Better together: combined biomarker assays give early warning of kidney transplant rejection

New research has found that combined blood biomarker tests correctly identify signs of kidney transplant rejection more reliably than individual tests. The blood tests are less invasive than tissue biopsies – the current standard for monitoring rejection – and could be implemented to identify patients in need of extra post-transplant care. Organ rejection is subclinical when the organ appears to function normally, yet immune activity still occurs that may damage the transplanted organ or affect organ function in the long term. The current standard for monitoring subclinical rejection is the assessment of serial tissue biopsies taken after transplantation, which is...