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Cognitive and emotional outcome after pediatric liver transplantation
Author(s) -
Adebäck Petra,
Nemeth Antal,
Fischler Björn
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
pediatric transplantation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.457
H-Index - 69
eISSN - 1399-3046
pISSN - 1397-3142
DOI - 10.1034/j.1399-3046.2003.00081.x
Subject(s) - medicine , liver transplantation , wechsler adult intelligence scale , cognition , biliary atresia , wechsler preschool and primary scale of intelligence , transplantation , intelligence quotient , pediatrics , cognitive test , clinical psychology , wechsler intelligence scale for children , psychiatry
The aim of the study was to evaluate the cognitive and emotional development after pediatric liver transplantation. A total of 21 patients, aged 4–16.9 yr (median 9.6 yr) were tested 1–9 yr (median 4.2 yr) after the transplantation. The pretransplant diagnoses included biliary atresia (eight patients), various metabolic diseases (n = 6), acute liver failure (n = 3), and miscellaneous (n = 4). The cognitive functions were tested with Wechsler preschool and primary scale of intelligence (WPPSI)‐R or Wechsler intelligence scale for children (WISC)‐III according to age. The Piers–Harris self‐concept scale and the evaluation of human figure drawings according to Koppitz were used to detect emotional problems. All tests in all patients were performed by the same psychologist. A significantly lower result on cognitive tests was seen when compared with the expected normal values (p < 0.01). The number of patients with results within or under the lower normal range was higher than expected. Although the mean value of the Piers–Harris self‐concept scale was normal, there was a large spread within the group. Indicators of emotional problems were found in the human figure drawings of 50% of the patients. To some extent, low cognitive scores coincided with low scores on self‐concept scale and indicators of emotional difficulties. We conclude that the high degree of cognitive and emotional problems after liver transplantation is an important argument for routine psychologic follow‐up and support in these patients.