TransplantLines, a biobank and cohort study of solid organ transplant recipients and donors

The TransplantLines Biobank and Cohort Study (NCT03272841) is an ongoing prospective study conducted at the University Medical Centre Groningen, The Netherlands. TransplantLines aims to identify risk factors and biomarkers associated with health problems following solid organ transplantation and donation. Additionally, the study seeks to develop new interventions to reduce symptom burden and improve long-term outcomes, including health-related quality of life, cardiovascular complications, graft failure, and mortality. It includes recipients of (combined) heart, liver, lung, kidney, pancreas, and small bowel transplants, as well as living liver and kidney donors, and deceased (multi-)organ donors. The biobank contains a wide range of biomaterials including whole blood, serum, EDTA-plasma, buffy coat, 24-h urine samples, faeces, hair, nails, and tissues. Data collection includes physical and cognitive assessments, extensive laboratory analysis, metagenomic sequencing, and questionnaires. TransplantLines, initiated in 2015, consists of 5143 participants as of October 2024, among 2312 (45%) females. The mean age was 50 (± 16) years at transplantation, 55 (± 11) years at living donation and 56 (± 15) years at deceased donation. Both cross-sectional and longitudinal biomaterials and data are included. For recipients, longitudinal biomaterials and data were collected at: pre-transplantation, at transplantation, and at 3, 6, 12, 24, and 60 months post-transplantation. For living donors, data were collected at pre-donation, donation, 3 months post-donation, and/or 5 or 10 years post-donation.