Original Articles
Cognitive and Academic Outcomes after Pediatric Liver Transplantation: Functional Outcomes Group (FOG) Results

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-6143.2010.03363.xGet rights and content
Under a Creative Commons license
open archive

This multicenter study examined prevalence of cognitive and academic delays in children following liver transplant (LT). One hundred and forty-four patients ages 5–7 and 2 years post-LT were recruited through the SPLIT consortium and administered the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence, 3rd Edition (WPPSI-III), the Bracken Basic Concept Scale, Revised (BBCS-R), and the Wide Range Achievement Test, 4th edition (WRAT-4). Parents and teachers completed the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF). Participants performed significantly below test norms on intelligence quotient (IQ) and achievement measures (Mean WPPSI-III Full Scale IQ = 94.7 ± 13.5; WRAT-4 Reading = 92.7 ± 17.2; WRAT-4 Math = 93.1 ± 15.4; p < 0001). Twenty-six percent of patients (14% expected) had ‘mild to moderate’ IQ delays (Full Scale IQ = 71–85) and 4% (2% expected) had ‘serious’ delays (Full Scale IQ ≤ 70; p < 0.0001). Reading and/or math scores were weaker than IQ in 25%, suggesting learning disability, compared to 7% expected by CDC statistics (p < 0.0001). Executive deficits were noted on the BRIEF, especially by teacher report (Global Executive Composite = 58; p < 0.001). Results suggest a higher prevalence of cognitive and academic delays and learning problems in pediatric LT recipients compared to the normal population.

Key words:

Cognition disorders
learning disorders
liver transplant
neuropsychological tests
pediatric liver disease
psychological aspects of organ transplantation

Abbreviations:

ADHD
Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder
BBCS-R/SRC
Bracken Basic Concept Scale Revised, School Readiness Composite
BRI
Behavioral Regulation Index
BRIEF
Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function
CDC
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
IQ
intelligence quotient
EF
executive function
FOG
Functional Outcomes Group
FSIQ
Full Scale IQ
GEC
Global Executive Composite
GLC
General Language Composite
HRQOL
health related quality of life
HZ
hertz
ICU
intensive care unit
IEP
individualized education plan
LD
learning disability
LT
liver transplant
MI
Metacognition Index
PIQ
Performance IQ
PS
Processing Speed
SPLIT
Studies of Pediatric Liver Transplantation
TBI
traumatic brain injury
VIQ
Verbal IQ
VRF
Validity Rating Form
WNL
within normal limits
WPPSI
Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence
WRAT
Wide Range Achievement Test

Cited by (0)