G-CSF in kidney transplant patients and risk of acute rejection
Research type
Research Study
Full title
An investigation of acute rejection rates in kidney transplantation after administration of G-CSF for neutropaenia - a retrospective cohort study
IRAS ID
282311
Contact name
Matthew Edey
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 1 months, 1 days
Research summary
This is a study in kidney transplant patients who are under the care of the nephrology department at Hull Royal Infirmary. Sometimes after a transplant (usually within the first few months), there is a drop in the number of white blood cells in the bloodstream. In particular, a particular type of white blood cells called neutrophils will drop in numbers. This might be due to medications given after a transplant, virus infections or vitamin deficiencies.
When the number of neutrophils drops (called "neutropaenia"), there is an increased risk of infection. In addition to other measures, we sometimes administer a drug called "G-CSF" (Granulocyte - Colony Stimulating Factor). This is given by injection and stimulates the bone marrow to make more neutrophils (or "granulocytes"). Some people have suggested that giving G-CSF increases the chance of a transplant rejection episode, although evidence in this area is very limited.
We would like to look at the case records of the patients under our care since 2011 to see if there does indeed appear to be an increase risk of rejection in the first year after a transplant. We would also like to look at the level of kidney function at 1 year and 18 months after the transplant to see if that is worse in patients treated with G-CSF.
Our study will be a retrospective cohort study. We will collect data from the records of patients who received G-CSF for neutropaenia, and compare the results with a different group of our transplant patients from the same period to see if rejection rates are any different. We will try and match the clinical characteristics of both groups of patients as closely as possible to give more accurate results.
The data is all available in the case records and the patients will not require any additional testing.
REC name
North East - Newcastle & North Tyneside 2 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/NE/0195
Date of REC Opinion
7 Aug 2020
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion