Evolution and Determinants of Health-Related Quality-of-Life in Kidney Transplant Patients Over the First 3 Years After Transplantation

Better Rejection-Free Survival at Three Years in Kidney Transplant Recipients With Model-Informed Precision Dosing of Mycophenolate Mofetil

The clinical impact of individual dose adjustment of mycophenolate mofetil is still debated, due to conflicting results from randomized clinical trials. This retrospective study aimed to compare 3-year rejection-free survival and adverse effects between adult kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) with or without mycophenolate mofetil model-informed precision dosing (MIPD). MIPD is defined here as mycophenolic acid area under the curve (AUC0-12h) estimation using a limited sampling strategy, pharmacokinetic models and Bayesian estimators; dose recommendation to reach AUC0-12h = 45 mg.h/L; using a widely used online expert system. The study, nested in two multicenter prospective cohort studies, focused on patients who received a mycophenolate drug and were followed up for 1-3 years. Mycophenolate mofetil MIPD was prescribed as per local practice, on a regular basis, when deemed necessary, or not at all. The MIPD group included 341 KTRs and the control group 392. At 3 years, rejection-free survival was respectively 91.2% and 80.6% (P < 0.001) and the cumulative incidence of rejection 5.08% vs. 12.7% per patient × year (hazard ratio = 0.49 (0.34, 0.71), P < 0.001), corresponding to a 2.5-fold reduction. Significant association with rejection-free survival was confirmed in patients at low or high risk of rejection (P = 0.017 and 0.013) and in patients on tacrolimus, but not on cyclosporine (P < 0.001 and 0.205). The mycophenolate mofetil MIPD group had significantly more adverse effects, but most occurred before the first AUC0-12h, suggesting some may be the reason why MIPD was ordered.

Influence of Early Postoperative Basal Insulin Treatment and Post-Transplant Diabetes Mellitus Risk on Health-Related Quality of Life in Kidney Transplant Recipients-An Analysis of Data From a Randomized Controlled Trial

Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) improves after kidney transplantation (KT) but declines over time. Studies on the effect of early postoperative basal insulin therapy on HRQOL after KT, especially KTRs at high risk of developing post-transplant diabetes mellitus (PTDM) are missing. Data from a randomized controlled trial on 148 non-diabetic KTRs were analyzed. HRQOL using the KDQOL-SF™ was compared in KTRs who either received early postoperative basal insulin therapy or standard-of-care and in KTRs at risk of developing PTDM. Determinants of HRQOL outcomes were investigated using multivariable linear regression analysis. In total, 148 patients completed the KDQOL-SF at baseline. Standard-of-care or early basal insulin therapy after KT did not influence HRQOL. Overall, KT improved the mental (MCS) and physical component summary (PCS) scores at 6-month after KT, which remained stable during further follow-up visits. However, patients at high-risk for PTDM had significantly greater impairment in the PCS score (baseline, 24 months) without differences in MCS scores. In the multivariable regression analysis, allograft function and hemoglobin levels were associated with decreased MCS and PCS scores, respectively. A limitation of the study is the fact that only around 50% of the ITP-NODAT study patients participated in the HRQOL evaluation. Still, our data clearly show that early basal insulin therapy does not affect HRQOL after KT but is negatively influenced by classical clinical factors and PTDM-risk at 24 months after KT. The latter might be influenced by older age.

The effects of a physical exercise program in Chinese kidney transplant recipients: a prospective randomised controlled trial

Background

Kidney transplant has become the preferred therapy for end-stage renal disease. However, kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) still face several challenges, such as physical inactivity. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of a nurse-led physical exercise program in Chinese KTRs.

Methods

A total of 106 participants were enrolled from the Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University between July 2021 and June 2022 and randomly assigned to the control or intervention groups. Participants in the control group were provided with routine nursing care and participants in the intervention group received a nurse-led rigorous physical exercise program that was divided into two stages: the pre-discharge stage and the post-discharge stage. The pre-discharge stage included the non-ambulatory and ambulatory stages. The Chinese traditional exercise Baduanjin was incorporated into the physical exercise during the ambulatory stage. The post-discharge stage continued the same exercise as the ambulatory stage at home. After 3 months of intervention, both groups received the same follow-up for 3 months. The primary and secondary outcomes of all participants were collected. The data were analysed with repeated measures analysis of variance to examine the effectiveness of the intervention.

Results

Compared with the control group, the intervention group had less fatigue and more motivation to be active in primary outcomes. Moreover, patients in the intervention group had a higher phase angle, a longer 6-minute walk distance, more 30-second chair stand times and decreased anxiety and depression levels in secondary outcomes. No adverse events were observed during the intervention. There were no significant differences in all dimensions of the quality-of-life questionnaire between the intervention and the control group.

Conclusion

Chinese KTRs could benefit from the nurse-led physical exercise program post-operatively.

Trial registration

ChiCTR2100048755.

Longitudinal Exposure to Tacrolimus and New-Onset Diabetes Mellitus in Renal Transplant Patients

PURPOSE

Tacrolimus is an immunosuppressant widely used in transplantations requiring mandatory concentration-controlled dosing to prevent acute rejection or adverse effects, including new-onset diabetes mellitus (NODM). However, no relationship between NODM and tacrolimus exposure has been established. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between cumulative tacrolimus exposure and NODM occurrence.

METHODS

A total of 452 kidney transplant patients were included in this study. Sixteen patients developed NODM during the first 3 months after transplant. We considered all tacrolimus concentration (C0) values collected until the diagnosis of NODM in these patients and until 3 months after transplant in the others. New tacrolimus cumulative exposure metrics were derived from the time profile of the tacrolimus morning predose concentration, C0: the percentage of C0 values > cutoff, the average of C0 values above the cutoff, and the percentage of the area under C0 versus time curve, AUCC0, above the cutoff. The cutoff chosen was 15 ng/mL, corresponding to the higher end of the therapeutic range for the early post-transplant period. The influence of these metrics on NODM and other clinical and biological characteristics was investigated using the Cox models.

RESULTS

The percentage of C0 > 15 mcg/L was statistically different between patients with and without NODM (P = 0.01). Only these tacrolimus C0-derived metrics were significantly associated with an increased risk of NODM [HR: 1.73 (1.43-2.10, P < 0.001)].

CONCLUSION

This study shows that tacrolimus concentrations >15 mcg/L affect the incidence of NODM.

Mental health of recipients after cadaveric liver transplantation: A perspective from positive psychology

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to explore the mental health of transplant recipients, especially psychological integration and the donor-recipient relationship.

BACKGROUND

Psychological integration and the donor-recipient relationship are unique psychological perception of recipients with transplantation, which have important effects on their mental health and recovery. However, few studies have focused on the feelings and attitudes of cadaveric liver transplant recipients.

DESIGN

A qualitative descriptive design was used.

METHODS

Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted face-to-face with 30 recipients after liver transplantation. Qualitative content analysis was used and data saturation was achieved. The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Studies (COREQ) were used.

RESULTS

Three themes and eight subthemes were identified. (1) Psychological integration-acknowledging the transplanted liver was a part of their own body and attaching great importance to the liver; (2) Attitudes towards the donor-gratitude to the donor, being inspired by the dedication of the donor and mourning the donor's misfortune; and (3) Living in the moment-health behaviours of self-care, emotional regulation and positive attitude about life.

CONCLUSION

The psychological integration of recipients of cadaveric liver transplants is smooth, and the attitudes towards the donor are positive. From the perspective of positive psychology, we observed the important role of post-traumatic growth of the recipient and positive emotions in promoting the recipient's health behaviours for self-care, emotion regulation and attitudes towards life.

RELEVANCE FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE

Medical staff should help recipients to deal with these issues about the organ and its donor constructively and guide them to focus on postoperative inner growth and positive emotion.

The promise of machine learning applications in solid organ transplantation

Solid-organ transplantation is a life-saving treatment for end-stage organ disease in highly selected patients. Alongside the tremendous progress in the last several decades, new challenges have emerged. The growing disparity between organ demand and supply requires optimal patient/donor selection and matching. Improvements in long-term graft and patient survival require data-driven diagnosis and management of post-transplant complications. The growing abundance of clinical, genetic, radiologic, and metabolic data in transplantation has led to increasing interest in applying machine-learning (ML) tools that can uncover hidden patterns in large datasets. ML algorithms have been applied in predictive modeling of waitlist mortality, donor–recipient matching, survival prediction, post-transplant complications diagnosis, and prediction, aiming to optimize immunosuppression and management. In this review, we provide insight into the various applications of ML in transplant medicine, why these were used to evaluate a specific clinical question, and the potential of ML to transform the care of transplant recipients. 36 articles were selected after a comprehensive search of the following databases: Ovid MEDLINE; Ovid MEDLINE Epub Ahead of Print and In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations; Ovid Embase; Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (Ovid); and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (Ovid). In summary, these studies showed that ML techniques hold great potential to improve the outcome of transplant recipients. Future work is required to improve the interpretability of these algorithms, ensure generalizability through larger-scale external validation, and establishment of infrastructure to permit clinical integration.

The translation and validation of the Organ Transplant Symptom and Well-Being Instrument in China

To translate the Organ Transplant Symptom and Well-Being instrument (OTSWI) into Chinese and test the reliability and validity of the Chinese version. A total of 259 patients with organ transplants were recruited from The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University in Shenyang, from November 2020 to January 2021. Construct validity was evaluated using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and reliability were assessed using test-retest reliability and internal consistency. The Cronbach's α of the Chinese version of the Organ Transplant Symptom and Well-being instrument was 0.93. EFA demonstrated that 80.785% of the total variance was explained by a seven-factor solution. The criterion validity of the SF-36 was -0.460 (p < .01), while the test-retest reliability was 0.710. The Chinese version of the OTSWI questionnaire is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing the quality of life of organ transplant patients for symptoms and well-being in China.

Therapeutic education as a tool to improve patient-reported and clinical outcomes after renal transplantation: results of the EPHEGREN multicenter retrospective cohort study

Patients are not always aware of the inconveniences associated with renal transplantation, which they compare with a « rebirth », and from which they expect complete recovery. Therapeutic education is proposed to prepare patients for their life after transplantation. This study evaluated the impact of pretransplant therapeutic education on patient-reported outcomes and rejection-free survival over the first year. We collected data from 383 renal transplant patients followed-up in seven centers. Patients who benefited from therapeutic education before transplantation (N = 182) were compared with patients who did not (N = 139) for quality-of-life, adherence and adverse events using the Pearson's chi-square test, one-way ANOVA or t-test. The association between therapeutic education and time to acute rejection was investigated using Cox models. The patients who benefited from therapeutic education reported adverse events less frequently (e.g., tremor: 9% vs. 32.4%, P = 0.01) and better quality-of-life (MCS-QOL: 50.7 ± 8.1 vs. 47.7 ± 9.5, P = 0.02; PCS-QOL: 49.1 ± 7.1 vs. 46.0 ± 9.2, P = 0.013). No difference was found on adherence. Rejection-free survival was slightly better in the therapeutic education group (HR = 0.44, 95% CI = [0.19-1.01]). This multicenter retrospective cohort study suggests that integrating therapeutic education to care pathways entails clinical benefit, in terms of quality-of-life, self-reported adverse events and rejection-free survival. Randomized clinical trials are necessary to confirm this.

Calidad de vida y caracterización de las personas con Enfermedad Renal Crónica trasplantadas

Introducción: La persona con enfermedad renal crónica trasplantada debe llevar a cabo una serie de autocuidados, debido a la complejidad del tratamiento y presencia de múltiples comorbilidades que unidos a factores de riesgo cardiovascular pueden afectar su calidad de vida. Objetivo: Describir la calidad de vida en personas adultas con Enfermedad Renal Crónica trasplantadas y su relación con las características sociodemográficas y clínicas, en un grupo de pacientes atendidos en una institución de salud de alta complejidad, en Neiva-Colombia. Material y Método: Estudio descriptivo de corte trasversal con 78 adultos que formaban parte del programa de trasplante, Neiva (Colombia). Se aplicaron los instrumentos: Ficha de Caracterización de la Persona con Enfermedad Crónica GCPC-UN-P versión 2014, y el Instrumento Calidad de Vida de Betty Ferrell. Resultados: La dimensión con menor afectación fue la espiritual, seguida de la psicológica y física; la dimensión con mayor afectación fue la social. Los participantes presentaron percepción positiva de la calidad de vida en las dimensiones física, psicológica, social y espiritual; acorde al género presentaron mejor percepción las mujeres en las dimensiones psicológica, social y espiritual, mientras que en la dimensión física los hombres manifestaron una mejor percepción. Conclusiones: Aspectos relacionados con la salud como independencia, función mental intacta, nivel educativo, apoyo familiar y vida laboral activa, favorecen el afrontamiento, aumentan la satisfacción y la calidad de vida de las personas trasplantadas.

A Study on the Correlations of Anxiety and Depression With Self-Management Ability and Endogenous Creatinine Clearance Rate in Renal Transplant Recipients

Objective: To explore the effects of anxiety and depression on the self-management ability and endogenous creatinine clearance rate of renal transplant patients. Method: Eighty-eight renal transplant recipients who were followed up in the outpatient clinic of the Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University were selected using convenient sampling. The self-made general data sheet, Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, Self-Rating Depression Scale, and Self-Management Scale for Kidney Transplant Recipients were used. Correlation analysis was used to find factors related to endogenous creatinine clearance, while multiple linear regression was used to identify factors influencing endogenous creatinine clearance. Patients with or without anxiety and depression were divided into groups, and the indexes of the groups were compared using the independent samples t test, rank-sum test, or chi-squared test. Results: Anxiety was present in 12.5% of patients, depression in 25%, and a moderate level of self-management in 34.1%. Only 9.1% of renal transplant recipients had endogenous creatinine clearance within the normal range, and 34.1% had a body mass index not in the normal range (25% were overweight, and 9.1% were underweight). The endogenous creatinine clearance rate was negatively correlated with age and degree of depression, and positively correlated with body mass index, treatment management score, and psychosocial management score. The main influencing factors of endogenous creatinine clearance rate were age, sex, depression, body mass index, and treatment management score. The endogenous creatinine clearance rate and psychosocial management ability were significantly higher in patients without anxiety and depression than in patients with anxiety and depression (all P < 0.05). Conclusions: Anxiety and depression showed significant negative effects on the psychosocial self-management ability and endogenous creatinine clearance rate of renal transplant recipients and thus should be given more attention.

Trajectories of health-related quality of life among renal transplant patients associated with graft failure and symptom distress: Analysis of the BENEFIT and BENEFIT-EXT trials

Understanding the correlation between transplant symptoms, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and graft outcomes is needed to support patient-focused drug development and posttransplant management. A post-hoc analysis of patient-reported outcomes from the Phase III belatacept trials was conducted in order to investigate the interrelationship between trajectories of HRQoL, symptom experience, and allograft outcomes. HRQoL and symptom experience were evaluated using Short-Form 36 Survey (SF-36) and Modified Transplant Symptom Occurrence and Distress Scale (MTSOSD-59R), respectively. HRQoL was captured in 831 eligible renal transplant patients at baseline, 12, 24, and 36 months posttransplant. Following transplantation, patients reported improvements in all SF-36 subscales compared to baseline. Latent class analysis revealed four trajectories in perceived general health, which were associated with graft failure after adjustment. Compared to patients with good perceived health, patients with fair and poor perceived health had 4.7 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.5-14.8, P < .01) and 19.8 (95% CI 5.9-66.0, P < .01) times the risk of graft failure, respectively. Using multinomial logistic regression, different sets of symptoms were associated with perceived general health at baseline and 12 months posttransplant. The study supports monitoring HRQoL and symptom experience to capture each patient's health perspective, improve drug development, and optimize posttransplant management.

Level of Life Quality in Heart and Kidney Transplant Recipients: A Multicenter Study

OBJECTIVE

The main objective of the researchers was to determine the level of life quality among heart and kidney transplant recipients depending on the time and type of the transplant.

METHODS

The study was conducted using standardized questionnaires: the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey, Life Orientation Test-Revised, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. The study included 146 recipients (109 heart transplant recipients and 37 kidney transplant recipients) from 1 to 26 years after the transplantation surgery (mean 9 years).

RESULTS

The mean age of the study group was 52 years. The mean time since organ transplantation was 10 years for heart transplantation and 4.3 years for kidney transplantation. The study group obtained a slightly lower score for quality of life compared to the general population. In the Physical Component Summary (PCS), the study participants obtained the highest mean for the domain bodily pain (47.6), while the lowest score was in the domain role physical (41.82). As for the Mental Component Summary (MCS), the highest mean was obtained for the domain vitality (50.57), whereas the lowest one was for the domain role emotional (43.38). In 33% of the participants, risk of depression was identified. Statistically significant differences were observed depending on the type of the transplanted organ in the PCS for the domains general health, physical functioning, and bodily pain and the MCS for role emotional and social functioning. The statistically significant predictors for the PCS domain were the type of transplanted organ, recipients' age, and occurrence of anxiety. In turn, the predictor for the MCS was the occurrence of depression.

CONCLUSIONS

The quality of life (QOL) assessment varies between kidney and heart transplant recipients. The QOL is determined by the recipients' age and the occurrence of anxiety and depression. The obtained QOL assessment results are slightly lower than those in the general population.

Response process validity of three patient reported outcome measures for people requiring kidney care: a think-aloud study using the EQ-5D-5L, ICECAP-A and ICECAP-O

OBJECTIVES

To determine the response process validity, feasibility of completion, acceptability and preferences for three patient-reported outcome measures that could be used in economic evaluation-the EQ-5D-5L, ICECAP-A and ICECAP-O-in people requiring kidney care.

DESIGN

Participants were asked to 'think-aloud' while completing the EQ-5D-5L, ICECAP-A and ICECAP-O, followed by a semistructured interview. Five raters identified errors or struggles in completing the measures from the think-aloud component of the transcripts. Patient preferences for measures were extracted from the semistructured interview.

SETTING

Eligible patients were identified through a large UK secondary care renal centre.

PARTICIPANTS

In total, 30 participants were included in the study, consisting of patients attending renal outpatients for chronic kidney disease (n=18), with a functioning kidney transplant (n=6) and receiving haemodialysis (n=6).

RESULTS

Participants had few errors and struggles in completing the EQ-5D-5L (11% error rate, 3% struggle rate), ICECAP-A (2% error rate, 2% struggle rate) and ICECAP-O (4% error rate, 3% struggle rate). The main errors with the EQ-5D-5L were judgements that did not comply with the 'your health today' instruction. Comprehension errors were most prominent on ICECAP-O. Judgement errors were the only errors reported on ICECAP-A. Although the EQ-5D-5L had slightly more errors and struggles, it was the measure most preferred, with participants able to make a clearer link with EQ-5D-5L and their health condition.

CONCLUSIONS

The EQ-5D-5L, ICECAP-A and ICECAP-O are feasible for people requiring kidney care to complete and can be included in studies conducting economic evaluations of kidney care interventions. Further research is required to assess how health (eg, EQ-5D) and capability (eg, ICECAP) measures can be included in an economic evaluation simultaneously, as well as what ICECAP measure(s) to include when patient groups straddle the age ranges for ICECAP-A (18 years and older) and ICECAP-O (65 years and older).

Pre-transplant evaluation completion for Black/African American renal patients: Two theoretical frameworks

OBJECTIVE

Black/African Americans (B/AA) are less likely to complete the pre-transplant evaluation for kidney transplantation despite higher prevalence rates of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). To better understand the barriers and motivators to completing the evaluation process, two qualitative studies were conducted to categorize and elucidate the relationships between these factors.

METHODS

In Phase I, semi-structured interviews were conducted with a stratified purposeful sample of transplant professionals (N = 23). Focus groups were conducted during Phase II with a purposeful sample of B/AA patients (N = 30).

RESULTS

Thematic analyses assessed using grounded theory revealed a multitude of factors at individual and systemic levels, including health and informational/educational-related factors. Two comprehensive theoretical frameworks, a socio-ecological model of barriers and a model of motivators are presented. Medical mistrust is an example of a community factor identified as impeding completion rates. Systemic motivators included compressed time for testing and fewer intervals between doctor's appointments.

CONCLUSIONS

This study offers a structure for understanding impediments to and facilitators of pre-transplant evaluation completion as seen through the eyes of both B/AA ESRD patients seeking transplant and the providers who work with them.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Recommendations for intervention and systemic changes to narrow health disparities are discussed.

Relationship between quality of life, self-esteem and depression in people after kidney transplantation

OBJECTIVE

to assess the relationship between health-related quality of life with depression and self-esteem of people after kidney transplantation.

METHOD

a cross-sectional study of 47 outpatients from October 2016 to February 2017. The following tools were applied: The Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey, Beck Depression Inventory and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Descriptive statistics and Spearman correlation were used.

RESULTS

women had lower scores for health-related quality of life. Young adults, people with up to one and a half years of transplantation and those who had dialysis for more than one year had higher scores.

CONCLUSION

the health-related quality of life of people with chronic kidney disease after transplantation ranged from good to excellent. The presence of depression was not identified. The relationship of data indicates that the higher the quality of life, the better the self-esteem assessment.

Adherence profiles in kidney transplant patients: Causes and consequences

OBJECTIVE

Adherence is a dynamic phenomenon and a critical determinant of transplant patients outcome. The objective of this longitudinal study was to explore adherence in kidney transplant patients followed-up for up to three years after transplantation.

METHODS

Adherence was repeatedly estimated using the Morisky-Green-Levine 4-Item Medication Adherence Scale, in two successive cohorts of 345 (EPIGREN) and 367 (EPHEGREN) kidney transplant recipients. Mixed effect modeling with latent processes and latent classes was used to describe adherence time-profiles.

RESULTS

Two latent classes were identified. The adherent class represented 85% of the patients. Patients of the poorer-adherence class displayed a lower adherence at one month (p<10^-3), which worsened over time. Good adherence was associated with age >50 years, fewer depression episodes (5% vs. 13%, p = 0.001) and a better mental health component of quality of life (MCS-SF36 47 ± 11 vs. 41 ± 13, p = 0.015). Survival without acute rejection episodes was longer in the adherent class (p = 0.004).

CONCLUSIONS

The risk of poor adherence in renal transplant patients can be detected as early as one month post-transplantation, using appropriate and easy tools adapted to routine monitoring.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

An early focus on vulnerable patients should allow putting into place actions in order to reduce the risk of poor outcome related to poor adherence.

Web-Based Self-Management Guide for Kidney Transplant Recipients (The Getting on With Your Life With a Transplanted Kidney Study): Protocol for Development and Preliminary Testing

BACKGROUND

Although it is well known that compared with dialysis, kidney transplantation improves the quality of life (QoL) of patients with end-stage renal disease, posttransplant recovery of physical health and other aspects of QoL remain well below age- and sex-matched norms. In addition, most transplant recipients are not physically active even years after the transplant and face several barriers to engaging in physical activity (PA). This is of concern as low levels of PA in transplant recipients has been associated with increased risk of mortality and poor graft function. Optimization of QoL needs a team approach involving the patients and the members of the health care team. While members of the health care team are focused on optimizing the biological responses to transplant, patients may have few or no tools at their disposal to engage in behaviors that optimize QoL. To accomplish the need of supporting these patients in the self-management of their condition and to facilitate engagement with PA, new tools tailored to this population are required.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this protocol study is to develop a Web-based, patient-centered self-management intervention to promote a healthy lifestyle, increase daily PA, and improve QoL in kidney transplant recipients.

METHODS

We will use the Obesity-Related Behavioral Intervention Trials model for developing behavioral treatments for chronic diseases to guide the proposed project. We will follow a modified version of the iterative 10-step process that was used to develop educational material for people with multiple sclerosis. The development of the intervention will occur in partnership with patients and a multidisciplinary team of clinicians and researchers. A comprehensive needs assessment including data from our pilot study, literature review, and focus groups will be conducted. The focus groups will be conducted with 6 to 10 participants for each type of stakeholders: patients and professional experts to identify areas of concerns of kidney transplant recipients that are appropriate to address through self-management. The areas of concern identified through the assessment needs will be included in the website.

RESULTS

This study has received funding from the Kidney Foundation of Canada for 2 years (2018-2020) and was recently granted ethics approval. Investigators have begun conducting the needs assessment described in step 1 of the study. The study is expected to be completed by the end of 2020.

CONCLUSIONS

This will be the first comprehensive, evidence- and experience-based self-management program for kidney transplant recipients. Once the intervention is developed, we anticipate improvements in patient experience, shared decision making, daily PA, QoL, and, in future studies, improvements in health outcomes and demonstrations of cost savings in posttransplant care.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

PRR1-10.2196/13420.

Frailty and Postkidney Transplant Health-Related Quality of Life

BACKGROUND

Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) reflects a patient's disease burden, treatment effectiveness, and health status and is summarized by physical, mental, and kidney disease-specific scales among end-stage renal disease patients. Although on average HRQOL improves postkidney transplant (KT), the degree of change depends on the ability of the patient to withstand the stressor of dialysis versus the ability to tolerate the intense physiologic changes of KT. Frail KT recipients may be extra vulnerable to either of these stressors, thus affecting change in HRQOL after KT.

METHODS

We ascertained frailty, as well as physical, mental, and kidney disease-specific HRQOL in a multicenter prospective cohort of 443 KT recipients (May 2014 to May 2017) using Kidney Disease Quality of Life Instrument Short Form. We quantified the short-term (3 months) rate of post-KT HRQOL change by frailty status using adjusted mixed-effects linear regression models.

RESULTS

Mean HRQOL scores at KT were 43.3 (SD, 9.6) for physical, 52.8 (SD, 8.9) for mental, and 72.6 (SD, 12.8) for kidney disease-specific HRQOL; frail recipients had worse physical (P < 0.001) and kidney disease-specific HRQOL (P = 0.001), but similar mental HRQOL (P = 0.43). Frail recipients experienced significantly greater rates of improvement in physical HRQOL (frail, 1.35 points/month; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.65-2.05; nonfrail, 0.34 points/month; 95% CI, -0.17-0.85; P = 0.02) and kidney disease-specific HRQOL (frail, 3.75 points/month; 95% CI, 2.89-4.60; nonfrail, 2.41 points/month; 95% CI, 1.78-3.04; P = 0.01), but no difference in mental HRQOL (frail, 0.54 points/month; 95% CI, -0.17-1.25; nonfrail, 0.46 points/month; 95% CI, -0.06-0.98; P = 0.85) post-KT.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite decreased physiologic reserve, frail recipients experience improvement in post-KT physical and kidney disease-specific HRQOL better than nonfrail recipients.

Increasing kidney donor profile index sequence does not adversely affect medium-term health-related quality of life after kidney transplantation

BACKGROUND

The United Network for Organ Sharing system allocates deceased donor kidneys based on the kidney donor profile index (KDPI), stratified as sequences (A ≤ 20%, B > 20-<35%, C ≥ 35-≤85%, and D > 85%), with increasing KDPI associated with decreased graft survival. While health-related quality of life (HRQOL) may improve after transplantation, the effect of donor kidney quality, reflected by KDPI sequence, on post-transplant HRQOL has not been reported.

METHODS

Health-related quality of life was measured using the eight scales and physical and mental component summaries (PCS, MCS) of the SF-36^® Health Survey. Multivariable mixed effects models that adjusted for age, gender, rejection, and previous transplant and analysis of variance methods tested the effects of time and KDPI sequence on post-transplant HRQOL.

RESULTS

A total of 141 waitlisted adults and 505 recipients (>1700 observations) were included. Pretransplant PCS and MCS averaged, respectively, slightly below and within general population norms (GPN; 40-60). At 31 ± 26 months post-transplant, average PCS (41 ± 11) and MCS (51 ± 11), overall and within each KDPI sequence, were within GPN. KDPI sequence was not related to post-transplant HRQOL (P > .134) or its trajectory (interaction P > .163).

CONCLUSION

Increasing KDPI does not adversely affect the medium-term values and trajectories of HRQOL after kidney transplantation. This may reassure patients and centers when considering using high KDPI kidneys.

Employment 12 months after kidney transplantation: An in-depth bio-psycho-social analysis of the Swiss Transplant Cohort

BACKGROUND

Return to work with or after a chronic disease is a dynamic process influenced by a variety of interactions between personal, work, societal and medical resources or constraints. The aim of this study was to identify predictors for employment 12 months after transplantation in kidney patients, applying a bio-psycho-social model.

METHODS

All kidney patients followed in the Swiss Transplant Cohort between May 2008 and December 2012, aged 18 to 65 were assessed before, 6 and 12 months after transplantation.

RESULTS

Of the 689 included patients, 56.2% worked 12 months post- transplantation compared to 58.9% pre-transplantation. Age, education, self-perceived health (6 months post- transplantation), pre- transplantation employment and receiving an organ from a living donor are significant predictors of employment post- transplantation. Moreover, while self-perceived health increased post- transplantation, depression score decreased only among those employed 12 months post- transplantation. Pre- transplantation employment status was the main predictor for post- transplantation employment (OR = 18.6) and was associated with sex, age, education, depression and duration of dialysis. An organ from a living donor (42.1%) was more frequent in younger patients, with higher education, no diabetes and shorter waiting time to surgery.

CONCLUSION

Transplantation did not increase employment in end-stage kidney disease patients but helped maintaining employment. Pre-transplantation employment has been confirmed to be the most important predictor of post-transplantation employment. Furthermore, socio-demographic and individual factors predicted directly and indirectly the post-transplantation employment status. With living donor, an additional predictor linked to social factors and the medical procedure has been identified.