ClinicalTrials.gg
RecruitingNCT03400345Updated May 11, 2026

Human Upper Extremity Allotransplantation: F/U Protocol

An observational study in Amputation, Traumatic, Wounds and Injury and Hand Injuries, sponsored by Johns Hopkins University. Recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 100 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-05-11.

Sponsored by Johns Hopkins University · Observational

From the registry’s dates

  • Started Jul 2017; still recruiting 9 years 3 months later.
Study type
Observational
Model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
60
Ages
18 Years to 100 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Upper extremity allotransplantation is a new procedure which is becoming more common in the United States. Ongoing data collection for research purposes is vital to the long-term assessment as to the safety of the procedure and accompanying immunosuppression protocol, as well as quantifying patient outcomes and changes in quality of life. For these reasons, The Johns Hopkins Hand/Arm Transplantation Team is interested in enrolling transplanted patients in a follow-up protocol to continue collecting informative data to further the field of vascularized composite allotransplantation.

02

Conditions studied

  • Amputation, Traumatic
  • Wounds and Injury
  • Hand Injuries

Keywords

  • Hand Transplant
  • composite tissue allograft (CTA)
  • Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation (VCA)
  • Amputation
  • Upper Limb
  • Immunosuppression
03

In context

Amputation, Traumatic

112 studies on the registry are indexed under Amputation, Traumatic; 24 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 60 is above the median of 37 across 34 observational studies indexed under Amputation, Traumatic.

Browse Amputation, Traumatic studies →

Lead sponsor

Johns Hopkins University is the lead sponsor of 1,815 studies on the registry; 315 are open to participants now.

Of its 208 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 144 (69%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 100 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No
Sampling method
Probability sample

Study population

Men and women who have previously received unilateral or bilateral upper limb transplants.

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • Males and females 5 or more years post-unilateral or bilateral upper limb transplantation.
  • Completes the protocol form.
  • Consents to sample collection and storage ().
  • USA citizen or equivalent.
  • Patient agrees to comply with the protocol and states a dedication to the immunomodulatory treatment regime.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Candidate has not received an upper extremity allotransplant.
  • Any reason the study team thinks would cause the participant to be noncompliant or would put the patient at unacceptable risk if enrolled.
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(2)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Informed consent

Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.

You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.

Biopsy and archival tissue

A biopsy takes a small piece of tissue to examine. “Archival tissue” is a sample already taken, for example at diagnosis, and kept by the hospital.

Whether a stored sample will do depends on when it was taken, how much there is and what the study needs. Ask whether the study accepts your stored sample or needs a new biopsy.

05

Study design

Observational model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
60 participants (estimated)
Patient registry
No
06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Quality of life (QOL) for upper extremity transplant recipients via Functional Assessment with rehabilitation using Carroll Test

    Measures Grasp, Grip and Pinch Strength, Range of motion - Active \& Passive. During rehabilitation sessions in clinic using activities resembling everyday tasks such as pouring water, opening/closing zippers and buttons, lifting blocks of different weight. Carroll test contains 33 questions and is scored from 0-3, 0- can perform no part of test, 1- performs test partially, 2-completes test, but takes abnormally long time or has great difficulty, and 3- performs tests normally.

    Time frame: Change from baseline QOL at end of study (approximately 5 years post-enrollment (±90 days))

  2. QOL assessed for Hand Function by Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) Questionnaire

    The DASH Outcome Measure is scored in two components: the disability/symptom section (30 items, scored 1-5) and the optional high performance Sport/Music or Work section (4 items, scored 1-5). 1 indicating no difficulty and 5 indicating unable perform the function.

    Time frame: Change from baseline QOL at end of study (approximately 5 years post-enrollment (±90 days))

  3. QOL assessed by Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (ADL/IADL) Questionnaire

    Questionnaire to asses Physical and instrumental activities for daily living. It contains 8 items that are rated with a summary score from 0 (low functioning) to 8 (high functioning). The scale will vary along a range of levels of competence- without any help, with some help, or does he need someone for the activities.

    Time frame: Change from baseline QOL at end of study (approximately 5 years post-enrollment (±90 days))

  4. Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire

    Monitor function, pain, work performance, and aesthetics of hand(s). Responses from 1-5, 1 being very good and 5 being very poor

    Time frame: Change from baseline to end of study (approximately 5 years post-enrollment (±90 days))

  5. Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment (SMFA)

    The SMFA consists of two sections: 34 questions covering the assessment of the patients function and 12 questions covering how bothered patients are by their symptoms. Each question is scored 1 for no problems/no difficulty/not bothered (depending on the question) to 5 for unable to do a task/symptoms all the time/being greatly bothered.

    Time frame: Change from baseline to end of study (approximately 5 years post-enrollment (±90 days))

  6. Brief Pain Inventory (Short Form) (BPISF)

    BPISF assesses the severity of pain and its impact on functioning. It is scored from 0 to 10, 0 indicating no pain, does not interfere to 10 indicating pain as bad as you can imagine, completely interferes.

    Time frame: Change from baseline to end of study (approximately 5 years post-enrollment (±90 days))

  7. Quality of life assessed for Psychological Measures by Brief Symptom Inventory

    Brief Symptom Inventory questionnaire evaluates psychological distress and psychiatric disorders. It consists of 53-item self-report inventory in which participants rate the extent to which they have been bothered. 5-point rating scale, 0 indicating not at all bothered to 4 extremely bothered.

    Time frame: Change from baseline to end of study (approximately 5 years post-enrollment (±90 days))

  8. Psychological Measures by Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS)

    SWLS is a measure of life satisfaction. Uses scale to rate from 1-7, Where 1 indicates Strongly disagree to 7 indicating strongly agree.

    Time frame: Change from baseline to end of study (approximately 5 years post-enrollment (±90 days))

  9. Psychological Measures assessed by Affect Balance Scale (ABS)

    ABS is a 10-item questionnaire that assess positive and negative affect as indicators of life satisfaction and/or well-being. Score range from 0-4. 0 indicating the feeling never affected to 4, where the feeling is affected always.

    Time frame: Change from baseline to end of study (approximately 5 years post-enrollment (±90 days))

  10. Psychological Measures assessed by NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI)

    NEO-FFI is used to examine personality traits. Questions consists of 60 items. Items are scored from Strongly disagree to Strongly agreed

    Time frame: Change from baseline to end of study (approximately 5 years post-enrollment (±90 days))

Secondary outcomes

  1. The efficacy of various immunosuppression regimens via ImmuKnow Assay/Cylex including immunomodulatory protocols (aka - Pittsburgh Protocol, Starzl Protocol), for maintenance of unilateral and bilateral upper extremity allotransplants.

    For immune monitoring, to test cell mediated immunity. Value of ≤ 225 ng/mL indicates Low immune cell response, 226-524 ng/mL- Moderate Immune response, ≥525 ng/mL- High Immune cell Response.

    Time frame: Annually for 5 years post-enrollment (±90 days)

  2. Immunology- antibody testing by obtaining donor specific antibodies (DSA) by Luminex

    For immune monitoring, to screen for donor specific antibodies.

    Time frame: Annually for 5 years (±90 days)

  3. Perform Skin Biopsy

    To diagnose and assess acute rejection, Graft versus Host Disease and for surveillance of chronic rejection

    Time frame: Annually for 5 years (±90 days)

  4. Use CT Angiography

    To delineate the outline and architecture of vasculature and blood flow patterns in the limb.

    Time frame: Annually for 5 years (±90 days)

  5. Magnetic Resonance (MR) Neurography

    To help assess progression of nerve regeneration distal to the site of transplanted nerve coaptation.

    Time frame: Annually for 5 years (±90 days)

07

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
  • Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
    Baltimore, Maryland 21287, United States
    Recruiting
    • Carisa M Cooney, MPH, CCRP · Contactccooney3@jhmi.edu · 443-287-4629
    • TBD TBD · Contact443-287-7848
    • Damon S Cooney, MD, PhD · Sub investigator
    • Jaimie Shores, MD · Principal investigator
    • Richard J Redett, MD · Sub investigator
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Shores JT, Malek V, Lee WPA, Brandacher G. Outcomes after hand and upper extremity transplantation. J Mater Sci Mater Med. 2017 May;28(5):72. doi: 10.1007/s10856-017-5880-0. Epub 2017 Mar 30. PubMed 28361279 ↗
  • Shores JT, Brandacher G, Lee WPA. Hand and upper extremity transplantation: an update of outcomes in the worldwide experience. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2015 Feb;135(2):351e-360e. doi: 10.1097/PRS.0000000000000892. PubMed 25401735 ↗
  • Adler BL, Albayda J, Shores JT, Lee WPA, Brandacher G, Bingham CO 3rd. Erosive Rheumatoid Arthritis After Bilateral Hand Transplantation. Ann Intern Med. 2017 Aug 1;167(3):216-218. doi: 10.7326/L16-0588. Epub 2017 Jun 27. No abstract available. PubMed 28654973 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No — Pooled patient data will be shared.

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on May 11, 2026, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT03400345
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Jan 17, 2018
Start date
Jul 25, 2017
Primary completion
Jul 30, 2036 (estimated)
Completion
Jul 30, 2036 (estimated)
Last update
May 11, 2026

Study contacts

Jane Littleton, C.R.N.P
Contact
jlittl38@jhmi.edu
410-955-6875
TBD TBD
Contact
443-287-7848
Damon Cooney, M.D., Ph.D.
principal investigator · Johns Hopkins University

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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