Pediatric Solid Organ Transplant Research Articles

Coronavirus disease 2019 vaccine in pediatric post-kidney transplantation.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections and the resulting disease, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), have spread to millions of persons worldwide. Many vaccines have been developed; however, their efficacy in pediatric solid organ transplant recipients is yet to be determined. This is a prospective observational, non-interventional single-center study on the safety and efficacy of a COVID-19 vaccine (BNT162b2) in pediatric kidney transplant recipients. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate immunogenicity according to SARS-CoV-2-specific neutralizing antibody titer after two vaccine doses. The secondary aims were to investigate the safety of the vaccines, solicited local and systemic adverse reactions, incidence of COVID-19 post-vaccination, and effects on transplant graft function. Baseline investigations were conducted on pediatric renal transplant recipients, and recruited participants were advised to have the Comirnaty® mRNA vaccine according to protocol. A total of 48 patients (male, n=31, 64.6%; female, n=17, 35.4%), median age 14 [12-16] years were included, and all received two doses of the vaccine. The vaccine had a favorable safety and side-effect profile. The S-antibody titer of all patients ranged between .4 and 2,500 U/ml and was>50 U/ml in 89% of the patients. No difference in the measured antibody immune response was noted between infected and uninfected children. No major side effects were reported. The vaccine had a favorable safety profile in 12- to 15-year-old kidney transplant recipients, producing a greater measured antibody response than that in older transplant recipients.

Low-Dose TMP-SMX for Pneumocystis jirovecii Pneumonia Prophylaxis in Pediatric Solid Organ Transplant Recipients.

Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) is an opportunistic infection that adversely affects solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients. Published guidelines endorse 5 to 10 mg/kg/day (trimethoprim component) trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) as the recommended regimen for PJP prevention, often resulting in drug-related adverse effects. We investigated the use of a low-dose TMP-SMX regimen given at 2.5 mg/kg/dose once daily every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at a large pediatric transplantation center. A retrospective chart review was conducted, including patients ages 0 to 21 years who underwent SOT from January 1, 2012, to May 1, 2020, and who were subsequently started on PJP prophylaxis with low-dose TMP-SMX for a minimum of 6 months. The primary end point was the incidence of breakthrough PJP infection on the low-dose TMP-SMX regimen. Secondary end points include the prevalence of adverse effects characteristic of TMP-SMX. A total of 234 patients were included in this study, and 6 of 234 patients (2.6%) were empirically transitioned to treatment dosing of TMP-SMX given a clinical concern for PJP, although none received a diagnosis of PJP. There were 7 patients (2.6%) who experienced hyperkalemia, 36 (13.3%) had neutropenia, and 22 (8.1%) had thrombocytopenia (all grade 4). Clinically significant serum creatinine elevations were seen in 43 of 271 patients (15.9%). Elevations of liver enzymes were seen in 16 of 271 patients (5.9%). Rash was documented in 4 of 271 patients (1.5%). In our patient cohort, low-dose TMP-SMX preserves the efficacy of PJP prophylaxis while providing an acceptable adverse effect profile.

Contextual Vulnerability Should Guide Fair Subject Selection in Xenotransplantation Clinical Trials

Contextual Vulnerability Should Guide Fair Subject Selection in Xenotransplantation Clinical Trials

Survey of pediatric transplant center practices regarding COVID-19 vaccine mandates for transplant candidates and living donors and use of COVID-19-positive deceased organs.

COVID-19 vaccine is recommended for individuals ages ≥6 months; however, whether vaccination should be mandated for transplant candidates and living donors remains controversial. This study assessed COVID-19 policies at US pediatric solid organ transplant centers. A 79-item survey was emailed between March and April 2022 to 200 UNOS Medical Directors detailing center COVID-19 vaccine policies for transplant candidates and living donors and use of grafts from COVID-19-positive deceased donors. The response rate was 77% (154/200). For children aged 5-15 years, 23% (35/154 centers) have a COVID-19 vaccine mandate, 27% (42/154) anticipate implementing a future mandate, and 47% (72/154) have not considered or do not anticipate implementing a mandate. For children ≥16 years, 32% (50/154 centers) have a COVID-19 vaccine mandate, 25% (39/154) anticipate implementing a future mandate, and 40% (62/154) have not considered or do not anticipate implementing a mandate. The top two reasons for not implementing a COVID-19 vaccine mandate were concerns about penalizing a child for their parent's decision and worsening inequities in transplant. Of 85 kidney and liver living donor centers, 32% (27/85) require vaccination of donors. Twenty percent (31/154) of centers accept organs from COVID-19-positive deceased donors. There is great variation among pediatric SOT centers in both the implementation and details of COVID-19 vaccine mandates for candidates and living donors. To guide more uniform policies, further data are needed on COVID-19 disease, vaccine efficacy, and use of grafts from donors positive for COVID-19 in the pediatric transplant population.

Spotting a potential threat: Measles among pediatric solid organ transplantation recipients.

Low-vaccination rates worldwide have led to the re-emergence of vaccine-preventable infections, including measles. Immunocompromised patients, including pediatric solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients, are at risk for measles because of suboptimal vaccination, reduced or waning vaccine immunity, lifelong immunosuppression, and global re-emergence of measles. To review published cases of measles in pediatric SOT recipients to heighten awareness of its clinical manifestations, summarize diagnostic and treatment strategies, and identify opportunities to optimize prevention. We conducted a literature review of published natural measles infections in SOT recipients ≤21 years of age, summarizing management and outcomes. We describe measles epidemiology, recommended diagnostics, treatment, and highlight prevention strategies. There are seven published reports of measles infection in 12 pediatric SOT recipients, the majority of whom were unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated. Subjects had atypical or severe clinical presentations, including lack of rash and complications, most frequently with encephalitis and pneumonitis, resulting in 33% mortality. Updated recommendations on testing and vaccination are provided. Treatment options beyond supportive care and vitamin A are limited, with no approved antivirals. While measles is infrequently reported in pediatric SOT recipients, morbidity and mortality remain significant. A high index of suspicion is warranted in susceptible SOT recipients with clinically compatible illness or exposure. Providers must recognize this risk, educate families, and be aware of both classic and atypical presentations of measles to rapidly identify, isolate, and diagnose measles in pediatric SOT recipients. Continued efforts to optimize measles vaccination both pre- and post-SOT are warranted.

The effects of COVID-19 on pediatric and adult solid organ transplant recipients and the emergence of telehealth.

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and corresponding acute respiratory syndrome have affected all populations and led to millions of deaths worldwide. The pandemic disproportionately affected immunocompromised and immunosuppressed adult patients who had received solid organ transplants (SOTs). With the onset of the pandemic, transplant societies across the world recommended reducing SOT activities to avoid exposing immunosuppressed recipients. Due to the risk of COVID-19-related outcomes, SOT providers adapted the way they deliver care to their patients, leading to a reliance on telehealth. Telehealth has helped organ transplant programs continue treatment regimens while protecting patients and physicians from COVID-19 transmission. This review highlights the adverse effects of COVID-19 on transplant activities and summarizes the increased role of telehealth in the management of solid organ transplant recipients (SOTRs) in both pediatric and adult populations. A comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to accentuate the outcomes of COVID-19 and analyze the efficacy of telehealth on transplant activities. This in-depth examination summarizes extensive data on the clinical detriments of COVID-19 in transplant recipients, advantages, disadvantages, patient/physician perspectives, and effectiveness in transplant treatment plans via telehealth. COVID-19 has caused an increase in mortality, morbidity, hospitalization, and ICU admission in SOTRs. Telehealth efficacy and benefits to both patients and physicians have increasingly been reported. Developing effective systems of telehealth delivery has become a top priority for healthcare providers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Further research is necessary to validate the effectiveness of telehealth in other settings.

Hypertension in Pediatric Solid Organ Transplant Recipients.

To review the current literature regarding hypertension (HTN) following pediatric solid organ transplant (SOTx), including definition, prevalence, risk factors, outcomes, and treatment. In recent years several new guidelines for the definition, monitoring, and management of pediatric HTN have been published, but with no specific recommendations regarding SOTx recipients. HTN remains highly prevalent, yet underdiagnosed and undertreated in kidney transplant (KTx) recipients, especially when ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) is utilized. There are little data regarding its prevalence in other SOTx recipients. HTN in this population is multifactorial and is associated with HTN status prior to Tx, demographic factors (age, sex, and race), weight status, and immunosuppression protocol. HTN is associated with subclinical cardiovascular (CV) end-organ damage, including left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and arterial stiffness, yet there are no recent data regarding its long-term outcomes. There are also no updated recommendations regarding the optimal management of HTN in this population. Given its high prevalence and the young age of this population facing years at increased CV risk, post-Tx HTN requires more clinical attention (routine monitoring, frequent application of ABPM, better BP control). Additional research is needed for a better understanding of its long-term outcomes as well as its treatment and treatment goals. Much more research is needed regarding HTN in other pediatric SOTx populations.

Invited Commentary on Skinner S, et al.: Canadian Pediatric Surgeon Workforce: Characterization of Training, Trends Over Time, and 10-year Model for Pediatric Surgery Need

Canada, the second largest country in the world, consists of 10 provinces and three territories. Government-subsidized health service delivery to Canadians is a provincial or territorial responsibility, with federal subsidies for national health programs or as transfer payments to the provinces. Eight of 10 provinces host children’s hospitals in urban centres which offer tertiary/quaternary child health services. Pediatric heart surgery, ECMO and solid organ (liver and heart) transplantation are regionalized services with eastern and western centres. All Canadian children’s hospitals (n=16) are affiliated with a medical school and postgraduate training programs. The North American pediatric surgery match includes 8 Canadian programs: Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa, Hamilton, Montreal ( 2 Baird R Kisa P Muzira A Wesonga AS Sekabira J Butterworth S MacNeily AE Duffy D Blair G Training low-middle-income (LMIC) pediatric surgeons in a high-income country (HIC) program. Pediatr Surg Int. 2022 Feb; 38: 269-276 Crossref Scopus (2) Google Scholar ), and Halifax.

Prevention and management of CMV infection in pediatric solid organ transplant recipients.

Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) remains one of the most common opportunistic infections following solid organ transplantation in children. CMV causes morbidity and mortality through direct tissue-invasive disease and indirect immunomodulatory effects. In recent years, several new agents have emerged for the prevention and treatment of CMV disease in solid organ transplant recipients. However, pediatric data remain scarce, and many of the treatments are extrapolated from the adult literature. Controversies exist about the type and duration of prophylactic therapies and the optimal dosing of antiviral agents. This review provides an up-to-date overview of treatment modalities used to prevent and treat CMV disease in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients.

Incidence of and risk factors for influenza-associated hospital encounters in pediatric solid organ transplant recipients

Few studies have defined the incidence of and risk factors for influenza infection in pediatric solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients. We used a linkage between the Pediatric Health Information System and the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients databases to identify posttransplant influenza-associated hospital encounters (IAHEs) in pediatric SOT recipients of single-organ transplants. Among 7997 unique pediatric SOT recipients transplanted between January 01, 2006, and January 06, 2016, estimated 1- and 3-year posttransplant cumulative incidence rates of IAHEs were 2.7% (95% CI, 2.4%-3.1%) and 7.4% (95% CI, 6.8%-8.0%), respectively. One- and 3-year cumulative incidence rates of severe IAHEs were 0.3% (95% CI, 0.2%-0.5%) and 0.9% (95% CI, 0.7%-1.2%), respectively. Multivariable analysis showed that the organ type (adjusted subdistribution hazard ratio [aSHR]—kidney: reference, liver: 0.64 [95% CI, 0.49-0.84], and heart: 0.72 [95% CI, 0.57-0.93]), race/ethnicity (aSHR—non-Hispanic White: reference, non-Hispanic Black: 1.63 [95% CI, 1.29-2.07], Hispanic 1.57 [95% CI, 1.27-1.94]), and increasing age at transplant (aSHR, 0.93 [95% CI, 0.91-0.94]) were significantly associated with IAHE occurrence. Heart transplant recipients had a near statistically significant increase in hazard for severe IAHE (aSHR 1.96 [0.92-3.49]). Our findings may help guide future influenza prevention efforts and facilitate intervention impact assessment measurement in pediatric SOT recipients.

Predictive Capacity of Population Pharmacokinetic Models for the Tacrolimus Dose Requirements of Pediatric Solid Organ Transplant Recipients.

Transplant recipients require individualized tacrolimus doses to maximize graft survival. Multiple pediatric tacrolimus population pharmacokinetic (PopPK) models incorporating CYP3A5 genotype and other covariates have been developed. Identifying the optimal popPK model is necessary for clinical implementation in pediatric solid organ transplant. The primary objective was to compare the dose prediction capabilities of the developed models in pediatric kidney and heart transplant recipients. Pediatric kidney or heart transplant recipients treated with tacrolimus and available CYP3A5 genotype data were identified. The initial weight-based tacrolimus dose and first therapeutic tacrolimus dose were collected retrospectively. Three published popPK models were used to predict the tacrolimus dose required to achieve a tacrolimus trough concentration of 10 ng/mL. Model dose predictions were compared with the initial and first therapeutic doses using Friedman test. The first therapeutic dose was plotted against the model-predicted dose. The median initial dose approximately 2-fold lower than the first therapeutic dose for CYP3A5 expressers. The Chen et al model provided the closest estimates to the first therapeutic dose for kidney transplant recipients; however, all 3 models tended to underpredict the observed therapeutic dose. For heart transplant recipients, Andrews et al model predicted doses that were higher than the initial dose but similar to the actual therapeutic dose. Weight-based tacrolimus dosing appears to underestimate the tacrolimus dose requirements. The development of a separate popPK model is necessary for heart transplant recipients. A genotype-guided strategy based on the Chen et al model provided the best estimates for doses in kidney transplant recipients and should be prospectively evaluated.

Stress and coping strategies of families of pediatric solid organ transplant recipients in times of pandemic.

Pediatric solid organ transplantation (SOT) is a chronic condition that impacts the whole family system. The objective of this study is to evaluate psychopathology, family stress, and coping strategies in families of SOT recipients compared to families of healthy children and adolescents. Moreover, it analyzes if the stress related to the COVID-19 pandemic has had an additional impact on these families. The sample was recruited between May and July 2021, during the fourth and fifth wave of the pandemic in Spain. It consisted of 102 families, 51 with a pediatric recipient who had undergone a SOT (liver, kidney, heart, or lung) and 51 healthy controls, matched by child age and gender. A primary caregiver from each family answered an online sociodemographic questionnaire and different tests to evaluate family stress, depression, anxiety, coping strategies, and effects of the pandemic on the family. Caregivers were mostly mothers (89.2%). Families of SOT recipients showed greater anxiety (U = 863.5, p = 0.003) and more total stress, stress related to childcare (t = -2.043; p = 0.045), and parent-child interaction stress (U = 355.5, p = 0.015). SOT families used more avoidance strategies, specifically denial (U = 889.5; p = 0.010) and abandonment of coping efforts (U = 1,013; p = 0.047), more religious strategies (U = 792.5; p = 0.031), and fewer social support coping strategies (t = 2.098; p = 0.038). No differences were found between groups in terms of exposure, impact, and distress more than 1 year after the start of the pandemic. SOT families showed clinical levels of anxiety, more parent-child interaction stress, more difficulties in taking care of their child, more avoidance and religious strategies, and less use of social support strategies, even 4 years after transplantation. The pandemic did not have an additional differential effect on SOT families. Caregivers of SOT patients can benefit from psychological interventions focused on parents' mental health, parent-child connectedness, skill building, and social support aid groups, with attention to multiculturalism and promoting a better balance between caregivers. There is a need for family interventions that are maintained over time. Strategies that offer this support to families through digital resources can facilitate adjustment to chronic illness, especially in pandemic times.

Long‐term mortality in pediatric solid organ recipients—A nationwide study

The present study aimed at investigating long-term mortality of patients who underwent solid organ transplantation during childhood and at identifying their causes of death. A cohort of 233 pediatric solid organ transplant recipients who had a kidney, liver, or heart transplantation between 1982 and 2015 in Finland were studied. Year of birth-, sex-, and hometown-matched controls (n=1157) were identified using the Population Register Center registry. The Causes of Death Registry was utilized to identify the causes of death. Among the transplant recipients, there were 60 (25.8%) deaths (median follow-up 18.0 years, interquartile range of 11.0-23.0 years). Transplant recipients' risk of death was nearly 130-fold higher than that of the controls (95% CI 51.9-1784.6). The 20-year survival rates for kidney, liver, and heart recipients were 86.1% (95% CI 79.9%-92.3%), 58.5% (95% CI 46.2%-74.1%), and 61.4% (95% CI 48.1%-78.4%), respectively. The most common causes of death were cardiovascular diseases (23%), infections (22%), and malignancies (17%). There were no significant differences in survival based on sex or transplantation era. The late mortality is still significantly higher among pediatric solid organ recipients in comparison with controls. Cardiovascular complications, infections, and cancers are the main causes of late mortality for all studied transplant groups. These findings emphasize the cruciality of careful monitoring of pediatric transplant recipients in order to reduce long-term mortality.

Supplemental Material for Implementing an Integrated Psychology Preventative Care Model in Pediatric Solid Organ Transplant

Supplemental Material for Implementing an Integrated Psychology Preventative Care Model in Pediatric Solid Organ Transplant

1096. Riding the Waves: Infection by SARS-CoV-2 Variants in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients at Texas Children’s Hospital

Abstract Background Texas Children’s Hospital is the largest pediatric solid organ transplant (SOT) program in the US, performing heart, kidney, liver, and lung transplants. Limited data exist about SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19) in the pediatric SOT population. We evaluated the impact of different SARS-CoV-2 variants in a cohort of PCR positive SOT recipients. Methods SOT recipients with a positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR test from 3/1/2020 to 2/28/2022 were included in the cohort. The study period was divided into 3 eras based on the predominant circulating variant of SARS-CoV-2: 3/20-6/21 original strain/Alpha, 7/21-11/21 Delta, and 12/21-2/22 Omicron variants. Retrospective medical record review was performed; Chi-squared and Fischer exact test were used to compare groups. Results A total of 269 of 1031 (26%) SOT recipients tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 during the study period. By organ, 87/335 (26%) heart, 57/224 (25%) kidney, 92/405 (23%) liver, and 25/67 (37%) lung recipients had COVID-19 infection. By era, there were 99 (37%) original strain/ Alpha, 65 (24%) Delta, and 105 (39%) Omicron. The patients’ median age was 12.72 years (IQR 6.6, 15.1) with a minority of recipients being female (42%). Common comorbidities included hypertension (50%), obesity (13%), diabetes (10%), and chronic kidney disease (10%); 34% had no comorbidities aside from chronic immunosuppression post-transplant. Overall, 80% of recipients were symptomatic (Figure 1), and 50 (19%) required hospitalization. Hospitalization rates were highest (29%) during Delta, compared with 18% for original/Alpha and 13% for Omicron (p=0.02) eras. Need for respiratory support, ICU admission, and all-cause mortality did not vary by era (Table 1). Three SOT recipients (2 original/Alpha and 1 Delta) were diagnosed with multi-inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). Conclusion Our study suggests that pediatric SOT recipients have a high risk for hospitalization and short-term complications with COVID-19; Omicron appears to cause less severe disease, including MIS-C. Additional studies are needed to understand long-term complications of COVID-19 in SOT recipients. Disclosures Elizabeth A. Moulton, MD, PhD, Pfizer: Grant/Research Support Flor M. Munoz, MD, MSc, Gilead: Grant/Research Support|Moderna: DSMB|Pfizer: DSMB.

1588. Epidemiology of Chronic High Level (CHL) Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNAemia in Pediatric Solid Organ Transplant Recipients (SOTR) at Texas Children’s Hospital (TCH)

Abstract Background EBV infections cause significant morbidity and mortality in pediatric SOTR and can be complicated by post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD). Contemporary data on CHL EBV DNAemia and the development of PTLD are limited. Methods A retrospective cohort study of patients ≤ 21 years of age who received heart, lung, liver, kidney, or multi-organ transplants at TCH between 2011–2018 was conducted. Primary outcome was CHL EBV DNAemia, defined as peripheral blood lymphocyte EBV values ≥ 500 copies/ug or whole blood EBV values ≥ 10,000 IU/mL for ≥ 6 months. Associations with CHL EBV DNAemia were measured using chi-squared or Fisher exact test and multivariate logistic regression. Time to CHL EBV DNAemia was assessed using Kaplan-Meier method. Results Among 687 SOTR (152 heart, 87 lung, 259 liver, 175 kidney, 14 multi-organ), 87 (13%) developed CHL EBV DNAemia; this included 15 (9%) heart, 9 (10%) lung, 59 (22%) liver, 2 (1%) kidney, and 2 (14%) multi-organ recipients. Receiving a heart [OR 2.1, 95% CI (2.1 – 62.4)], lung [7.7, 95% CI (1.5 – 39.3)], liver [OR 31.8, 95% CI (4.9 – 208.7)], or multi-organ [OR 18.3, 95% CI (2.0 – 170)] transplant and being 1–5 years of age [OR 4.0, 95% CI (1.6 – 9.8)] were associated with CHL EBV DNAemia. SOTR transplanted from 2015–2018 were less likely to develop CHL EBV DNAemia than those transplanted from 2011–2014 [OR 0.5, 95% CI (0.3 – 0.8)]. EBV risk status, CMV risk status, gender, and induction therapy were not associated with developing CHL EBV DNAemia. The median maximum peripheral blood lymphocyte and whole blood EBV values for those with CHL EBV DNAemia were 9475 (993 – 258151) copies/ug and 22093 (564 – 550000) IU/mL, respectively. Organ transplanted (p< 0.01), age (p< 0.01), and EBV risk status (p< 0.01) were associated with time to CHL EBV DNAemia (Figure 1). PTLD occurred in 28 (4%) of SOTR; 14 (50%) had preceding CHL EBV DNAemia (p< 0.01). Figure 1 Time to CHL EBV DNAemia. Conclusion This cohort of pediatric SOTR demonstrates a low prevalence of CHL EBV DNAemia and PTLD. Receiving a heart, lung, liver, or multi-organ transplant and being 1–5 years of age were associated with developing CHL EBV DNAemia. SOTR who developed CHL EBV DNAemia were more likely to develop PTLD, suggesting that further interventions targeting this group may be warranted. Disclosures Flor M. Munoz, MD, MSc, Gilead: Grant/Research Support Elizabeth A. Moulton, MD, PhD, Pfizer: Co-investigator for SARS-CoV-2 pediatric vaccine trials.

2166. Timely Antiviral Therapy for Influenza-Associated Hospitalizations in Pediatric Solid Organ Transplant Recipients in the United States

Abstract Background Pediatric solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients are at high risk of complications from influenza and those with documented or suspected influenza should receive antivirals as soon as possible. We aimed to compare outcomes between pediatric SOT recipients who did or did not receive timely antiviral therapy for an influenza-associated hospitalization (IAH). Methods We linked the Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS) and Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR) databases and queried the merged database for single SOT recipients < 18 years old who were transplanted between 1/1/2006 and 6/1/2016 and had at least one IAH within 3 years. We excluded children who contracted influenza or died during the transplant encounter and those who did not have follow-up data. We defined “timely” antiviral therapy as the receipt of antivirals no more than 2 days after hospitalization and compared the outcomes of children who did or did not receive timely antiviral therapy using Pearson’s χ2 test or the two-sample t-test with unequal variances, as appropriate. Results Of 12,419 children, 379 (3.1%) had at least one IAH. The most common organ transplant was kidney (n=133 [35.1%]). Of 270 children (71.2%) who received antivirals, 225 (83.3%) received them within 2 days of hospitalization. Oseltamivir was the most frequently administered influenza-specific antiviral (n=268 [99.3%]). The outcomes of children who received timely antiviral therapy and those who did not are compared in Table 1. The proportion of children who received timely antiviral therapy increased over the study period from 33.3% in 2007 to 100% in 2019 (Figure 1). Table 1Outcomes of pediatric SOT recipients who did or did not receive timely antiviral therapy.Figure 1Proportions of pediatric SOT recipients who did or did not receive timely antiviral therapy. Conclusion Timely influenza-specific antiviral therapy was associated with better outcomes in pediatric SOT recipients with IAH. Importantly, more than one-third of children did not receive timely antiviral therapy. Further studies are needed to identify and address barriers to timely antiviral therapy. Disclosures Natasha B. Halasa, MD, Quidel: Grant/Research Support|Quidel: equipment donation|Sanofi: Grant/Research Support|Sanofi: HAI testing and vaccine donation Daniel Dulek, MD, Eurofins/Viracor: Grant/Research Support.

Quality of life and psychosocial outcomes of adults who were pediatric solid organ transplant recipients: A systematic review.

The number of pediatric SOT recipients surviving into adulthood is increasing. Thus, understanding their psychosocial and QoL outcomes is important. We conducted a systematic review to collate existing literature examining QoL outcomes (physical functioning, psychological functioning, social functioning), as well as risk and protective factors associated with QoL, among adults who underwent SOT during childhood. A systematic search of five databases, from inception to January 6, 2021, was conducted to identify articles that reported on QoL outcomes for adults (≥18-year of age) who received a SOT during childhood (<19-year of age). Twenty-five articles met inclusion criteria. Studies examined QoL across a range of SOT populations (liver, kidney, heart). QoL and psychosocial outcomes were variable; however, the majority of studies indicated QoL in this population to be similar to the general population, or at least similar to other chronic illness groups, with the exception of physical and social functioning. Factors related to a more optimal medical course, younger age at transplant and follow-up, and positive psychosocial functioning, were found to be predictive of better QoL outcomes. While several studies indicated QoL to be similar to the general population, the literature is limited in both quantity and quality. No study employed prospective, longitudinal methodologies to systematically evaluate QoL over time and few studies utilized normative-based measures of QoL. Furthermore, several SOT groups were under-represented in the literature (e.g., lung, intestine, multi-visceral). Nonetheless, findings have implications for intervention and clinical decision-making.

International pediatric transplant association (IPTA) guidance on developing and/or expanding pediatric solid organ transplantation programs in low- and middle-income countries.

Pediatric solid organ transplantation (SOT) is a preferred treatment for medically suitable children with end-stage organ failure. Still, many of them have no access to transplantation owing to socioeconomic constraints or lack of transplant facilities in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). Establishing pediatric SOT programs in LMIC offers children the opportunities to receive transplant care in more familiar home environments as well as help curtail transplant tourism and improve transplant outcomes as pediatric transplantation would be performed ethically and legally. The International Pediatric Transplant Association (IPTA) is a professional organization aiming to promote safe, ethical, and high-quality pediatric transplantation worldwide. This society paper describes major obstacles to pediatric SOT in LMIC and provides guidance on developing and/or expanding pediatric SOT programs in such countries. We also summarize available resources from the IPTA Outreach Program to help establish and support pediatric SOT programs in LMIC.

Cultural and other beliefs as barriers to pediatric solid organ transplantation.

Organ shortage for transplantation is a global problem for both adult and pediatric recipients and this is particularly apparent in certain areas of the world and within specific communities. Cultural and religious beliefs can influence both a decision by a potential donor and/or their family to donate as well as a potential recipient's or their family's decision to accept the need for transplantation, agree to be listed and accept an organ. Globally, there are cultural and religious diversities that can present significant challenges for the transplant professional, particularly those whose practice is based in multicultural communities. In the pediatric population, in particular, barriers to organ transplantation related to culture and religion have not been well-described, with resulting implications for how they should or could be effectively addressed. Therefore, this review was undertaken to elucidate cultural and religious barriers to pediatric organ transplantation and, where feasible, to identify facilitators and strategies for overcoming these barriers.