Using causal directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) to select patient-important outcomes in transplantation trials —interventions to treat polyomavirus infection as an example

Transplantation can be life-changing for those with kidney failure because it improves their overall quality of life and survival. However, transplantation is not a cure and comes with complications. With the advent of improved immunosuppressive therapy and surgical techniques, short-term graft and patient survival have improved considerably over the past 3 decades. By contrast, improvements in longer-term graft and patient outcomes have been more modest. The key challenge of transplantation is to optimize graft function whilst avoiding complications associated with over-immunosuppression, such as opportunistic infections and cancers.

Source: Kidney International - September 20, 2023 Category: Urology & Nephrology Authors: Yue Wu, Michael Dymock, Ryan Gately, Julie A. Marsh, Carmel Hawley, Germaine Wong, Thomas L. Snelling Tags: Editorial Source Type: research