Due to improved outcomes following paediatric liver transplantation (LT), a growing proportion of teenage and young adult patients are entering adult health care settings. The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of transitioning from paediatric to adult health care models on medical outcomes, adherence metrics, and health care usage among paediatric LT recipients. The study looked at the outcomes of individuals who got an LT while being monitored in paediatrics and then were moved to an adult care physician at our facility. Data were gathered two years before and two years after the transfer of care. A total of 32 patients were considered for the study. At the time of transfer, the median age was 22.9 years. Following the transfer of care, nine individuals died. Following the transfer of care, there was a substantial drop in office visit adherence. Although not statistically significant, there was an increase in alanine aminotransferase levels, acute cellular rejection events, progression to cirrhosis, evolution to chronic rejection, and hospital admission rates after transfer. These findings were linked to an increase in health-care expenditures due to necessary treatments.
Following a transfer of care, there is a trend toward worse health outcomes, reduced adherence, and higher health care consumption, according to our research. These findings, along with low patient survival, imply that the shift from paediatric to adult health care paradigms constitutes a period of heightened risk for paediatric LT recipients. To enhance the transition process, larger, multicenter, prospective studies are needed to discover variables and treatments that impact adolescent and young adult transitions.
