Psychiatric Profile of Patients Currently Listed for Kidney Transplantation: Evidence of the Need for More Thorough Pretransplant Psychiatric Evaluations
Recommended Citation
Jesse MT, Eshelman A, Christian T, Abouljoud M, Denny J, Patel A, and Kim DY. Psychiatric Profile of Patients Currently Listed for Kidney Transplantation: Evidence of the Need for More Thorough Pretransplant Psychiatric Evaluations. Transplant Proc 2019.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
12-1-2019
Publication Title
Transplantation proceedings
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Patients with end-stage renal disease are at increased risk for psychiatric and cognitive pathologies. Despite this, there is little standardization of the psychosocial and/or psychiatric evaluation of renal transplant candidates. The purpose of this study is to report the frequency of psychiatric and cognitive pathologies and corresponding psychiatric recommendations in a sample of patients actively listed for kidney transplant.
METHODS: We performed a retrospective chart review of 104 patients listed for kidney transplant who underwent semistructured psychiatric assessments as part of a novel clinical protocol. Transplant psychiatry routinely administers brief screeners of cognitive functioning and health literacy, also collected from patients' charts.
RESULTS: There were a number of primary psychiatric disorders, including active substance abuse. Even using a conservative cutoff, 52.4% of patients' charts indicated evidence of cognitive impairment, and 28.9% indicated limited health literacy. In addition, there were numerous additional recommendations made within every category (educational, psychotherapeutic/psychiatric, cognitive, cessation of substance use, substance abuse treatment, and mobilizing support for transplant). With the exclusion of the recommendation for more education regarding the transplant process, most patients had at least 1 to 3 recommendations (n = 72, 69.2%).
CONCLUSIONS: We have identified a number of concerning psychosocial and psychiatric factors in patients who were evaluated and listed for kidney transplantation that can adversely impact transplant outcomes. The findings provide support for more in-depth and ongoing psychiatric assessments as standard clinical protocol for kidney transplant candidates.
Medical Subject Headings
Transplant and Abdominal Surgery
PubMed ID
31732207
ePublication
ePub ahead of print
Volume
51
Issue
10
First Page
3227
Last Page
3233
