Mental Health Disorders and Solid-Organ Transplant Recipients

Psychosocial readiness assessment for heart transplant candidates

BACKGROUND

Psychosocial evaluation for transplant suitability is required by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) as a condition of participation for transplant programs. There are no regulations regarding follow-up reassessment for transplant readiness after waitlisting.

OBJECTIVES

An evidence-based pilot project was developed and implemented to evaluate the feasibility of psychosocial readiness assessments for waitlisted heart transplantation candidates. The primary aim was to test the feasibility of these assessments in practice from a patient and programmatic perspective.

METHODS

During a 12-week period, waitlisted outpatients underwent one assessment each. Socioeconomic elements of caregiver support, housing, transportation, and insurance coverage status were assessed by simple using "yes/no" questions. To assess mental health needs, the General Anxiety Disorder-7 questionnaire (GAD-7) and the Patient Health Questionnaire-8 (PHQ-8) tools were utilized. Rescheduled readiness visits and no-show rates were measured. A post-implementation Qualtrics survey was administered to measure team member perceptions of feasibility.

RESULTS

A total of 57 patients were assessed during the 12-week period. The primary aim of feasibility was achieved with 93 % of visits performed with freedom from rescheduling or patient no-show to the visit. Additionally, 75 % of team members reported the readiness assessments were feasible to complete in practice.

CONCLUSIONS

Addressing the non-medical and mental health needs of waitlisted heart transplant patients allows transplant programs to maintain candidates with necessary resources and care. The readiness assessments are feasible in practice and may serve to reduce untoward outcomes in the post-transplant phase by providing targeted care prior to the time of transplant.

International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation Guidelines for the Evaluation and Care of Cardiac Transplant Candidates-2024

The "International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation Guidelines for the Evaluation and Care of Cardiac Transplant Candidates-2024" updates and replaces the "Listing Criteria for Heart Transplantation: International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation Guidelines for the Care of Cardiac Transplant Candidates-2006" and the "2016 International Society for Heart Lung Transplantation Listing Criteria for Heart Transplantation: A 10-year Update." The document aims to provide tools to help integrate the numerous variables involved in evaluating patients for transplantation, emphasizing updating the collaborative treatment while waiting for a transplant. There have been significant practice-changing developments in the care of heart transplant recipients since the publication of the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) guidelines in 2006 and the 10-year update in 2016. The changes pertain to 3 aspects of heart transplantation: (1) patient selection criteria, (2) care of selected patient populations, and (3) durable mechanical support. To address these issues, 3 task forces were assembled. Each task force was cochaired by a pediatric heart transplant physician with the specific mandate to highlight issues unique to the pediatric heart transplant population and ensure their adequate representation. This guideline was harmonized with other ISHLT guidelines published through November 2023. The 2024 ISHLT guidelines for the evaluation and care of cardiac transplant candidates provide recommendations based on contemporary scientific evidence and patient management flow diagrams. The American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association modular knowledge chunk format has been implemented, allowing guideline information to be grouped into discrete packages (or modules) of information on a disease-specific topic or management issue. Aiming to improve the quality of care for heart transplant candidates, the recommendations present an evidence-based approach.

The prevalence of postacute sequelae of coronavirus disease 2019 in solid organ transplant recipients: Evaluation of risk in the National COVID Cohort Collaborative

Postacute sequelae after the coronavirus disease (COVID) of 2019 (PASC) is increasingly recognized, although data on solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients (SOTRs) are limited. Using the National COVID Cohort Collaborative, we performed 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM) of all adult SOTR and nonimmunosuppressed/immunocompromised (ISC) patients with acute COVID infection (August 1, 2021 to January 13, 2023) for a subsequent PASC diagnosis using International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification codes. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine not only the association of SOT status with PASC, but also other patient factors after stratifying by SOT status. Prior to PSM, there were 8769 SOT and 1 576 769 non-ISC patients with acute COVID infection. After PSM, 8756 SOTR and 8756 non-ISC patients were included; 2.2% of SOTR (n = 192) and 1.4% (n = 122) of non-ISC patients developed PASC (P value < .001). In the overall matched cohort, SOT was independently associated with PASC (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.48; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09-2.01). Among SOTR, COVID infection severity (aOR, 11.6; 95% CI, 3.93-30.0 for severe vs mild disease), older age (aOR, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.01-1.03 per year), and mycophenolate mofetil use (aOR, 2.04; 95% CI, 1.38-3.05) were each independently associated with PASC. In non-ISC patients, only depression (aOR, 1.96; 95% CI, 1.24-3.07) and COVID infection severity were. In conclusion, PASC occurs more commonly in SOTR than in non-ISC patients, with differences in risk profiles based on SOT status.

Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders in Transplant Waitlist, VAD, and Heart Transplant Patients: A TriNetX Database Analysis

Background/Objectives: Mental health and substance use disorders (MHDs and SUDs) affect cardiac allograft and VAD recipients and impact their quality of life and compliance. Limited research currently exists on MHDs and SUDs in this population. Methods: This study compares the incidence of MHDs and SUDs in the transplant list, VAD, and post-transplant patients with that in heart failure patients. Study cohorts were derived from the TriNetX database using ICD-10 codes. Differences in incidence were examined using the log-rank test. Adults with MHDs and SUDs before the window of time were excluded. All comparisons were made between propensity-matched cohorts. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: Transplant waitlist patients showed a significant increase in the incidence of anxiety, depression, panic, adjustment, mood, alcohol use, and eating disorders. Post-transplant patients showed a significant increase in depression and opioid use. VAD patients showed a significant increase in depression and a decrease in panic disorder and anxiety. These results allow for further investigations on prevention and coping strategies. Conclusions: The deterioration of mental health can significantly impact medication compliance, survival, and quality of life. Opioid use for pain management in the early postoperative period should be further investigated to assess its impact on long-term substance use and addiction.

Unintentional Injury Death Among Solid Organ Transplant Recipients: Trends and Risk Factors

Unintentional injury death (UID) is a leading cause of mortality worldwide, and individuals with chronic diseases are at higher risk. Though organ transplant can improve the lives of those with chronic disease, these individuals remain in suboptimal physical and mental health after surgery that predisposes them to UID. To quantify the scale of UID among solid organ transplant recipients, we performed a retrospective analysis using United Network of Organ Sharing data from adults who underwent kidney, liver or pancreas transplant between 2000-2021. Our study aimed to identify risk factors for UID in this cohort by comparing basic patient, donor, and transplant characteristics of the groups (UID or all other cause death). The largest proportion of UID was seen in the kidney group (.8%), followed by liver (.7%) and then pancreas (.3%). Male sex was the most significant risk factor among kidney and liver recipients. Whites had a higher risk for UID relative to their non-White counterparts in the kidney and liver groups. In both groups, advancing age conferred a protective effect, whereas higher functional status was a risk factor. Our findings shed new light on a significant source of mortality within the transplant population.

Anxiety and Somatoform Syndromes Predict Transplant-Focused Internet Use in the Course of an Organ Transplantation

Background: e-Health interventions are increasing in the field of organ transplantations; however, the literature lacks evidence regarding needs, attitudes, and preferences of organ recipients and donors during the course of an organ transplantation. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 70 subjects were assessed using self-rated and validated questionnaires, such as the PRIME MD Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-D) and the Essen Resource Inventory (ERI). Group differences and a multiple linear regression were also applied. Results: Organ recipients had significantly higher scores for depression (U = 245.00, z = -2.65, p = 0.008, Cohen's d = 0.32), somatoform (U = 224.50, z = -2.99, p = 0.003, Cohen's d = 0.37), and stress syndromes (U = 266.00, z = -2.25, p = 0.008, Cohen's d = 0.27). They also named the internet and apps as resources to find information regarding organ transplants (U = 177.50, z = -2.07, p = 0.017, Cohen's d = 0.28; Z = -2.308, p = 0.021) and preferred to use apps to monitor the physical condition (Z = -2.12, p = 0.034) significantly more than organ donors. Anxiety and somatoform syndromes were significant predictors to search for information regarding the transplant process (F[6,38] = 3.98, p < 0.001; R2 = 0.386). Conclusions: e-Health interventions are promising in accompanying the course of an organ transplant for patients to be informed and educated. Predominantly, potential organ recipients might benefit from apps to record physical parameters. However, anxiety syndromes might hinder patients from searching for information about the transplant process, while somatoform syndromes might enable patients who are searching for such information.

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for adherence of immunosuppressive treatment in liver transplant recipients: A randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on the adherence of liver transplant recipients to immunosuppressive therapy with a randomized controlled design.

METHOD

This randomized controlled trial was performed with 120 liver transplant recipients hospitalized at the liver transplant department of a research and practice hospital (n = 120). While we administered no intervention to the patients in the control group (n = 60), we provided Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy to those in the experimental group (n = 60). We used the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale and the Immunosuppressant Therapy Adherence Scale to collect data. We utilized descriptive statistics, paired-samples t-tests, independent-samples t-tests, one-way analysis of variance, and chi-squared tests to analyze the data.

RESULTS

After the intervention, the immunosuppressive therapy adherence levels of the experimental group increased significantly (p < 0.01). On the other hand, the control group had significantly higher adherence to immunosuppressive therapy and significantly higher levels of mindfulness in the pretest phase than it did in the posttest phase (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Complete adherence to immunosuppressive therapy is imperative for the prevention of graft rejection in liver transplant recipients. In our study, the experimental group equipped with enhanced mindfulness had higher adherence to immunosuppressive therapy. Therefore, the use of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in the promotion of adherence to immunosuppressive therapy is recommended.

Pathogenic factors of cognitive dysfunction after liver transplantation: an observational study

OBJECTIVES

Neurocognitive complications significantly reduce long-term health-related quality of life in patients undergoing liver transplantation; however, few studies have focused on their perioperative cognitive status. The authors designed a prospective observational study to determine the incidence and risk factors of posttransplant cognitive dysfunction.

METHODS

This study included patients with end-stage liver disease who were on the liver transplantation waiting list. We performed an investigation with a neuropsychological battery before and 1 week after the successful transplant, analyzed the changes, and further explored the complicated perioperative factors that contribute to cognitive dysfunction.

RESULTS

A total of 132 patients completed all the investigations. Compared with healthy controls and preoperative cognitive performance, 54 patients experienced deterioration, 50 patients remained unchanged, and 28 patients showed rapid improvement. Logistic regression analysis showed that age [odds ratio (OR) = 1.15, 95% confidence interval (CI, 1.07-1.22), P  < 0.001], the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score [OR = 1.07, 95% CI (1.03-1.13), P  = 0.038], systemic circulation pressure [OR = 0.95, 95% CI (0.91-0.99), P  = 0.026] within the first 30 min after portal vein opening, and total bilirubin concentration [OR = 1.02, 95% CI (1.01-1.03), P  = 0.036] on the seventh day post-transplant were closely related to the deterioration of cognitive function.

CONCLUSION

The incidences of deterioration, maintenance, and improvement in cognitive function were 40.9%, 37.9%, and 21.2%, respectively. Increasing age, higher MELD score, lower perfusion pressure in the early stage of the new liver, and higher total bilirubin concentration postoperatively may be independent pathogenic factors.

MENTAL DISORDERS AND LIVER TRANSPLANTATION: A 2-YEAR COHORT STUDY

BACKGROUND

Psychosocial assessment is a key component in evaluation for liver transplantation and may affect survival rates and outcomes.

OBJECTIVE

The primary aim of this study was to investigate the impact of previous mental disorders and impulsivity on the 2-year surviving rate after liver transplantation.

METHODS

We performed a prospective cohort study assessing end-stage liver disease individuals with and without psychiatric comorbidities for 2 years post-transplant. Psychiatric diagnosis was carried out through Mini-Plus 5.0.0 and impulsivity by using Barratt Impulsiveness Scale in the pre-transplant phase. We followed patient's status for 2 years after transplantation. The main outcome was death. We used a logistic regression to evaluate the association of psychiatric comorbidities with death and performed a survival analysis with Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression models.

RESULTS

Between June 2010 and July 2014, 93 out of 191 transplant candidates received transplants. From the 93 transplant patients, 21 had psychiatric comorbidities and 72 had not. 25 patients died during the study. The presence of psychiatric comorbidities (P=0.353) and high impulsivity (P=0.272) were not associated to 2-year post transplant death.

CONCLUSION

This study found no evidence that the presence of mental disorders and impulsivity worsened prognosis in post-liver transplantation.

Reviewing Patient-Reported Outcomes 1 Year after Orthotopic Liver Transplantation

BACKGROUND

With improved survivorship in liver transplantation (LT), there is an emerging focus on functional recovery and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) after surgery. The present study aimed to assess HRQoL after LT using the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS).

STUDY DESIGN

This was a prospective analysis of LT recipients between 2020 and 2021. A total of 238 patients were contacted by phone at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively using the PROMIS 29-Profile. Scores were recorded and computed using the HealthMeasures Scoring Service.

RESULTS

PROMIS was available for 174 patients at 3 (n = 58), 6 (n = 57), and 12 months (n = 59). Overall, mean PROMIS scores were 47.6 ± 3, 47.6 ± 3, and 47.6 ± 3 at 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively. Most domains improved postoperatively by 12 months except for anxiety and sleep disturbance measures. The lowest domain in the immediate postoperative period was physical functioning, but this had the closest return to normative population values. Pain interference was above the population reference during the initial postoperative period, improving by 12 months where they were below mean population values. Depression and fatigue scores improved by 6 months and appeared to stabilize by 12 months post-LT. Patients demonstrated increased social participation, and scores were remarkably higher than general population means at each timepoint.

CONCLUSION

LT can impact physical, mental, and social health which, in this setting, remains largely unexplored using PROMIS instruments. We report that although overall patient well being can improve, some mental health domains require further consideration during the postoperative period.

Sex and Gender Differences in Kidney Transplantation

Sex and gender often are used interchangeably, but are two distinct entities, with sex being the biological attribute and gender including the social, psychological, and cultural aspects of one's identity. Kidney transplantation has been proven to be the best treatment for end-stage kidney disease, improving both quality of life and life-expectancy for most patients. However, gender disparities in access to and outcomes of kidney transplantation remain despite the plethora of evidence showing the advantages of kidney transplantation to our patients. Data have shown that women are less likely to be waitlisted for a kidney transplant and to receive a deceased donor or a living donor kidney. On the other hand, women are more likely than men to become living kidney donors. Although some state the latter is the result of the female gender to nurture and care for loved ones, others believe this observation is because women often are incompatible with their spouse or child because pregnancy is a strong sensitizing event, which stems from the biological rather than the social differences between the sexes. Influence of sex and gender is not limited to access to kidney transplantation, but rather exist in other areas of transplant medicine, such as the difference observed in transplant outcomes between the sexes, variability in immunosuppression metabolism, and even in more contemporary areas such as recent data showing sex-based differences in outcomes of kidney transplant recipients with coronavirus disease-2019, with males having an increased incidence of acute kidney injury and death.

Prevalence of Mental Disorders in a German Kidney Transplant Population: Results of a KTx360°-Substudy

In patients after kidney transplantation (KTx) an increased rate of affective and anxiety disorders has been observed. Repeatedly, a relationship between mental health issues and increased morbidity and mortality in KTx recipients has been reported. However, information on the prevalence of mental disorders in KTx patients is scarce. As part of the structured multimodal follow-up program (KTx360°), mental disorders were examined in 726 patients after KTx through structured diagnostic interviews using the Mini-DIPS Open Access. Overall, 27.5% had a current and 49.2% a lifetime mental disorder. Only 14.5% with a current mental disorder reported to be in treatment. Affected patients were younger, more often female, reported more symptoms of anxiety and depression and less perceived social support. While comparable to the rate in general population samples, the prevalence of mental disorders should attract attention. The low treatment rate requires an improved identification of afflicted patients and provision of specialist treatment.ISRCTN registry, https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN29416382 , date of registry: 03.05.2017.

The mental health profiles of pediatric organ transplant recipients

BACKGROUND

Solid organ transplantation is the indicated treatment for children with end-stage organ failure. Little is known about the impact of organ transplantation on pediatric transplant recipients' mental health. Symptoms of medical procedure and generalized anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and depression may emerge, despite the successful restoration of organ function.

METHODS

We examined symptoms of anxiety, depression, trauma, and medical procedure anxiety-specifically, fear and avoidance of needles-in youth who had received a kidney, liver, or heart transplant. Parent-report on child mental health symptoms was also collected.

RESULTS

Data were obtained for 56 youth. Most children did not endorse clinically significant symptoms of depression. In contrast, 20% of parents reported symptoms of depression in their child that exceeded clinical cutoffs. Parents also reported higher levels of anxiety in their children than did the children themselves. Indeed, on average, children reported lower levels of depression and anxiety than would be expected in a general population. On a trauma measure, 22.6% of youths' scores were above clinical cutoffs, with girls scoring higher than boys. Finally, 10.9% of children stated that they attempted to avoid needles because of fear. Once again, girls reported higher needle fear scores than boys and younger patients reported experiencing higher levels of needle fear.

CONCLUSIONS

Anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, and needle fear are important psychological parameters that should be considered in the evaluation of pediatric patients with solid organ transplant, as part of their routine post-transplant care.

Evaluation of psychological symptoms in patients before and after simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation: a single-center cross-sectional study

Purpose:

Simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation (SPKT) brings several benefits for insulin-dependent type-1 diabetic patients associated with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). However, data on psychological outcomes for the waiting list and the transplanted patients are still lacking.

Methods:

Using the psychological Beck inventories of anxiety (BAI) and depression (BDI), 39 patients on the waiting list were compared to 88 post-transplanted patients who had undergone SPKT.

Results:

Significant differences were found regarding depression (p = 0.003) but not anxiety (p = 0.161), being the pretransplant patients more vulnerable to psychological disorders. Remarkable differences were observed relative to the feeling of punishment (p < 0.001) and suicidal thoughts (p = 0.008) between the groups. It was observed that patients who waited a longer period for the transplant showed more post-transplant anxiety symptoms due to the long treatment burden (p = 0.002).

Conclusions:

These results demonstrated the positive impact of SPKT on psychological aspects related to depression when comparing the groups. The high number of stressors in the pretransplant stage impacts more severely the psychosocial condition of the patient.

Psychosocial Evaluation of Candidates for Solid Organ Transplantation

Transplant candidates should undergo an assessment of their mental health, social support, lifestyle, and behaviors. The primary aims of this "psychosocial evaluation" are to ensure that transplantation is of benefit to life expectancy and quality of life, and to allow optimization of the candidate and transplant outcomes. The content of psychosocial evaluations is informed by evidence regarding pretransplant psychosocial predictors of transplant outcomes. This review summarizes the current literature on pretransplant psychosocial predictors of transplant outcomes across differing solid organ transplants and discusses the limitations of existing research. Pretransplant depression, substance misuse, and nonadherence are associated with poorer posttransplant outcomes. Depression, smoking, and high levels of prescription opioid use are associated with reduced posttransplant survival. Pretransplant nonadherence is associated with posttransplant rejection, and nonadherence may mediate the effects of other psychosocial variables such as substance misuse. There is evidence to suggest that social support is associated with likelihood of substance misuse relapse after transplantation, but there is a lack of consistent evidence for an association between social support and posttransplant adherence, rejection, or survival across all organ transplant types. Psychosocial evaluations should be undertaken by a trained individual and should comprise multiple consultations with the transplant candidate, family members, and healthcare professionals. Tools exist that can be useful for guiding and standardizing assessment, but research is needed to determine how well scores predict posttransplant outcomes. Few studies have evaluated interventions designed to improve psychosocial functioning specifically pretransplant. We highlight the challenges of carrying out such research and make recommendations regarding future work.

Psychological Distress in Hospitalized Patients Awaiting Organ Transplantation: Case Examples, Thematic Exploration, and Suggestions for Intervention

Organ transplantation is a life-saving mechanism with a large public health burden given the necessity of individuals to donate their organs in the event of their own death. Understanding the psychological and medical sequelae of individuals receiving an organ transplant is invaluable in a successful transplant. The waiting period for transplantation is the most psychologically difficult period, and is an important window during which to intervene psychologically and medically. Patients who are hospitalized during this waiting period make up the most vulnerable population given the psychological difficulties of not only awaiting transplant but of a prolonged and difficult hospitalization. This paper is a first step in understanding the psychological landscape of hospitalized patient's awaiting transplant and the potential research avenues and intervention strategies that may be utilized in order to decrease the psychological burden as well as influence successful medical outcomes in organ transplantation.

Depression, anxiety, and associated psychological outcomes in living organ transplant donors: A systematic review

With increasing demands for living organ donations, understanding the prevalence of depression and anxiety, which are the commonest psychiatric disorders in donors following organ transplantation, will serve to improve psychiatric care to safeguard donors' mental wellbeing. This descriptive systematic review examines all observational studies in English investigating prevalence of depression and anxiety in adult transplant donors using bibliographic databases. Sixty-two papers were included (kidney, n = 25; liver, n = 25; bone marrow, n = 7; uterus, n = 2; lung, n = 1; kidney and lung concurrently, n = 2). Post-transplantation depression and anxiety prevalence rates (Depression: 0-46.9%, Anxiety: 0-66.7%) did not differ significantly from pre-transplantation and were largely comparable to the general population. Other psychiatric disorders observed included bipolar disorder, conversion disorder, adjustment disorder and sleep disorder. Other psychological outcomes observed included lower quality of life, lower satisfaction of life and regret after donation. Pre-donation risk factors such as poor physical/psychological health status, and post-donation risk factors such as complicated post-surgical recovery and poor physical/psychological health in recipients were identified, predisposing donors to poor psychological outcomes. Individuals with risk factors should be monitored and provided with social support, psychoeducation, psychotherapy and long-term follow up. Future studies should adopt consistent methodological approaches to improve comparability between various studies. More research investigating poor psychological outcomes in other organ donors besides kidney and liver donors, donors who have past psychiatric history, unrelated and parent donors is warranted.

Psychosocial evaluation for liver transplantation: A brief guide for gastroenterologists

Liver transplantation is a lifesaving treatment that improves survival and quality of life. The procedure requires adequate transplant candidate selection carried out by a multidisciplinary team. Psychosocial evaluation is a necessary part of recipient selection and its primary aims are to identify problems and psychosocial needs of the patient and his/her family, to improve transplantation outcomes. Different psychosocial conditions are considered risk factors for morbidity and mortality after transplantation. The presence of those factors per se is not an absolute contraindication, thus adequate evaluation promotes equal access to healthcare, improves results, and optimizes resources. The present review provides an overview of and guidelines for the most important psychosocial issues during the pretransplantation phase.

The Preimplantation Psychosocial Evaluation and Prediction of Clinical Outcomes During Mechanical Circulatory Support: What Information Is Most Prognostic?

BACKGROUND

Psychosocial evaluations are required for long-term mechanical circulatory support (MCS) candidates, no matter whether MCS will be destination therapy (DT) or a bridge to heart transplantation. Although guidelines specify psychosocial contraindications to MCS, there is no comprehensive examination of which psychosocial evaluation domains are most prognostic for clinical outcomes. We evaluated whether overall psychosocial risk, determined across all psychosocial domains, predicted outcomes, and which specific domains appeared responsible for any effects.

METHODS

A single-site retrospective analysis was performed for adults receiving MCS between April 2004 and December 2017. Using an established rating system, we coded psychosocial evaluations to identify patients at low, moderate, or high overall risk. We similarly determined risk within each of 10 individual psychosocial domains. Multivariable analyses evaluated whether psychosocial risk predicted clinical decisions about MCS use (DT versus bridge), and postimplantation mortality, transplantation, rehospitalization, MCS pump exchange, and standardly defined adverse medical events (AEs).

RESULTS

In 241 MCS recipients, greater overall psychosocial risk increased the likelihood of a DT decision (odds ratio, 1.76; P = 0.017); and postimplantation pump exchange and occurrence of AEs (hazard ratios [HRs] ≥ 1.25; P ≤ 0.042). The individual AEs most strongly predicted were cardiac arrhythmias and device malfunctions (HRs ≥ 1.39; P ≤ 0.032). The specific psychosocial domains predicting at least 1 study outcome were mental health problem severity, poorer medical adherence, and substance use (odds ratios and HRs ≥ 1.32; P ≤ 0.010).

CONCLUSIONS

The psychosocial evaluation predicts not only clinical decisions about MCS use (DT versus bridge) but important postimplantation outcomes. Strategies to address psychosocial risk factors before or soon after implantation may help to reduce postimplantation clinical risks.

KDIGO Clinical Practice Guideline on the Evaluation and Management of Candidates for Kidney Transplantation

The 2020 Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) Clinical Practice Guideline on the Evaluation and Management of Candidates for Kidney Transplantation is intended to assist health care professionals worldwide who evaluate and manage potential candidates for deceased or living donor kidney transplantation. This guideline addresses general candidacy issues such as access to transplantation, patient demographic and health status factors, and immunological and psychosocial assessment. The roles of various risk factors and comorbid conditions governing an individual's suitability for transplantation such as adherence, tobacco use, diabetes, obesity, perioperative issues, causes of kidney failure, infections, malignancy, pulmonary disease, cardiac and peripheral arterial disease, neurologic disease, gastrointestinal and liver disease, hematologic disease, and bone and mineral disorder are also addressed. This guideline provides recommendations for evaluation of individual aspects of a candidate's profile such that each risk factor and comorbidity are considered separately. The goal is to assist the clinical team to assimilate all data relevant to an individual, consider this within their local health context, and make an overall judgment on candidacy for transplantation. The guideline development process followed the Grades of Recommendation Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. Guideline recommendations are primarily based on systematic reviews of relevant studies and our assessment of the quality of that evidence, and the strengths of recommendations are provided. Limitations of the evidence are discussed with differences from previous guidelines noted and suggestions for future research are also provided.

Aspectos psicosociales en pacientes candidatos a trasplante de órganos

Este estudio analiza las variables psicosociales implicadas en el proceso de trasplante de órganos y plantea las posibles contribuciones de la psicología clínica en su abordaje. Se trata de un estudio descriptivo-transversal con muestra no probabilística intencional de N=64 (51 hombres y 13 mujeres), con edades comprendidas entre 37 y 66 años (Media=58,17; Desviación Típica=6,038). La evaluación se realiza mediante la entrevista clínica, la aplicación de la Escala de Ansiedad y Depresión Hospitalaria de Zimong y Shaith y del Mini-Examen del Estado Mental de Folstein y colaboradores. Se encuentra que entre el 56-68% de los pacientes tiene conciencia de la necesidad de mantener hábitos saludables. Un 37,5% del grupo de trasplante hepático no cumple abstinencia alcohólica superior a 6 meses. Más de la mitad de los candidatos tienen antecedentes en salud mental y aproximadamente el 20% presenta sintomatología clínica. Entre el 62-81% está motivado para la intervención. La influencia de los factores psicosociales en la evolución y el pronóstico de los trasplantes muestra la necesidad de fomentar la participación del psicólogo clínico en la evaluación y en el desarrollo de intervenciones adecuadas a las necesidades específicas de cada fase, favoreciendo la atención sanitaria integral durante todo el proceso.

Kidney transplantation and donation in the transgender population: A single-institution case series

The medical needs of the transgender population are increasingly recognized within the US health care system. Hormone therapy and gender-affirming surgery present distinct anatomic, hormonal, infectious, and psychosocial issues among transgender kidney transplant donors and recipients. We present the first reported experience with kidney transplantation and donation in transgender patients. A single-center case series (January 2014-December 2018) comprising 4 transgender kidney transplant recipients and 2 transgender living donors was constructed and analyzed. Experts in transplant surgery, transplant psychiatry, transplant infectious disease, pharmacy, and endocrinology were consulted to discuss aspects of care for these patients. Four transgender patients identified as male-to-female and 2 as female-to-male. Three of 6 had gender-affirming surgeries prior to transplant surgery, 1 of whom had further procedures posttransplant. Additionally, 4 patients were on hormone therapy. All 6 had psychiatric comorbidities. The 4 grafts have done well, with an average serum creatinine of 1.45 mg/dL at 2 years (range 1.01-1.85 mg/dL). However, patients encountered various postoperative complications, 1 of which was attributable to modified anatomy. Thus, transgender kidney transplant patients can present novel challenges in regard to surgical considerations as well as pre- and posttransplant care. Dedicated expertise is needed to optimize outcomes for this population.

New-onset Psychosis in an Immunosuppressed Patient With Kidney Transplantation: An Educational Case Report

Rationale

New-onset psychosis in an immunosuppressed patient post-kidney transplantation (KT) is a diagnostic challenge. A broad differential diagnosis merits consideration; however, an approach to this differential diagnosis remains to be outlined in the literature. Also, when and how to modify the maintenance immunosuppressive regimen remains a significant area of controversy.

Presenting concerns

A 23-year-old male, known for X-linked Alport syndrome for which he had undergone KT 1 year prior, presented with a 1-week history of disorganized speech, bizarre behavior, religious delusions, and visual hallucinations.

Diagnoses

After ruling out infectious, metabolic, autoimmune, and structural causes, immunosuppressant medications were changed from tacrolimus to cyclosporine. The patient did not improve after this change, and a second opinion consultation with a transplant psychiatrist led to a diagnosis of primary first-episode psychosis, later refined to bipolar disorder type I.

Interventions

The patient was started on risperidone, which led to a significant improvement in his symptoms.

Outcomes

Twelve months after discharge, his mood and behavior had returned to baseline on aripiprazole, bupropion, and citalopram. However, he developed acute allograft rejection, prompting a change from cyclosporine back to tacrolimus, with stability of his mental state and graft function.

Teaching points

This report offers learners an extensive and organized differential diagnosis to the work up of psychosis post kidney transplantation. A complete history, with input from collateral sources, and a systematic approach to the differential diagnosis, are crucial and should not be overshadowed by the risk of immunosuppressant-related neurotoxicity. We underscore the importance of multi-disciplinary management and comprehensive psychosocial assessment and re-assessment to refine the diagnosis. We also report the successful re-introduction of tacrolimus once the diagnosis of a primary psychiatric disorder is confirmed. Finally, we offer a simplified approach that can aid in distinguishing between a primary psychiatric diagnosis versus tacrolimus-associated psychosis.

Quality of life after liver transplantation

Liver transplantation (LT) enables rapid transition from critical illness and poor prognosis back to health. After LT, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) generally becomes comparable to that of the general population, although some deficits in mainly physical domains are frequent. However, recipients continue to have symptoms related to immunosuppression, complications, and other things, which impact HRQoL and the recipient's ability to regain independence and re-establish function in everyday life. Less than half of LT recipients return to work. Reportedly, HRQoL seems to deteriorate slightly over the long-term, but still remains satisfactory. Physical fatigue is common, but recent studies show that structured exercise programs improve both fatigue and HRQoL. Emerging evidence also suggests that continued patient information, structured psychosocial support systems, and caregiver involvement might further help improve long-term HRQoL. More research is needed to gain better understanding of the factors affecting long-term HRQoL, and how to best improve HRQoL.

Liver Transplantation for Acetaminophen-Induced Acute Liver Failure: Role of Psychiatric Comorbidity in Listing Decisions and Outcomes

BACKGROUND

Psychiatric co-morbidities are thought to deter listing of patients with acetaminophen-induced acute liver failure (APAP-ALF) for liver transplantation (LT). We examined the listing process and short-term outcomes via a cohort study of APAP-ALF patients with and without psychiatric comorbidity.

METHODS

We analyzed listing determinants, listing rates, and short-term (21-day) outcomes in APAP-ALF patients with and without psychiatric comorbidity (mental illness and/or substance abuse) enrolled in the ALFSG registry between 2000 and 2016.

RESULTS

Of the 910 APAP-ALF patients, 801 (88%) had evidence of psychiatric comorbidity. There was no difference in listing between patients with (169/801, 21%) and without (26/109, 24%) psychiatric comorbidity (p = 0.59). Listed patients in both groups were younger with more severe admission clinical parameters than those not listed. Patients with and without psychiatric comorbidity had similar short-term outcomes: transplant rates among listed patients [57/169 (34%) vs 10/26 (39%), p = 0.80], spontaneous (transplant-free) survival (SS) [544/801 (68%) vs 73/109 (67%), p = 0.93], and overall death [207/801 (26%) vs 26/109 (24%), p = 0.74].

CONCLUSIONS

In our study, which is limited by informal psychiatric assessments, psychiatric comorbidity in APAP-ALF patients does not appear to impact listing, or short-term outcomes-SS, LT, or death. Transplant listing decisions primarily appear to be based on clinical severity of disease, rather than concern that APAP-ALF patients' psychiatric comorbidity will compromise outcomes.

A Multisite Study on Using Symptom-Targeted Interventions to Improve Mental Health Outcomes of Solid Organ Transplant Patients

INTRODUCTION

Depression and anxiety are common affective experiences during the first year following a solid organ transplant. This study examined the degree to which an evidenced-based clinical intervention implemented by social workers-Symptom Targeted Intervention-can alter self-reported depression and anxiety in heart, kidney, liver, and lung transplant recipients.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

This investigation explored 2 questions: (1) Can symptom-targeted interventions significantly reduce posttransplant recipients' self-reported depression and anxiety at the conclusion of treatment and at 1-month follow-up? and (2) Does the response differ by gender?

DESIGN

A 1-group pretest-posttest design with a 1-month follow-up was used to test for changes in anxiety and depression after transplantation. Forty-eight patients at 2 US transplant centers were enrolled between January 2016 and May 2017. Data were collected using an online platform and analyzed to assess for differences over time and by gender.

RESULTS

Anxiety decreased significantly between pretest and posttest using the General Anxiety Disorder-2 (P < .05). Comparisons by gender indicated that women had a significant decrease in anxiety between pretest and posttest (P < .001); however, there was no significant decrease in anxiety for men. Analyses by gender and time yielded no significant differences for depression.

DISCUSSION

Symptom-targeted interventions have the potential to reduce anxiety in solid organ transplant patients and enhance their psychosocial adjustment after surgery.

Mental health and chemical dependency services at US transplant centers

The purpose of this study was to assess the availability of mental health (MH) and chemical dependency (CD) services at US transplant centers, because appropriate psychosocial assessment and care is associated with better transplant outcomes. We used the 2017-2018 American Hospital Association survey, Area Health Resource File, and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Hospital Compare databases to quantify availability of services and examined associations of hospital- and health services area-level characteristics with odds of offering services with generalized linear mixed models. We found that 15% of transplant centers did not offer MH services and 62% did not offer CD services. Hospitals were more likely to offer MH services if they were larger (OR [95% CI]: 1.03 [1.01, 1.06]) and had a lower rate of uninsured patients in the health services area (OR [95% CI]: 0.89 [0.80, 0.99]) and were more likely to offer CD services if they were larger (OR [95% CI]: 1.02 [1.01, 1.03]) or were members of a system (OR [95% CI]: 2.31 [1.26, 4.24]). Additional research is needed to understand whether lack of MH or CD services at transplant centers affects patients' ability to access comprehensive psychosocial care and whether this affects patient outcomes.

A Scoping Review of Key Health Items in Self-Report Instruments Used Among Solid Organ Transplant Recipients

The overall aim of this scoping review of the literature is twofold: (1) to provide an overview of all instruments that have been used to assess health-related quality of life (HRQoL) after solid organ transplantation and (2) to provide a list of health items they include to support future studies on the development of a new-generation HRQoL instrument. All studies that administered any form of HRQoL instrument to post-transplant solid organ recipients were identified in a comprehensive search of PubMed (MEDLINE), Embase, and Web of Science, with a cut-off date of May 2018. The search used various combinations of the following keywords: lung, heart, liver, kidney, or pancreas transplantation; quality of life; well-being; patient-reported outcome; instrument; questionnaire; and health survey. In total, 8013 distinct publications were identified and 1218 of these were selected for review. Among the instruments applied, 53 measured generic, 51 organ-specific, 271 domain-specific, and 43 transplant-specific HRQoL. A total of 78 distinct health items grouped into 16 sub-domains were identified and depicted graphically. The majority of publications did not report a logical rationale for the choice of specific HRQoL instrument. The most commonly used types of instruments were generic health instruments, followed by domain-specific instruments. Despite the availability of transplant-specific instruments, few studies applied these types of instruments. Based on the 78 items, further research is planned to develop a patient-centered, transplant-specific HRQoL instrument that is concise, easy to apply (mobile application), and specifically related to the health issues of solid organ recipients.

Psychosocial Evaluation of Candidates for Heart Transplant and Ventricular Assist Devices: Beyond the Current Consensus

Advanced heart failure therapies, including heart transplantation and durable mechanical circulatory support, are available to a limited number of patients because of the scarcity of donors, expense, and large burden of care. The importance of psychological and social determinants of health, including cognitive status, health literacy, psychopathology, social support, medical adherence, and substance abuse, are emphasized in advanced heart failure and further amplified in the context of mechanical circulatory support and heart transplantation. The psychosocial assessment of advanced heart failure therapy candidates remains largely subjective, requiring a multidisciplinary evaluation, which may include psychiatrists, social workers, case managers, financial coordinators, pharmacists, and clinicians. Objective tools—including the Stanford Integrated Psychosocial Assessment for Transplantation, Psychosocial Assessment of Candidates for Transplantation, and Transplant Evaluation Rating Scale—were developed and validated in limited populations to help standardize the evaluation process. Small, retrospective studies have inconsistently shown that these tools may predict clinical outcomes in the transplant population, with higher-risk scores associated with readmissions, rejection episodes, and infections. However, it has been more difficult to show that these tools can predict mortality, and their applicability to the mechanical circulatory support population is less studied. The International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation released a consensus statement in 2018 to promote consistency of psychosocial evaluation across advanced heart failure programs, but it lacks specific recommendations given the current state of evidence. This state-of-the-art review expands on the current consensus by critically reviewing current studies supporting available objective assessment tools, proposing a psychosocial evaluation framework that uses a multidisciplinary approach and offering future directions for research.

Psychopharmacology in transplantation medicine

Organ transplantation has become a well-established treatment option in patients with end-stage organ diseases. Although quality of life has markedly improved, psychiatric disorders before and after transplantation are more frequent compared to the general population. Psychopharmacological treatment is recommended for almost all mental disorders according to current guidelines, but may pose particular problems in organ transplant patients. Changes in the metabolism and elimination of drugs during organ insufficiency, drug interactions, and overlapping side effects between psychopharmacological and immunosuppressive drugs are challenging problems in clinical management. Furthermore, questions frequently arise concerning the use of psychopharmacological treatment options for sleeping and anxiety disorders. This article reviews psychopharmacology in organ transplant patients, with particular attention to frequent psychiatric disorders observed in the disease course of end-stage organ diseases.

Heart Transplant Recipients Prefer a Telemental Health Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Intervention Delivered by Telephone

Background: Depression and anxiety are common after heart transplant, and in a regional heart transplant center servicing northern California, willingness to participate in treatment can be a major barrier. Introduction: Our primary aim is to design a remote cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention. This study is the first step in the process. Through a survey to the cohort of heart transplant recipients (N = 230), managed within the Kaiser Permanente Northern California's Heart Transplant Service, we aimed to assess symptoms of stress, depression, and anxiety, patient willingness to participate in a CBT intervention, and preference between video and telephone. We proposed to patients a five-visit intervention, with the first and last visits in person and the three middle visits by video. Materials and Methods: One hundred twenty of 230 heart transplant recipients returned the 12-question Likert-like survey. Statistical tests included chi-square, fisher exact test, t-tests, and a logistic regression model. Results: Patients who reported two or more symptoms of stress, depression, and anxiety were 5.67 times more likely to engage in a remote CBT intervention (odds ratio = 5.67; 95% confidence interval 1.63-19.78; p = 0.006). Patients experiencing stress with depression were the most willing group to participate in a CBT intervention. The 12 patients who met the study criteria of 3 years post-transplant and experiencing at least one mental health symptom were invited to participate in the CBT intervention. All patients (12) who met the CBT intervention criteria were not willing to participate in the two in-person visits. All were willing to participate in a telephone-only CBT intervention. Discussion: Among the heart transplant recipients in this cohort, there is more willingness to participate in a CBT intervention when distress is higher and there is a preference for telephone visits as the modality for treatment delivery. Conclusions: Based on the findings, the CBT intervention will be shorter in duration; instead of five visits, there will be four visits; and it will be conducted by telephone only. The new intervention will be tested with 8 to 10 patients, changed, and then it will need to be empirically tested.

The 2018 ISHLT/APM/AST/ICCAC/STSW recommendations for the psychosocial evaluation of adult cardiothoracic transplant candidates and candidates for long-term mechanical circulatory support

The psychosocial evaluation is well-recognized as an important component of the multifaceted assessment process to determine candidacy for heart transplantation, lung transplantation, and long-term mechanical circulatory support (MCS). However, there is no consensus-based set of recommendations for either the full range of psychosocial domains to be assessed during the evaluation, or the set of processes and procedures to be used to conduct the evaluation, report its findings, and monitor patients' receipt of and response to interventions for any problems identified. This document provides recommendations on both evaluation content and process. It represents a collaborative effort of the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) and the Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine, American Society of Transplantation, International Consortium of Circulatory Assist Clinicians, and Society for Transplant Social Workers. The Nursing, Health Science and Allied Health Council of the ISHLT organized a Writing Committee composed of international experts representing the ISHLT and the collaborating societies. This Committee synthesized expert opinion and conducted a comprehensive literature review to support the psychosocial evaluation content and process recommendations that were developed. The recommendations are intended to dovetail with current ISHLT guidelines and consensus statements for the selection of candidates for cardiothoracic transplantation and MCS implantation. Moreover, the recommendations are designed to promote consistency across programs in the performance of the psychosocial evaluation by proposing a core set of content domains and processes that can be expanded as needed to meet programs' unique needs and goals.

History of psychosis and mania, and outcomes after kidney transplantation - a retrospective study

History of psychosis or mania, if uncontrolled, both represent relative contraindications for kidney transplantation. We examined 3680 US veterans who underwent kidney transplantation. The diagnosis of history of psychosis/mania was based on a validated algorithm. Measured confounders were used to create a propensity score-matched cohort (n = 442). Associations between pretransplantation psychosis/mania and death with functioning graft, all-cause death, graft loss, and rejection were examined in survival models and logistic regression models. Post-transplant medication nonadherence was assessed using proportion of days covered (PDC) for tacrolimus and mycophenolic acid in both groups. The mean ± SD age of the cohort at baseline was 61 ± 11 years, 92% were male, and 66% and 27% of patients were white and African-American, respectively. Compared to patients without history of psychosis/mania, patients with a history of psychosis/mania had similar risk of death with functioning graft [subhazard ratio (SHR) (95% confidence interval (CI)): 0.94(0.42-2.09)], all-cause death [hazard ratio (95% CI): 1.04 (0.51-2.14)], graft loss [SHR (95% CI): 1.07 (0.45-2.57)], and rejection [odds ratio(95% CI): 1.23(0.60-2.53)]. Moreover, there was no difference in immunosuppressive drug PDC in patients with and without history of psychosis/mania (PDC: 76 ± 21% vs. 78 ± 19%, P = 0.529 for tacrolimus; PDC: 78 ± 17% vs. 79 ± 18%, P = 0.666 for mycophenolic acid). After careful selection, pretransplantation psychosis/mania is not associated with adverse outcomes in kidney transplant recipients.

Psychiatric comorbidities among patients undergoing liver transplantation in South Korea: a nationwide population-based study

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence of mental disorders in patients undergoing liver transplantation (LT) based on claims data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) in South Korea.

METHODS

We confirmed mental disorders in a nationwide cohort of 3758 patients receiving LT between January 2010 and December 2014. We categorized the prevalence of mental disorders based on patient age at the time of LT.

RESULTS

A total of 288 patients for LT were diagnosed with a mental disorder 1 year before their cancer diagnosis. Of those patients, depression was present in 90 (31.25%) and anxiety in 92 (31.9%) patients at the first diagnosis. The overall frequency of mental disorders peaked just before LT, and substance abuse was the most prevalent mental disorder before LT. The risk of mental disorders after LT was significantly lower in those with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) than in those without HCC (hazard ratio = 1.70, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Mental disorders in patients receiving LT showed different patterns of prevalence depending on age at the time of surgery and the nature of underlying diseases. Personalized intervention based on patient characteristics could improve the quality of life.

[Focusing on kidney transplantation in the elderly]

Due to the increase in life expectancy and the ageing of end-stage renal disease patients, the number of patients older than 65 years receiving a kidney transplant has been continuously growing over the last fifteen years. The benefits of renal transplantation compared to dialysis in terms of survival and quality of life have been shown in selected recipients over 65, or 70 years. However, the age remains the main limiting factor for the access to the waiting list, and the reluctance of the clinicians can be explained by the multiple comorbidities of these candidates, their limited life expectancy or the shortage of grafts. The challenge is to select the candidates who can benefit from renal transplantation, thanks to rigorous cardiovascular and neoplastic evaluation before enrolment and by taking into account the specific characteristics of elderly patients. The living donor appears to be the ideal option for elderly recipients, the alternative being the extended criteria donor, allowing waiting times to be limited. The choice of immunosuppressive therapy is also crucial in these patients at high risk of infectious and cardiovascular complications in whom the occurrence of acute rejection can have severe consequences. There are currently no specific recommendations for immunosuppression in elderly recipients, and we would need large-scale randomized studies to improve the prognosis of renal transplantation in this population.