transplantlines

TransplantLines

Biobank and cohort that researches both short- and long-term success after organ transplantation. Cohort
Biobank and cohort that researches both short- and long-term success after organ transplantation.
After receiving a transplant organ, the tension rises. Will the body accept the new organ? Will it be healthy again?

There are so many factors determining the outcome of successful organ transplantation that we can't see the wood for the trees. Collecting data in a longitudinal biodatabank may be the answer.

Transplantlines aims to:

TransplantLines is a large, longitudinal cohort study into the outcomes after transplantation in patients in the UMCG. The ultimate goal of the study is to improve health, quality of life and long-term outcome after solid organ transplantation and donation. Apart from the collection of biomaterials, the study was designed with specific attention to patient-reported outcome measures, including quality of life, and to physical and cognitive functioning.

  • Patient inclusion started in 2015 and is ongoing. At the time of writing (February 2021), more than 1,250 kidney transplant, 300 lung transplant, 500 liver transplant, 100 heart transplant, and 10 small bowel transplant recipients have been included in the study. A large proportion of these patients (approximately 50 to 80%, depending on the cohort involved) had undergone transplantation at least one year prior to the time of inclusion. These patients will have a single visit. The remaining patients (approximately 20 to 50%, depending on the cohort involved) were included before or shortly after transplantation. This group will have multiple visits, i.e. before transplantation and at 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, and 5 years after transplantation.

    In addition to organ transplant recipients, we have currently (February 2021) also included more than 800 actual and potential living kidney donors. We have recently started including actual and potential living liver donors as well. These study participants will have visits during the screening process (before donation), at the time of donation, and at 3 months, 5 years, and 10 years after organ donation.

    For more patient information: Transplantlines 

  • A large proportion of the patients included in the TransplantLines study (~50 to 80%, depending on the specific cohort) are at least one year after transplantation at the time of inclusion. These patients were invited for a single study visit. The remainder (~20 to 50% of patients, depending on the specific cohort) were included before or shortly after transplantation. This group was invited for multiple study visits, with study visits before transplantation, and at three months, sex months, one year, two years and five years after transplantation. 

    The (potential) living donors are invited for study visits at screening (before donation), at the time of donation, and at 3 months, five and ten years after organ donation. 


     

  • Please visit the UMCG Research Data Catalogue for more detailed information on our data and samples. 

    Prior to all study visits, participants are invited to fill out a set of questionnaires on multiple topics, including socio-economic status, quality of life, physical activity, side effects of and adherence to immunosuppressive therapy, and food frequency questionnaires. At the day of the study visit, whole blood, serum, EDTA plasma, citrate plasma, heparin plasma, 24h collection urine, hair, nails and stool are collected from patients, to be stored in the TransplantLines biobank for future analyses. During study visits, included participants perform a series of physical function tests and neurocognitive tests, that provide insight into the functioning of patients, but also on the side-effects of immunosuppressive drugs, such as polyneuropathy and tremors. In addition to these samples and tests, serum, plasma and tissue samples, including e.g. samples of skin, adipose tissue, ureter, arteries, veins, trachea, explanted livers and lungs are collected. Samples are also collected at times of biopsies, e.g. at times of protocol biopsies and at times of suspected rejection.  

    Inclusion is  ongoing, and more patients will be included in the coming years. As a result, patient numbers and available data depend on the population, time point, and specific research questions. We therefore recommend to contact us, in case you are considering using data or biomaterials collected from the TransplantLines study! Data and biomaterials can then be made available at request, after approval by the TransplantLines Research Committee. 

Relevance

How Transplantlines benefits to society

Inclusion is still ongoing, which means that more patients will be included in the coming years. As a result, the patient numbers and available data will depend on the population, time interval, and the specific research questions involved. Therefore, we recommend you contact us if you are considering using data or biomaterials from the TransplantLines study. Data and biomaterials can be made available on request, after approval has been obtained from the TransplantLines Research Committee.

Contact

Stephan Bakker
Stephan Bakker Professor of Internal Medicine

University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG)
Transplantlines
PO Box 30.001
9700 RB Groningen
The Netherlands

Visiting address
University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG)
Antonius Deusinglaan 1
9713 AV Groningen