Journal article
End-of-Life Care of Young Adult Solid Organ Transplant Recipients Compared to Nontransplant Recipients
Progress in transplantation (Aliso Viejo, Calif.)
06/04/2026
DOI: 10.1177/15269248261456464
PMID: 42240344
Abstract
Introduction
Little is known about end-of-life care of young adult solid organ transplant-recipients and how it compares to care received by nontransplant-recipient young adults with chronic illness.
Research Questions
(1) What aggressive and palliative care methods are used among young adults by solid organ transplant status (ie, recipient vs nonrecipient), and (2) what factors, including transplant recipient status, predict receiving a palliative care consult in the last 90 days of life.
Design
Data on young adults (18-39 years) with a history of solid organ transplant (recipient cohort) or cancer, heart disease, and/or HIV (nonrecipient cohort) were obtained from the clinical data warehouse of a large academic medical center/primary transplant center. The nonrecipient cohort (n = 412) was propensity score matched to the recipient cohort (n = 412) on gender, race, and age at death. Aggressive care was the use of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), dialysis, tube feedings, emergent intubation, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and mechanical ventilation. Data on receipt of and reason for palliative care consult were also extracted, and logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with receiving a palliative care consult.
Results
A larger percentage of nonrecipients received CPR (36.0% vs 20.0%, P < .01) and emergent intubation (16.8% vs 6.1%, P < .01), whereas a larger percentage of recipients received dialysis (31.7% vs 19.9%, P < .01). A larger percentage of palliative care consults for symptom management were noted in the recipient cohort (49.2% vs 22.2%, P = .04).
Conclusions
Similarities in care between the cohorts may indicate transplant recipient status does not impact end-of-life care in young adults.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- End-of-Life Care of Young Adult Solid Organ Transplant Recipients Compared to Nontransplant Recipients
- Creators
- Carolina M Gustafson - University of IowaJeannie P Cimiotti - Emory UniversityGerard Vong - Emory UniversityVicki Hertzberg - Emory UniversityMi-Kyung Song - Emory University
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Progress in transplantation (Aliso Viejo, Calif.)
- DOI
- 10.1177/15269248261456464
- PMID
- 42240344
- NLM abbreviation
- Prog Transplant
- ISSN
- 2164-6708
- eISSN
- 2164-6708
- Publisher
- Sage
- Grant note
- Center for Nursing Excellence in Palliative Care, Emory University
The authors disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was supported by the Center for Nursing Excellence in Palliative Care, Emory University.
- Language
- English
- Electronic publication date
- 06/04/2026
- Academic Unit
- Nursing
- Record Identifier
- 9985174495202771
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