Introdução e Objetivos: O cuidado de Enfermagem à pessoa póstransplante cardíaco é um tema pouco investigado no Brasil. Este estudo teve como objetivos: Identificar os cuidados de Enfermagem prestados ao paciente transplantado cardíaco mediato em unidade de terapia intensiva e na unidade de internação de um hospital especializado em cardiologia; apreender os cuidados que o paciente transplantado cardíaco espera receber do enfermeiro em unidade de terapia intensiva e na unidade de internação, na perspectiva do enfermeiro e na perspectiva do paciente. Metodologia: Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa. Foram entrevistados nove enfermeiros e três pacientes que atenderam aos critérios de inclusão, utilizando-se um questionário semiestruturado, cujos dados foram analisados por meio da análise temática, conforme Minayo. O projeto de pesquisa foi aprovado pelo Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa da Escola de Enfermagem da USP e autorizada a coleta de dados pelo Instituto do Coração do HCFMUSP, local onde foi realizada a pesquisa. Resultados: A relação dos enfermeiros e dos pacientes está mediada pelo cuidado, que se expressa por um cuidado realizado que é o cuidado prestado e um cuidado desejado ou um cuidado esperado, que evidenciam as expectativas tanto dos enfermeiros quanto dos sujeitos entrevistados. Da análise temática das entrevistas emergiram três dimensões de cuidados: biológica, emocional e psicossocial. A dimensão biológica é apreendida pelos enfermeiros e pelos pacientes na mesma perspectiva e se refere aos cuidados relativos à administração de medicamentos, à alimentação, aos curativos, à detecção de sinais de rejeição, aos drenos e cateter, à higiene, à prevenção de infecção e à realização de biópsia. A dimensão emocional, na perspectiva dos enfermeiros, está relacionada à revolta com a doença e ao longo tempo de internação, enquanto na dos pacientes se refere ao apoio, à atenção e ao vínculo afetivo. Na dimensão psicossocial os enfermeiros abordam o acolhimento da família e a orientação para o cuidado e os pacientes a orientação para o cuidado. Considerações finais: Os enfermeiros citam e realizam predominantemente cuidados na dimensão biológica e é assim que os pacientes os apreendem e os reproduzem. As outras dimensões do cuidado foram pouco mencionadas, o que sugere a necessidade de ressignificar o cuidado ao transplantado cardíaco de modo a que as condições objetivas de trabalho e as crenças sejam analisadas e investigadas visando à ampliação e à efetivação do cuidado que se deseja ser multidimensional. / Introduction and Objectives: The nursing care to an individual after cardiac transplantation is poorly investigated in Brazil. This study aimed to: Identify the nursing care provided to mediate postoperative cardiac transplant patient in the intensive care unit and inpatient unit of a hospital specialized in cardiology; apprehend the nursing care that heart transplant patient hopes to receive from the nurse in the intensive care unit and inpatient unit, from the perspective of the nurse and the patient. Methods: This was a qualitative research. Was interviewed nine nurses and three patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria, using a semi-structured questionnaire whose data were analyzed using thematic analysis according to Minayo. The research project was approved by the EEUSP Ethics Commission and the collection of data were authorized by HCFMUSP, where the research was conducted. Results: The ratio of nurses and patients is mediated by nursing care, which is expressed by a realized care that is the provided care and a desired nursing care or expected care, which showed both the expectations of nurses as the interviewed subjects. The thematic analysis of the interviews revealed three dimensions of care: biological, psychosocial and emotional. The biological dimension is apprehended by nurses and patients in the same perspective and refers to the care of the administration of medicines, to food, to bandages, to detection the signs of rejection, to the drains and catheters, to hygiene, to the prevention of infections and to the biopsy. The emotional dimension, from the perspective of nurses, is related to the anger with illness and hospitalization time, while the patients perspective referred to the support, attention and affective link. In psychosocial dimension the nurses approach the hosting of family and the orientation related to the care and the patients referred the orientation related to the care. Final considerations: The nurses cite and realize predominantly biological dimension care and that is how the patients reproduce them. Other dimensions of care were just little mentioned, which suggests the need to resignify the transplanted heart care so that the objective conditions of work and beliefs are examined and investigated aiming to increase and to effective the care that is wanted to be multidimensional.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-26T14:54:37Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Maria de Fatima Patu da Silva.pdf: 2895041 bytes, checksum: a2389e9eedb7123cb1f8a76e5d10ad18 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-11-11 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This work is a doctoral research in Social Sciences and whose object of study has been the bone marrow donor/transplantation. This can be analyzed at least by two areas of knowledge: Anthropology and Medicine. We take the notion of gift as a founding concept of our reflection. Thus, we should remember the bone marrow as an object donated for transplantation that carries beyond the genetic and physiological capacity, power and strength to revive the receiver. In recent decade, organ transplantation has attracted reviews from various sectors of the Brazilian society, the media, on the other hand, has been playing an important role in the broad disclosure information by democratizing the discussions, sometimes heated and contradictory, and clarifies or raises doubts and fear in people. It is therefore a matter of great social relevance and as such has been treated well by society; it has been receptive to the calls of solidarity in organ donation as public health, because it is a procedure of high complexity and high cost, requiring measures of public policy planning and resource allocation, democratic and ethical criteria. This study aims to describe the profile of recipients of bone marrow in Recife and Lisbon. We performed a retrospective analysis from 2002 to 2010. Over this period, 134 patients underwent transplantation with unrelated donors of these, 107 in Lisbon and 26 in Recife. Patients transplanted in Lisbon (51.4 %) are female; while in Recife (69.2 %) are male. Are in the age group 0-17 years in Portugal (54.2 %) and Recife (50 %) diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia prevalent. However, in Lisbon prevailed diagnosis of Acute Myeloid Leukemia. The study draws attention to the fact that Lisbon performed more transplants in the age group of 30-39 years old (18.7%), different from Recife (11.5%) in the same age group. In terms of age group 18-29 years old showed a percentage of (15.9 %). Research has shown acute myeloid leukemia as the most prevalent disease in Lisbon. It is a fact that confirms the literature, to affect individuals of all ages, especially those in adulthood. This study is in the age group above 50 years old in Lisbon (6.5%) and Recife (3.8 %). We emphasize that in the period of data collection, Recife had a population of 1,537,704 and 2,821,699 people Lisbon. Although Recife has other units, only the center where the research was conducted was doing this type of transplant / Este trabalho é uma pesquisa de doutorado em Ciências Sociais e tem como objeto de estudo o doador de medula óssea/transplante. Este pode ser analisado, pelo menos, por duas áreas do conhecimento: antropologia e medicina. Tomamos a noção de dádiva como conceito fundante da nossa reflexão. Para isso, convém lembrar que a medula óssea enquanto objeto doado para o transplante carrega além da constituição genética e sua capacidade fisiológica, o poder e a força de reviver o receptor. Nas últimas décadas, o transplante de órgãos tem atraído opiniões de setores diversificados da sociedade brasileira, a mídia, por sua vez, vem cumprindo importante papel na ampla divulgação ao democratizar as informações a discussões, algumas vezes acaloradas e contraditórias, assim como esclarece ou suscita dúvidas e receio nas pessoas. É, portanto, um tema de muita relevância social e como tal, tem sido tratado tanto pela sociedade, receptiva aos apelos da solidariedade na doação de órgãos, como pela saúde pública, por se tratar de um procedimento de alta complexidade e elevado custo, exigindo medidas de planejamento de políticas públicas e alocação de recursos, critérios éticos e democráticos. Este estudo objetiva descrever o perfil dos receptores de medula óssea em Recife e Lisboa. Foi realizada uma análise retrospectiva no período de 2002 a 2010. No período analisado, 134 pacientes realizaram transplante com doadores não aparentados destes, 107 em Lisboa e 26 em Recife. Os pacientes transplantados em Lisboa (51,4%) são do sexo feminino, enquanto em Recife (69,2%) pertence ao sexo masculino. Estão na faixa etária de 0 a 17 anos em Portugal (54,2%) e Recife (50 %) com diagnóstico prevalente de Anemia Aplástica. No entanto, em Lisboa prevaleceu o diagnóstico de Leucemia Mieloide Aguda. O estudo chama a atenção para o fato de que Lisboa realizou mais transplantes na faixa etária de 30 a 39 anos (18,7%), diferente de Recife (11,5%) na mesma faixa etária. Em relação à faixa etária de 18 a 29 anos, apresentou um percentual de (15,9%). A pesquisa mostrou a leucemia mieloide aguda como a doença mais prevalente em Lisboa. É um dado que corrobora com a literatura, por afetar indivíduos de todas as idades, principalmente os que estão na fase adulta. Nesse estudo está na faixa etária acima de 50 anos em Lisboa (6,5%) e Recife (3,8%). Ressaltamos que, no período da coleta de dados, Recife tinha uma população de 1.537.704 e Lisboa 2.821.699 pessoas. Apesar de Recife possuir outras unidades, apenas o centro onde foi realizada a pTesquisa estava fazendo este tipo de transplante

O Banco de Tecidos do Instituto de Ortopedia e Traumatologia do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo está desenvolvendo uma linha de estudos experimentais com o intuito de apresentar novos métodos de armazenamento de aloenxertos. Este estudo tem como objetivo comparar o método da criopreservação (- 80° C) com o da conservação em glicerol a 98% em temperatura ambiente. Foram analisadas tanto a capacidade de inibição de crescimento bacteriano e fúngico quanto às eventuais alterações histológicas. Para isso, foram estudadas 30 amostras de tecido ósseo trabecular coletadas de 10 pacientes submetidos à artroplastia total do quadril. Estas amostras foram divididas em três grupos de 10 espécimes, a saber: grupo controle, grupo criopreservado e grupo conservado em glicerol a 98% à temperatura ambiente. O período de armazenamento das amostras foi de um ano. Os resultados foram analisados estatisticamente pelo método de McNemar, com índice de significância de 0,10. No que diz respeito à preservação da matriz óssea, não houve variações significativas nos dois grupos estudados em relação ao grupo controle. Não ocorreu crescimento bacteriano ou de fungos nas amostras armazenadas durante um ano em glicerol a 98%. Por ser extremamente reduzido em relação à criopreservação, o custo do método da conservação em glicerol a 98% o indica para uso em Bancos de Tecidos de pequena monta. Contudo, são ainda necessários posteriores estudos sobre as propriedades biomecânicas, remoção do glicerol do tecido ósseo e o processo de integração biológica dos mesmos com o receptor. / The Tissue Bank of Instituto de Ortopedia e Traumatologia do Hospital das Clínicas da Universidade de São Paulo is developing a line of experimental studies with the intention to present new methods of allografts storage. This study has the objective to compare the method of cryopreservation (-80 ºC) with glycerol 98% preservation at room temperature. It even analyses, in such way, the inhibition capacity of bacterial and fungal growth and any eventual histological changes. For this, 30 samples of trabecular bone tissue have been collected from 10 patients submitted to total hip arthroplasty. These samples were separated in three groups of 10 specimens, as following: a control group, a cryopreserved group and a glycerol 98% preserved group at room temperature. They were stored during a period of one year. The results were analysed by the McNemar statistic method, with a significance of 0,10. Concerning to bone matrix, no significant changes occurred to the two studied groups compared to the control group. Bacterial and fungal growth do not occurred in the stored samples for one year in glycerol 98%. For being extremely reduced when compared with cryopreservation method, the preservation cost in glycerol 98% indicates its use on small sum tissue banks. However, posterior studies about biomechanical properties, glycerol removal of bone tissue and their biological process of integration with the receiver are necessary.

A recuperação de partes deficientes do corpo humano por substitutos funcionais, tem suscitado questionamentos por parte de profissionais cirurgiões e pesquisadores da área de cirurgia e traumatologia Bucomaxilofacial. Na tentativa de recuperar o contorno anatômico natural e restaurar a função de áreas com deficiência de tecido ósseo, optou-se inicialmente pela utilização de enxertos ósseos autógenos. Apesar de suas inúmeras vantagens, o uso de enxertos autógenos na reconstrução da face apresenta certos inconvenientes, como a necessidade de hospitalização, intervenção em outra área do organismo, morbidade da área doadora, maior período de convalescença, susceptibilidade a infecções, e ainda, uma possível reabsorção progressiva e constante. Um questionamento ainda maior gira em torno das cirurgias para enxerto ósseo na face já que os ossos da face são curtos e não justifica a morbidade de uma outra região do organismo para suprir sua necessidade. Na tentativa de substituir o uso de enxertos autógenos, cirurgiões começaram a optar por materiais sintéticos ou similares orgânicos, associadas com o uso das proteínas ósseas morfogenéticas, que são fatores de crescimento responsáveis pela indução da formação óssea no organismo humano desde sua fase fetal até a idade madura. A proposta deste estudo é fazer uma avaliação sobre o conhecimento e o uso clínico pelos cirurgiões buco-maxilo-faciais, no Brasil, de proteínas ósseas morfogenéticas no auxílio à reparos de defeitos ósseos da face. / The use of alloplastic materials for bone replacement has been extensively debated lately by surgeons and researchers in the Oral and Maxillofacial field. In the attempt to reconstruct bone defects anatomically and functionally autogenous bone grafts have been the preferred option. Although being considered the gold standard in craniofacial reconstruction, there are some inconveniences in the use of bone autografts. Among them the need of hospitalization, the need of a donor site usually in a different area than the bone defect, donor area morbidity, longer recovery time, increased risk of infection, and the possibility of bone resorption over time. When the face is operated the use of autogenous bone is even more questionable. Usually small amounts of bone grafts are necessary in the face, and might not justify the morbidity of the donor site. In an attempt to avoid the use of bone autografts, allografts and alloplastic materials have been advertised, in association with bone morphogenetic proteins. These proteins are growth factors involved in the osteogenesis in humans from the fetus up to the adult age. The aim of this study is to evaluate the knowledge and the clinical use of bone morphogenetic proteins in the repair of facial bone defects by Brazilian Oral and Maxillofacial surgeons.

The purpose of this review was to identify the history of and advances in cystic fibrosis (CF). New treatment plans, medication developments, and a historical perspective of airway clearance therapy (ACT) will be presented. The importance of treatment compliance and time management in the care of cystic fibrosis patients will also be discussed. Furthermore, the development of cystic fibrosis clinics and the pivotal role they play in the treatment of the disease will be addressed. Lastly, a brief discussion concerning the need for and process of lung transplantation will be reported.

La drépanocytose est une maladie chronique et génétique de l’hémoglobine. Elle se caractérise par la survenue très précoce de crises de douleurs extrêmement intenses et le plus souvent imprévisibles. Le seul traitement qui permet, à l’heure actuelle, d’obtenir la guérison du malade est la transplantation de cellules souches hématopoïétiques à partir d’un donneur compatible et apparenté. Or, si la greffe est curative, elle est aussi un processus dangereux et incertain qui conduit à une prise de risque importante. En outre, la guérison n’offre pas le retour à un état de santé d’avant la maladie, mais l’accès à un état inédit et jusque-là inconnu, elle conduit donc le sujet à opérer d’importants remaniements, notamment identitaires.Dans une première partie, nous décrirons la drépanocytose dans ses dimensions somatiques, anthropologiques et psychiques afin de déployer les différents aspects qui contribuent à sa puissance identificatoire. Puis, nous nous intéresserons aux effets de la greffe et aux remaniements qu’elle provoque, depuis son annonce et jusqu’à 20 ans après la transplantation. Notre objectif est d’interroger la notion de guérison telle qu’elle est annoncée par le monde médical et de soutenir qu’elle ne peut se réduire aux seuls effets somatiques. Nous souhaitons, ainsi, plaider pour l’organisation systématique d’un accompagnement des effets psychiques induits par ce processus complexe, radical et profondément bouleversant, à toutes ses étapes, tant chez l’adulte que chez l’enfant. / Sickle cell disease is a chronic and genetic disease of hemoglobin. It is characterized by the very early onset of extremely intense and often unpredictable pain attacks. The only treatment that currently enables the patient to be cured is the transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells from a compatible and related donor. However, if the graft is curative, it is also a dangerous and uncertain process that leads to significant risk taking. In addition, healing does not offer a return to a state of health before the disease, but access to a new and unknown state, it leads the subject to make major changes, notably identitary.In a first part, we will describe sickle cell disease in its somatic, anthropological and psychic dimensions in order to deploy the various aspects that contribute to its identificatory power. Then, we will focus on the effects of the transplant and the changes it causes, since its announcement and until 20 years after transplantation. Our goal is to question the notion of healing as it is announced by the medical world and to argue that it can not be reduced only to somatic effects. We thus wish to advocate for the systematic organization of an accompaniment of the psychic effects induced by this complex radical and deeply upsetting process, at all its stages, for the adult as well as for the child.

Despite Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) matching and use of immunosuppressive drugs, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) following hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) is prevalent and often fatal. Additionally, older HSCT recipients experience increased morbidity and mortality. Prophylactic treatment with age-matched syngeneic (recipient strain-derived) cultured regulatory DC (DCreg) has been shown to decrease GVHD-associated mortality in young bone marrow transplanted (BMT) mice. The purpose of this study was to investigate: 1) the potential to generate DCreg from older mice and their subsequent ability to ameliorate GVHD in older BMT mice, 2) the mechanism(s) by which DCreg mitigate GVHD in vivo, 3) the ability of DCreg-treated BMT mice to respond to infectious pathogens, and 4) whether DCreg can be generated under clinically relevant conditions from healthy donor and HSCT recipient PBMCs. To evaluate the efficacy of DCreg treatment in older mice, complete MHC-mismatched BMT mice were treated with DCreg (hereafter referred to as DCreg-treated BMT mice). Although DCreg treatment ameliorated GVHD in older BMT mice, these mice had increased morbidity and decreased survival compared to their young counterparts. Following transfer into BMT mice, older DCreg failed to increase inhibitory molecule (PD-L1 and PIR B) expression while significantly upregulating co-stimulatory molecule (CD40 and CD80) expression, conversely young DCreg upregulated inhibitory molecules as well as co-stimulatory molecules. These phenotypic differences between young and older DCreg in vivo provide a potential mechanism for modestly increased morbidity and mortality in older DCreg-treated BMT mice relative to their young counterparts. Indeed, BMT mice treated with DCreg deficient in PD-L1 or PIR B had significantly reduced overall survival, thus both molecules are required for optimal GVHD mitigation. A murine H1N1 influenza (IAV) infection model was used to assess the donor immune system's capacity to respond to relevant antigens other than those responsible for GVHD. Surprisingly, sub-lethally IAV-infected DCreg-treated BMT mice began to die after d. +21 and all were deceased by d. +25. Virus-specific CD8+ T cell and antibody (Ab) responses were undetectable following primary infection. Interestingly, following a prime-boost infection strategy, DCreg-treated BMT mice survived lethal IAV challenge with no signs of morbidity and had demonstrable IAV-specific Ab and CD8+ T cell responses. Thus a prime-boost IAV infection strategy establishes a protective immune response in the DCreg-treated BMT mice and underscores the potential role vaccination may play in establishing immune competence in DCreg-treated BMT mice. We investigated whether human DCreg can be generated under clinically relevant conditions: 1) following peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) cryopreservation, 2) in bovine serum-free media, and 3) from older individuals and HSCT recipients. DCreg were generated from healthy donor and HSCT patient PBMCs isolated from young (old) and older (> 50 years old) individuals by culturing cells in X-vivo serum-free. Human DCreg generated from both young and older healthy donor PBMCs had comparable numbers, surface molecule phenotype, cytokine production, and able to induce Treg. Cryopreserved and fresh PBMCs generated DCreg with similar phenotypes and cytokine production. DCreg generated from HSCT recipients maintained low co-stimulatory molecule and high inhibitory molecule expression as well as immunosuppressive cytokine production. These studies confirm DCreg can be generated under clinically relevant conditions.

The purpose of this study is to identify and explore issues and challenges that impact on transplant coordinators and their practice. Such identification enhances understanding of their role, provides evidence for decision-makers to facilitate the positive aspects of the coordinators' practice, highlights their professional needs and contributions and provides baseline data for future research, education and policy development. The study used both qualitative and quantitative data. Data collection methods involved focus group interviews and Delphi surveys. Participants were coordinators who were employed on a full-time, part-time or relieving basis. Recruitment of participants was done by purposive and snowball sampling. There were 112 coordinators in the study and each was randomly assigned to the focus groups or Delphi survey phases of the research. The analysis of the focus group data together with the literature, informed the development of the first Delphi survey. The second Delphi survey was developed using the data from the focus groups, literature and the first survey. Four categories emerged from the data. The first involved 'knowledge and experience', which explored the education needs of coordinators and the issue of nursing qualification requirements. The work environment, demands and conditions, together with role attributes were discussed in the next category - 'the role'. Recipient, donor family and transplant coordinator outcomes were addressed in the 'outcomes’ category. The basic social process – building relationships - explored the relationships that coordinators have with the health team and their client groups. Four types of relationships emerged which were supportive, non-supportive, aggressive and virtual relationships. The emergent theory of the challenges that transplant coordinators face relates to the building of relationships. The theory also discovers how knowledge and experience, the role and outcomes impact on the building of these relationships in an interdependent manner. This study also emphasises that the transplant coordinators' role is complex, demanding and distinctly unique in terms of the context within which coordinators practice. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1311520 / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Population Health and Clinical Practice, 2008

<p> </p><p>Bakgrund: Väntelistorna för de patienter som står i kö för en levertransplantation blir allt längre i alla länder runt om i världen. Väntetiden upplevs för patienterna som en psykiskt och socialt påfrestande tid eftersom det är oklart om och när ett organ som passar blir tillgängligt. Det är viktigt att sjuksköterskan antar utmaningen att möta lidandet och den lidande människan och bidra till att minska detta. Syfte: Syftet med litteraturstudien var att belysa och beskriva patienters upplevelser i väntan på en levertransplantation. Metod: Litteraturstudien bygger på totalt 10 kvalitativa och kvantitativa vetenskapliga artiklar. Resultat: Att bli uppsatt på väntelistan för en ny lever upplevdes av många patienter som en enorm lättnad och de fick en känsla av hopp samtidigt som det innebar en fysisk och psykisk begränsning i tillvaron. Rädsla och ångest på grund av ovissheten var också ett stort problem för deltagarna. Informationen och stödet ansågs vara viktigt under väntetiden. Diskussion: Upplevelsen av förändrad självbild och identitet, ångest samt behovet av information och stöd i väntan diskuterades och kopplades samman med Joyce Travelbees omvårdnadsteori samt sjuksköterskans kompetens. Slutsats: För att kunna utveckla omvårdnaden kring patienter som väntar på en levertransplantation krävs det mer forskning som belyser upplevelsen av väntan före en levertransplantation.</p><p> </p> / <p><p>Background: The number of patients on waiting lists for a liver transplant is growing in all countries around the world. These patients experience the waiting as a psychologically and socially stressful time, because it is unclear if and when a suitable organ will become available. It is important for the nurse to try to relieve the suffering of these patients. Aim: The purpose of this study was to illustrate and describe patients' experiences while waiting for a liver transplant. Method: This literature study was based on a total of ten articles describing research performed using qualitative and quantitative methods. Results: Being put on the transplant waiting list gave the patients feelings of substantial relief and hope, but at the same time involved physical and mental limitations in their daily lives. Fear and anxiety due to the uncertainty of the situation was also a significant problem for the liver candidates. Information and support was regarded as important during the waiting time. Discussion: The experiences of a changed self-image and identity, anxiety, and the need for information and support were discussed and linked to Joyce Travelbee’s nursing theory and to the skills of nurses. Conclusion: To be able to develop nursing care related to cases involving liver transplants, more research is needed to highlight the things the patients experience while waiting to undergo such surgery.</p></p>

Clinicians lack appropriate non-invasive methods to be able to predict, diagnose, and reduce the risk of rejection in the years following kidney transplantation. Protocol biopsies and monitoring of serum creatinine levels are the most common methods of monitoring graft function after transplant; however, they have several negative aspects. Use of traditional factors regarding donors and recipients such as Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) DNA typing, pre-transplant anti-HLA antibody levels, and basic demographics (age, ethnicity/race, gender), has proved inadequate for post-transplant graft monitoring past the first few years. We propose that by utilizing immunologic factors available to clinicians across the United States, development of a non-invasive model for predicting renal graft outcome will provide a useful tool for post-transplant patient monitoring. We advocate an expanded model which incorporates both the traditional factors, as well as new factors, which have shown promise in predicting kidney outcome and are widely available for testing using commercial kits. These additional factors include major histocompatibility complex class I chain-related gene A (MICA) typing of donor and recipient, degree of matching for killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) between donor and recipient, detection of MICA antibodies, and soluble CD30 level (sCD30). This proposed graft-function prediction model is the first to include all of these factors. Using multi-center data from adult recipients of standard-criteria deceased-donor (SCD) kidneys, we were able to construct models, containing the traditional factors only, for prediction of outcome at 1 year and 3 years post-transplant. Using single-center data from adult recipients of standard-criteria deceased-donor kidneys, we developed comparison models containing traditional factors only, as well as, expanded models containing the new suggested variables for prediction of outcome post-transplant. These additional variables, when incorporated into the expanded models provided greater positive predictive values, greater negative predictive values, and lower false negative rates for graft outcome at 1 year and at 3 years post-transplant than the models utilizing traditional factors only. Our results indicate that evaluation of sCD30, MICA and KIR as part of routine protocol testing, is helpful to clinicians for predicting risk of kidney graft rejection.