User-centered design features for digital health applications to support physical activity behaviors in solid organ transplant recipients: A qualitative study.

INTRODUCTION: Digital health tools may be effective in engaging solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients in physical activity (PA). This study examined the perspectives of SOT recipients regarding PA, and desired features for digital health tools. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were used to explore perspectives of SOT recipients about barriers and motivators to physical activity, and core features of a digital health tool to support PA. Interviews were analyzed via thematic analysis. RESULTS: Participants included 21 SOT recipients (11 men, 10 women, 21-78 years, 1.5-16 years post-transplant) from various organ groups (four heart, five kidney, five liver, three lung, and four multi-organ). Barriers to PA included risk aversion, managing non-linear health trajectories, physical limitations and lack of access to appropriate fitness training. Facilitators of PA included desire to live long and healthy lives, renewed physical capabilities, access to appropriate fitness guidelines and facilities. Desired features of a digital health tool included a reward system, affordability, integration of multiple functions, and the ability to selectively share information with healthcare professionals and peers. CONCLUSIONS: SOT recipients identified the desired features of a digital health tool, which may be incorporated into future designs of digital and mobile health applications to support PA in SOT recipients.

Clinical Deployment of Machine Learning Tools in Transplant Medicine: What Does the Future Hold?

Medical applications of machine learning (ML) have shown promise in analyzing patient data to support clinical decision-making and provide patient-specific outcomes. In transplantation, several applications of ML exist which include pretransplant: patient prioritization, donor-recipient matching, organ allocation, and posttransplant outcomes. Numerous studies have shown the development and utility of ML models, which have the potential to augment transplant medicine. Despite increasing efforts to develop robust ML models for clinical use, very few of these tools are deployed in the healthcare setting. Here, we summarize the current applications of ML in transplant and discuss a potential clinical deployment framework using examples in organ transplantation. We identified that creating an interdisciplinary team, curating a reliable dataset, addressing the barriers to implementation, and understanding current clinical evaluation models could help in deploying ML models into the transplant clinic setting.

Online resources as a source of information for exercise and physical activity in solid organ transplant recipients.

Introduction: Exercise training post-transplant has been shown to improve physical function and quality of life in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients. Online resources in the form of websites and videos are commonly used to provide education and instruction on exercise and physical activity in SOT; however, the content and quality of these online resources has not been evaluated. Methods: The first 200 websites and videos identified on Google and YouTube using the English search term "exercise and physical activity in solid organ transplantation" were analyzed. Website and video content was evaluated based on 25 key components of exercise and physical activity in SOT as described in established exercise program recommendations. Website and video quality was determined using DISCERN, Global Quality Scale (GQS), and Patient Education Materials and Assessment Tool (PEMAT; threshold for which material is deemed understandable or actionable is >70%). Parametric and non-parametric tests were used to assess website and video characteristics, content, and quality metrics. Results: Forty-nine unique SOT websites (n = 15) and videos (n = 34) were identified, with the two most common categories being foundation/advocacy organizations and scientific resources. The average reading grade level of websites was 13 ± 3. Website and video content scores varied significantly (websites 11.3 ± 6.4; videos 8.4 ± 5.3). DISCERN total score and GQS score were low (median range for DISCERN 2.5-3.0; median for GQS 2.0 for both websites and videos, out of 5). PEMAT understandability and actionability scores were also low across websites and videos (mean range 57%-67% and 47%-65%, respectively). Foundation/advocacy websites had higher content and quality scores compared to scientific organizations and news/media articles. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive assessment of online content and quality of website and video resources on physical activity and exercise in adult SOT recipients. There were a limited number of online English patient-directed resources related to physical activity in SOT, most of which only partly captured items outlined in consensus exercise program recommendations and were of low quality and understandability and actionability. This work provides important insight to the English-speaking transplant community on the current state of online exercise health information and provides future direction for resource development.

Calcineurin Inhibitor in NEuRoloGically deceased donors to decrease kidney delayed graft function study: study protocol of the CINERGY Pilot randomised controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Most solid organ transplants originate from donors meeting criteria for death by neurological criteria (DNC). Within the organ donor, physiological responses to brain death increase the risk of ischaemia reperfusion injury and delayed graft function. Donor preconditioning with calcineurin inhibition may reduce this risk. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We designed a multicentre placebo-controlled pilot randomised trial involving nine organ donation hospitals and all 28 transplant programmes in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Québec. We planned to enrol 90 DNC donors and their approximately 324 organ recipients, totalling 414 participants. Donors receive an intravenous infusion of either tacrolimus 0.02 mg/kg over 4 hours prior to organ retrieval, or a matching placebo, while monitored in an intensive care unit for any haemodynamic changes during the infusion. Among all study organ recipients, we record measures of graft function for the first 7 days in hospital and we will record graft survival after 1 year. We examine the feasibility of this trial with respect to the proportion of all eligible donors enrolled and the proportion of all eligible transplant recipients consenting to receive a CINERGY organ transplant and to allow the use of their health data for study purposes. We will report these feasibility outcomes as proportions with 95% CIs. We also record any barriers encountered in the launch and in the implementation of this trial with detailed source documentation. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: We will disseminate trial results through publications and presentations at participating sites and conferences. This study has been approved by Health Canada (HC6-24-c241083) and by the Research Ethics Boards of all participating sites and in Québec (MP-31-2020-3348) and Clinical Trials Ontario (Project #3309). TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT05148715.

Clinical Deployment of Machine Learning Tools in Transplant Medicine: What Does the Future Hold?

Medical applications of machine learning (ML) have shown promise in analyzing patient data to support clinical decision-making and provide patient-specific outcomes. In transplantation, several applications of ML exist which include pretransplant: patient prioritization, donor-recipient matching, organ allocation, and posttransplant outcomes. Numerous studies have shown the development and utility of ML models, which have the potential to augment transplant medicine. Despite increasing efforts to develop robust ML models for clinical use, very few of these tools are deployed in the healthcare setting. Here, we summarize the current applications of ML in transplant and discuss a potential clinical deployment framework using examples in organ transplantation. We identified that creating an interdisciplinary team, curating a reliable dataset, addressing the barriers to implementation, and understanding current clinical evaluation models could help in deploying ML models into the transplant clinic setting.

Feasibility of a Home-Based Exercise Program for Managing Posttransplant Metabolic Syndrome in Lung and Liver Transplant Recipients: Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Posttransplant metabolic syndrome (PTMS) is a common contributor to morbidity and mortality among solid organ transplant recipients in the late posttransplant period (≥1 year). Patients diagnosed with PTMS are at a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and frequently experience decreased physical function and health-related quality of life (HRQL). Studies in the early posttransplant period (<1 year) have shown the benefits of facility-based exercise training on physical function and HRQL, but have not evaluated the effects on metabolic risk factors. It remains unclear whether home-based exercise programs are feasible and can be delivered at a sufficient exercise dose to have effects on PTMS. This protocol outlines the methodology of a randomized controlled trial of a partly supervised home-based exercise program in lung transplant (LTx) and orthotopic liver transplant (OLT) recipients. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the feasibility (ie, recruitment rate, program adherence, attrition, safety, and participant satisfaction) of a 12-week individualized, home-based aerobic and resistance training program in LTx and OLT recipients initiated 12 to 18 months after transplantation, and to assess estimates of intervention efficacy on metabolic risk factors, exercise self-efficacy, and HRQL. METHODS: In total, 20 LTx and 20 OLT recipients with ≥2 cardiometabolic risk factors at 12 to 18 months after transplantation will be randomized to an intervention (home-based exercise training) or control group. The intervention group will receive an individualized exercise prescription comprising aerobic and resistance training, 3 to 5 times a week for 12 weeks. Participants will meet on a weekly basis (via videoconference) with a qualified exercise professional who will supervise exercise progression, provide support, and support exercise self-efficacy. Participants in both study groups will receive a counseling session on healthy eating with a dietitian at the beginning of the intervention. For the primary aim, feasibility will be assessed through recruitment rate, program adherence, satisfaction, attrition, and safety parameters. Secondary outcomes will be measured at baseline and 12 weeks, including assessments of metabolic risk factors (ie, insulin resistance, abdominal obesity, blood pressure, and cholesterol), HRQL, and exercise self-efficacy. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize program feasibility and effect estimates (means and 95% CIs) for sample size calculations in future trials. RESULTS: Enrollment started in July 2021. It is estimated that the study period will be 18 months, with data collection to be completed by December 2022. CONCLUSIONS: A partly supervised home-based, individually tailored exercise program that promotes aerobic and resistance training and exercise self-efficacy may be an important intervention for improving the metabolic profile of LTx and OLT recipients with cardiometabolic risk factors. Thus, characterizing the feasibility and effect estimates of home-based exercise constitutes the first step in developing future clinical trials designed to reduce the high morbidity associated with PTMS. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04965142; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04965142. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/35700.

Canadian Society of Transplantation White Paper: Ethical and Legal Considerations for Alcohol and Cannabis Use in Solid Organ Listing and Allocation.

Alcohol and cannabis use as a contraindication to organ transplantation is a controversial issue. Until recently, patients in Canada with alcohol-associated liver disease were required to demonstrate abstinence for 6 mo to receive a liver transplant. There is no equivalent rule that is applied consistently for cannabis use. There is some evidence that alcohol and cannabis use disorder pretransplant could be associated with worse outcomes posttransplantation. However, early liver transplantation for patients with alcohol-associated liver disease in France and in the United States has led to challenges of the 6-mo abstinence rule in Canada in the media. It has also resulted in several legal challenges arguing that the rule violates human rights laws regarding discrimination in the provision of medical services and that the rule is also unconstitutional (this challenge is still before the court). Recent legalization of cannabis use for adults in Canada has led to questions about the appropriateness of limiting transplant access based on cannabis use. The ethics committee of the Canadian Society of Transplantation was asked to provide an ethical analysis of cannabis and alcohol abstinence policies. Our conclusions were as follows: neither cannabis use nor the 6-mo abstinence rule for alcohol use should be an absolute contraindication to transplantation, and transplant could be offered to selected patients, further research should be conducted to ensure evidence-based policies; and the transplant community has a duty not to perpetuate stigma associated with alcohol and cannabis use disorders.

Exercise for Solid Organ Transplant Candidates and Recipients: A Joint Position Statement of the Canadian Society of Transplantation and CAN-RESTORE.

BACKGROUND: The objectives of this position statement were to provide evidence-based and expert-informed recommendations for exercise training in adult and children solid organ transplant (SOT) candidates and recipients and on the outcomes relevant to exercise training and physical function that should be evaluated in SOT. METHODS: We identified randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and systematic reviews of exercise interventions in adult and pediatric SOT candidates and recipients. When RCTs were not available, studies of any design were reviewed. The key recommendations were based on scientific evidence and expert-informed opinion. RESULTS: We recommended that exercise training should be offered in the pre- and posttransplant phase for both adults and children. In adults, exercise training pretransplant was safe, but there was insufficient evidence to provide specific guidelines on the training characteristics. RCTs in adult SOT recipients demonstrated that exercise training improved exercise capacity, lower extremity muscle strength, and health-related quality of life. To obtain benefits, exercise training should be of moderate to vigorous-intensity level, 3-5 times a week for a minimum of 8 weeks. In pediatrics, there is an urgent need for high-quality multicenter clinical trials in the pre- and posttransplant phases. Due to limited evidence, specific recommendations regarding training characteristics could not be provided for pediatrics. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical relevance of this position statement is that it provides a key step toward raising awareness of the importance of exercise training in SOT patients among transplant professionals. It also identifies key areas for further research.