; Procyonidae; and Ursidae. Herein, we include published and unpublished data on native terrestrial Neotropical carnivores (Canidae; Felidae; Mephitidae; Mustelidae; Procyonidae; and Ursidae). NEOTROPICAL CARNIVORES is a publicly available data set that includes 99,605 data entries from 35,511 unique georeferenced coordinates. Detection/non-detection and quantitative data were obtained from 1818 to 2018 by researchers, governmental agencies, non-governmental organizations, and private consultants. Data were collected using several methods including camera trapping, museum collections, roadkill, line transect, and opportunistic records. Literature (peer-reviewed and grey literature) from Portuguese, Spanish and English were incorporated in this compilation. Most of the data set consists of detection data entries (n = 79,343; 79.7%) but also includes non-detection data (n = 20,262; 20.3%). Of those, 43.3% also include count data (n = 43,151). The information available in NEOTROPICAL CARNIVORES will contribute to macroecological, ecological, and conservation questions in multiple spatio-temporal perspectives. As carnivores play key roles in trophic interactions, a better understanding of their distribution and habitat requirements are essential to establish conservation management plans and safeguard the future ecological health of Neotropical ecosystems. Our data paper, combined with other large-scale data sets, has great potential to clarify species distribution and related ecological processes within the Neotropics. There are no copyright restrictions and no restriction for using data from this data paper, as long as the data paper is cited as the source of the information used. We also request that users inform us of how they intend to use the data