Rachel A Annunziato1, Margaret C Baisley, Nicole Arrato, Codette Barton, Fiona Henderling, Ronen Arnon, Nanda Kerkar. 1. Department of Psychology, Fordham University, Bronx, NY; Division of Behavioral and Developmental Health, Department of Pediatrics and Kravis Children's Hospital at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, NY. Electronic address: annunziato@fordham.edu.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To compare the impact of a transition coordinator on outcomes for pediatric liver transplant recipients vs a historical comparison group. STUDY DESIGN: To examine the utility of a transition coordinator, medication adherence, as measured by SDs of tacrolimus blood levels (Tacrolimus SD), was compared between the "transition coordinator group" (20 transplant recipients transferred between 2007 and 2012) and comparison group for 1 year before and after transfer. Measures of health care management, quality of life, and acceptability were administered to the transition coordinator group as well. RESULTS: A repeated measures ANOVA was used to compare adherence values between the transition coordinator group and the comparison group. During the year before transfer, for the transition coordinator group, Tacrolimus SD was 1.98 (SD = 1.05) vs 3.25 (SD = 1.19) for comparison patients, F(1,25) = 4.77, P = .04. After transfer, levels remained stable for the transition coordinator group, Tacrolimus SD = 1.88 (SD = 1.57), but increased for comparison patients, Tacrolimus SD = 4.36 (SD = 0.99), F(1,25) = 6.99, P = .01. Psychosocial outcomes remained stable during the transfer period and acceptability was high. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings, although limited by a small sample size, suggest that a transition coordinator is a promising method to improve this process.
OBJECTIVE: To compare the impact of a transition coordinator on outcomes for pediatric liver transplant recipients vs a historical comparison group. STUDY DESIGN: To examine the utility of a transition coordinator, medication adherence, as measured by SDs of tacrolimus blood levels (Tacrolimus SD), was compared between the "transition coordinator group" (20 transplant recipients transferred between 2007 and 2012) and comparison group for 1 year before and after transfer. Measures of health care management, quality of life, and acceptability were administered to the transition coordinator group as well. RESULTS: A repeated measures ANOVA was used to compare adherence values between the transition coordinator group and the comparison group. During the year before transfer, for the transition coordinator group, Tacrolimus SD was 1.98 (SD = 1.05) vs 3.25 (SD = 1.19) for comparison patients, F(1,25) = 4.77, P = .04. After transfer, levels remained stable for the transition coordinator group, Tacrolimus SD = 1.88 (SD = 1.57), but increased for comparison patients, Tacrolimus SD = 4.36 (SD = 0.99), F(1,25) = 6.99, P = .01. Psychosocial outcomes remained stable during the transfer period and acceptability was high. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings, although limited by a small sample size, suggest that a transition coordinator is a promising method to improve this process.
Authors: Rachel A Annunziato; John C Bucuvalas; Wanrong Yin; Ravinder Arnand; Estella M Alonso; George V Mazariegos; Robert S Venick; Margaret L Stuber; Benjamin L Shneider; Eyal Shemesh Journal: J Pediatr Date: 2017-11-20 Impact factor: 4.406
Authors: E Shemesh; J C Bucuvalas; R Anand; G V Mazariegos; E M Alonso; R S Venick; M Reyes-Mugica; R A Annunziato; B L Shneider Journal: Am J Transplant Date: 2017-04-22 Impact factor: 8.086
Authors: Emily M Fredericks; John C Magee; Sally J Eder; Jessica R Sevecke; Dawn Dore-Stites; Victoria Shieck; M James Lopez Journal: J Clin Psychol Med Settings Date: 2015-09
Authors: Alaina M Davis; Rebekah F Brown; Julie Lounds Taylor; Richard A Epstein; Melissa L McPheeters Journal: Pediatrics Date: 2014-10-06 Impact factor: 7.124