SIGNET EME
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Examine the mechanisms involved in the potential down-regulation of brain-stem death induced pro-inflammatory responses by simvastatin
IRAS ID
336942
Contact name
Simi Ali
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Newcastle University
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 5 days
Research summary
Despite a decade long increase in the number of deceased organ donors there is a shortfall of organs available for transplantation. All organs removed from donors have already suffered a degree of damage. In this study, all the donors will be brain-stem dead. As the brain dies inflammatory proteins and chemicals are released, causing global inflammation. The extent of inflammation affects how well the organs work in the recipient after transplant. By reducing this damage prior to transplant, we could increase the number of transplantable organs and improve how the organ functions in the recipient. We know the cholesterol-lowering drugs “statins” have benefits across a range of health problems beyond the direct benefits on cholesterol. In particular, statins reduce inflammation in the body and individual organs and protect the lungs and kidneys in a range of illnesses. Recently, an innovative clinical study found that recipients who received a heart from a donor who had statins prior to organ retrieval had less heart damage after transplant. There was a small benefit for lung and liver recipients but importantly, there was no disadvantage in receiving any organ from a donor who had received the statin. We aim to explore how the statin protects organs and improves outcomes in patients undergoing transplantation. We will:
1) Examine whether giving Simvastatin affects the amount of inflammatory proteins in donor blood and whether time of statin administration after brain death has an effect.
2) Determine whether patients who have naturally high levels of inflammatory proteins have a better response to the drug and whether this influences the number of organs utilised per donor.
3) Investigate which genes are involved in statin induced anti-inflammatory effects.
4) Examine long-term effects of statin administration in a selected group of transplant recipient from donors enrolled in SIGNET HTA (NIHR 131124).REC name
South East Scotland REC 01
REC reference
24/SS/0005
Date of REC Opinion
15 Jan 2024
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion