Studies Open for Enrollment

Alloantibodies: Prevalence and Impact in Pediatric Heart Transplantation

This study will compare traditional methods for the detection of non-self antibodies in heart transplant patients with newer methods of detection. The study will look for the presence of antibodies in the blood of patients evaluated for heart transplant. It also will look for antibodies, complement and other markers of damage to the transplanted heart in the blood and heart biopsy samples of patients who have received a heart transplant. The research will analyze whether patients with alloantibodies have a worse course after being evaluated for transplantation or after receiving a heart transplant. This study is being conducted and coordinated at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC with future plans for enrollment at 4 other sites in North America (3 in the United States and 1 in Canada) over a 4-year period.

Candidates
Patients up to 21 years of age who are being evaluated for heart transplantation, who are listed for heart transplantation, or who have recently received a heart transplant at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh (or at one of the other study sites) are eligible to participate in the study. A total of 80 patients are expected to be enrolled.
Boys: Newborns through 21 years
Girls: Newborns through 21 years

Requirements
With permission from participants, the study will use blood specimens and tissue obtained through normal examinations and procedures.
Visits: 0 (None required outside of the course of standard medical visits.)
Duration: 4 years

Status: Open for Enrollment

How to Participate
To get started, please contact:
Brian Feingold, MD
412-692-5541

Additional Resources
Heart Transplant

Principal Investigator
Brian Feingold, MD
Pediatric Cardiology

Source of Support
Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine