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Transplant ComplicationProtect_ChildNCT07194057

"A Privacy-protecting Environment for Child Transplants Health Related and Genomic Data Integration in the European Reference Network"

An observational study of Transplant Complication and Kidney Transplant, run by Instituto de Investigación Hospital Universitario La Paz at 4 sites in 3 countries.

Not yet recruiting

Opening soon. The study is approved but enrolment has not started yet. Sites may already take enquiries.

Sites and contacts
Official record
Search all trials

Trial summary

Protect_Child_101 is an observational study to be performed in children that have undergone a liver or renal transplant. The aim of this study is to analyse small variations in the genetic material (DNA) of transplanted children. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 6 months to 18 years
What is being tested?
Whole genome sequencing, Polygenic Risk Score Calculation and Methylome and episignatures
How many people
200 participants
Where
4 sitesin 3 countries
Study dates
30 Sep 2025to Jan 2028
Phase
Observational
Are there results?
Not yet: the study is under way

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 6 months to 18 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Child, Adult

Study population: This study will enroll paediatric patients that have underdone a renal i liver transplant

Who may be able to join

  • ● Paediatric patients (6 months to 18 years old) with liver or kidney transplant.
  • Both patients with de novo transplantation or in follow-up can be included in the study.
  • For the retrospective cohort, only patients within the first 5 years after transplantation will be included.
  • Patients and/or parents agreeing to participate in the study and provide consent for the obtention of clinical data and samples for genomic and methylomic analysis and the use of the information according to the protocol.

Who cannot join

  • Patients that are not being followed up in the clinical site.
  • Subjects alternating between different clinical sites. Subjects/Tutors that don't understand the informed consent form.
  • Subject or their legally authorized representative does not sign the informed consent document.
  • Re-transplantation or AB0-incompatible transplantation.

Trial locations and contacts

4 sites in 3 countries. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.

Paula Valle Simon, PhD contact

914975485

pvalle@salud.madrid.org

4 sites in 3 countries

Italy2 sites
  • University Hospital Padova

    Padova, 35128

    Mara Cananzi, 049-821.1662, gastroenterologia.pediatrica@aopd.veneto.it

  • Mediterranean Institute for Transplantation (ISMETT)

    Palermo, Sicily, 90127

    Giusy Ranucci, MD, +39 912192111, granucci@ismett.edu

Other trials in Italy

Germany1 site
  • University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE),

    Hamburg, 20251

    Jan Beime, MD, +49 40 74100, j.beime@uke.de

Other trials in Germany

Spain1 site
  • Hospital Universitario La Paz

    Madrid, Madrid, 28046

    Paula Valle Simón, PhD, pvalle@salud.madrid.org

Other trials in Spain

About this study

Protect_Child_101 is an observational study to be performed in children that have undergone a liver or renal transplant.

The aim of this study is to analyse small variations in the genetic material (DNA) of transplanted children. The investigators will also study a type of chemical 'marks' called methylations, which do not change the DNA itself, but can affect how it functions. These marks can influence how certain diseases develop or how the body responds to transplantation.

Read more

Specifically, investigators seek to discover:

  • Whether there are genetic or epigenetic (methylation) alterations that may explain why some children develop serious diseases that require transplantation.
  • If these alterations can help us predict possible complications after transplantation, such as organ rejection, infections, organ failure, cancer development.

Within this study, data from the child's medical history will be collected. The data to be collected are demographic data (gender, age, ethnicity), clinical data, personal and family history possibly related to his/her disease, course and evolution of the disease, and complementary and laboratory examinations collected from his/her clinical history.

The only non-routine tests to be performed will be the genomic and methylomic tests. Nevertheless, these determinations will be performed on samples obtained during the child's routine care. No extra intervention is planned as part of this study.

Samples and clinical data will be collected at different time points after transplantation. Schematically, collection is planned for months 0, 1, 3, 6, 12 and 24 post-transplant. In addition to these pre-established points, comprehensive data collection will be attempted when the child suffers a relevant clinical event, e.g. infection, treatment toxicity, organ rejection (post-transplant complication).

Being tested
Whole genome sequencing, Polygenic Risk Score Calculation, Methylome and episignatures
Keywords
observational, epigenomic analysis, genomic analysis, european health data space

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Whole genome sequencingGenetic

    Also called Methylomic array, Polygenic risk score

    Whole genome sequencing (WGS) is an advanced genomic technique that allows for the comprehensive analysis of an individual's entire DNA sequence, including both coding and non-coding regions. In the context of pediatric transplantation, WGS offers a powerful tool for uncovering underlying genetic disorders that may influence transplant eligibility, donor-recipient compatibility, immune response, or risk of post-transplant complications. It enables the identification of rare monogenic diseases, pharmacogenomic markers relevant to immunosuppressive therapy, and potential genetic predispositions to graft rejection or infection. Integrating WGS into transplant evaluation process enhances personalized medicine approaches, contributing to improved long-term outcomes in pediatric transplant recipients.

  • Polygenic Risk Score CalculationGenetic

    A polygenic risk score (PRS) calculation will be performed to quantitatively estimate the an individual's genetic predisposition to the original disease that led to transplantation. These scores are calculated by aggregating the weighted sum of risk alleles-most commonly single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)-each of which contributes a small effect size as determined by genome-wide association studies (GWAS).

  • Methylome and episignaturesDiagnostic test

    Methylomic analysis in paediatric transplantation refers to the comprehensive profiling and study of DNA methylation patterns across the genome to understand epigenetic modifications associated with transplant-related outcomes.

    This epigenetic approach enables the identification of differentially methylated regions (DMRs) that may correlate with clinical phenotypes, such as graft acceptance or rejection, infectious complications, or immune dysregulation.

    The studies withjin the Protect_Child_101 project will be aimed at: 1) Refinement of episignatures, to increase specificity, sensitivity and robustness of those episignatures that already exist and 2) Discovery and validation of new disease, gene or variant specific mDNA signatures.

Study groups in NCT07194057
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Paediatric kidney and liver transplant that suffered a clinical event of interest after transplantThis cohort is made up of paediatric kidney and liver patients that had a clinical event after transplantation. The main clinical events of interest of this study are: viral infections, bacterial infections, drug-related toxicity and rejection. All patients will undergo genomic and methylomic tests to diagnose biological risk factors that could help determine the risk of developing the clinical event of interest.
Receives: Genetic: Whole genome sequencing; Genetic: Polygenic Risk Score Calculation; Diagnostic Test: Methylome and episignatures
Paediatric kidney and liver transplant patients with no events after transplantThis cohort is made up of paediatric kidney and liver patients that did not develop a clinical event after transplantation. All patients will undergo genomic and methylomic tests. The genetic and methylomic results will be compared to those of the patients that developed a clinical event. The objetive is to identify biological risk factors that could help determine the risk of developing the clinical event of interest.
Receives: Genetic: Whole genome sequencing; Genetic: Polygenic Risk Score Calculation; Diagnostic Test: Methylome and episignatures

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Epstein Barr Infection

    Number of Espstein Barr infections defined as >3500 copies in PCR in peripheral blood

    Measured: From transplant until end of post-transplant follow-up period (up to 7years)

  2. Cytomegalovirus infection

    1. Primary CMV infection after transplant with or without CMV disease (>1000 copies/ml in peripheral blood in patients with previous negative CMV serology) B) Secondary CMV infection after transplant (any PCR with CMV disease or CMV >1000 copies/ml in asymptomatic patients)

    Measured: From transplant until end of post-transplant follow-up period (up to 7 years)

  3. BK virus infection

    Positive BK viremia (define cut-off level) and/or histological evidence of BK nephropathy

    Measured: From transplant until end of post-transplant follow-up period (up to 7 years)

  4. Cholangitis

    Worsening of liver function tests accompanied by an elevation in inflammatory markers, with or without a positive blood or bile culture.

    Measured: From transplant until end of post-transplant follow-up period

  5. Urinary Tract Infection

    Positive urine cultures AND increased inflammation marker (e.g. CRP) or fever

    Measured: From transplant until end of post-transplant follow-up period (up to 7 years)

  6. Sepsis

    SIRS in relation to infectious cause +/- positive blood cultures

    Measured: From transplant until end of post-transplant follow-up period (up to 7 years)

  7. Renal Calcineurin Inhibitors toxicity

    Histological evidence of kidney CNI-related kidney damage

    Measured: From transplant until end of post-transplant follow-up period (up to 7 years)

  8. Mycophenolate mofetil toxicity

    Evidence of myelosuppression during therapy without any other proven cause and/or Clinical/histological evidence of MMF-related enteropathy

    Measured: From transplant until end of post-transplant follow-up period (up to 7 years)

  9. mTOR inhibitor toxicity

    mTOR induced-proteinuria (occurrence of proteinuria after mTOR exposure with resolution after treatment suspension)

    Measured: From transplant until end of post-transplant follow-up period (up to 7 years)

  10. Thrombotic microangiopathy

    Ocurrence of no non immune-mediated hemolytic anemia and/or thrombocytopenia and/or hypertension and/or proteinuria with histological evidence of kidney TMA

    Measured: From transplant until end of post-transplant follow-up period (up to 7 years)

  11. Kidney rejection episode

    Histological evidence based on Banff criteria

    Measured: From transplant until end of post-transplant follow-up period (up to 7 years)

  12. Liver rejection episode

    Histological evidence based on Banff criteria

    Measured: From transplant until end of post-transplant follow-up period (up to 7 years)

  13. Chronic liver rejection

    Histological evidence based on Banff criteria

    Measured: From transplant until end of post-transplant follow-up period (up to 7 years)

  14. Chronic kidney rejection

    Histological evidence based on Banff criteria

    Measured: From transplant until end of post-transplant follow-up period (up to 7 years)

  15. Chronic renal failure after pLTx

    Elevation of serum-creatinine for 3>months

    Measured: From transplant until end of post-transplant follow up period (up to 7 years)

  16. Chronic liver failure (graft chirrosis and fibrosis)

    Ocurrence of portal hypertension diagnosis both clinical (ascites, splenomegaly, varices) and analytical (thrombocytopenia) presentation.

    Measured: From transplant until end of post-transplant follow up period (up to 7 years)

Secondary outcomes (17)
  1. Liver Primary non-function

    Requirement for immediate re-transplantation

    Measured: From transplant to post-trasnplant follow-up period (up to 7 years)

  2. Liver Primary non-function

    Early death within the first 7 or 14 days following LT after exclusion of other identifiable causes of graft function such as vascular complications, rejection, or infection

    Measured: From transplant to post-transplant follow-up period (up to 7 years)

  3. Liver Primary non-function

    Ocurrence of at least 2 of the following within 7 days post-transplant:

    • Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) greater than or equal to 2,000 U/L
    • INR greater than or equal to 10 mg/dl
    • Acidosis (Defined as one of the following: a) Arterial PH less or equal to 7,30. b) Venous pH less than or equal to 7,25. c) Lactate greater than or equal to 4 mmol/L)

    Measured: From transplant to post-trasnplant follow-up period (up to 7 years)

  4. Kidney primary non-function

    Persistence of dialysis status or eGFR <15 ml/min/1.7 m2

    Measured: From transplant until end of post-transplant follow-up period (up to 7 years)

  5. Liver early allograft dysfunction

    One of the following laboratory criteria within the 7 first days post transplant:

    • Serum bilirubin ≥10 mg/dL (171 μmol/L) on day 7
    • INR ≥1.6 on day 7
    • AST or ALT >2000 IU/L within the first 7 days.

    Or, for 5 consecutive days after day 7:

    • Bilirubin > 10 mg/ dL
    • INR > 1.6
    • Serum Urea > 100 mg/dL

    Measured: From transplant until end of post-transplant follow-up period (up to 7 years)

  6. Delayed kidney Graft Function

    Need for dialysis within the first 7 days after kidney transplantation

    Measured: From transplant until end of post-transplant follow-up period (up to 7 years)

  7. Vascular Complications

    Hepatic artery thrombosis (HAT) or portal vein stenosis (may lead to ischemic injury and chronic dysfunction)

    Measured: From transplant until end of post-transplant follow-up period (Up to 7 years)

  8. Biliary Complications

    Biliary structures, leaks, or ischemic cholangiopathy due to vascular insufficiency can cause chronic dysfunction.

    Measured: From transplant until end of post-transplant follow-up period (up to 7 years)

  9. Urological complications

    Need of re-intervention due to post-surgical events

    Measured: From transplant until end of post-transplant follow-up period (up to 7 years)

  10. Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease

    Histological diagnosis of PTLD: histology, immunohistochemistry, EBV detection (EBER in situ hybridization), and clonality studies, classified according to WHO PTLD categories.

    Measured: From transplant until end of post-transplant follow-up period (up to 7 years)

  11. Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease

    Radiological diagnosis of PTLD: heterogeneous extranodal masses, allograft involvement, and CNS or visceral lesions.

    Measured: From transplant until end of post-transplant follow-up period (up to 7 years)

  12. Diabetes

    The diagnosis is confirmed when one of the following criteria is met on two separate occasions:

    Fasting plasma glucose (FPG): ≥126 mg/dL (7.0 mmol/L) after at least 8 hours fasting.

    Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT): 2-hour plasma glucose ≥200 mg/dL (11.1 mmol/L) after a 75 g oral glucose load.

    Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c): ≥6.5%, using a standardized assay.

    Random plasma glucose: ≥200 mg/dL (11.1 mmol/L) in the presence of classic symptoms of hyperglycemia (polyuria, polydipsia, weight loss).

    Measured: From transplant until end of post-transplant follow-up period (up to 7 years)

  13. Posterior reversible encelopathy (PRES)

    Ocurrence of acute neurologic symptoms (headache, seizures, altered consciousness or visual disturbances) with typical neuroimaging (CT, MRI) findings (bilateral areas of white matter edema in the posterior cerebral hemispheres).

    Measured: From transplant until end of post-transplant follow-up period (up to 7 years)

  14. Mortality

    Death by any cause

    Measured: From transplant until end of post-transplant follow-up period (up to 7 years)

  15. Relapse of primary immune mediated disease

    Ocurrence of nephrotic range proteinuria after kidney transplant (excluding other causes)

    Measured: From transplant until end of post-transplant follow-up period (up to 7 years)

  16. Relapse of primary immune mediated disease

    histological findings of Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) in kidney biopsy in a patient with primary FSGS

    Measured: From transplant until end of post-transplant follow-up period (up to 7 years)

  17. Graft survival

    Time from transplant to the need for dialysis or entry onto the re- transplant list.

    Measured: From transplant until end of post-transplant follow-up period (up 7 years)

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted26 Sep 2025
  2. Study start30 Sep 2025 (estimated)
  3. Primary completionJan 2028 (estimated)
  4. Study completionJan 2028 (estimated)

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Observational
Observational model
Cohort
Time perspective
Other
Enrolment
200 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT07194057
Sponsor's protocol ID
PI-6796
Acronym
Protect_Child
Status last verified
Sep 2025
First submitted
6 Aug 2025
Last updated
26 Sep 2025
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

An observational study of Transplant Complication and Kidney Transplant, run by Instituto de Investigación Hospital Universitario La Paz at 4 sites in 3 countries.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 26 Sep 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 4 sites in Italy, Germany, Spain. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

Contact Paula Valle Simon, PhD (914975485, pvalle@salud.madrid.org), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Epstein Barr Infection (time frame: From transplant until end of post-transplant follow-up period (up to 7years)). The study lists 16 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 26 Sep 2025.

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