Monitoring Practices After Pediatric Liver Transplantation.

OBJECTIVES

This study sought to understand the current monitoring practices after pediatric liver transplantation (LT), specifically regarding follow-up clinic visits, outpatient laboratory testing, protocol biopsies, and diagnostic imaging, and to identify potential center and provider characteristics associated with such practices.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey of pediatric LT providers at centers participating in the Society of Pediatric Liver Transplantation (SPLIT) registry was conducted from February 2020 to April 2021.

RESULTS

The overall response rate was 79% (38/48 SPLIT centers), with the majority representing large volume centers (>10 LTs per year). Frequency of clinic visits and laboratory monitoring varied by center, but all centers decreased frequency after the first post-transplant year. The most common practice included an annual clinic visit and laboratory sampling every 2-3 months. Surveillance liver biopsy is seldom done during the first post-transplant year, while being routinely performed by 50% of centers after this time period. Centers forgoing surveillance biopsies assert that the results would likely not change management. Only 39% of centers have a hepatologist perform the liver biopsy while the remaining centers consult interventional radiology. Most diagnostic imaging is obtained only as needed. Routine abdominal ultrasounds were obtained by only 50% of responding centers after the first year post-transplant.

CONCLUSIONS

SPLIT centers vary widely in the routine management of LTs after the first year post-transplant. While common themes emerge, future studies will be needed to connect protocols to outcomes to determine best practice.