Improving Vaccination Rates for Lung Transplant Candidates.
1Pharmacy, The University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, IL
2Transplant Center, The University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, IL
Meeting: 2017 American Transplant Congress
Abstract number: B260
Keywords: Lung transplantation, Vaccination
Session Information
Session Name: Poster Session B: Lung Transplantation Poster Session
Session Type: Poster Session
Date: Sunday, April 30, 2017
Session Time: 6:00pm-7:00pm
Presentation Time: 6:00pm-7:00pm
Location: Hall D1
In 2015, transplant pharmacists at the University of Chicago identified an opportunity to improve vaccination rates for transplant candidates. On 10/1/15, a pharmacist-led program was launched whereby the transplant pharmacist outlines a vaccination plan for each patient as part of the pre-listing transplant pharmacy evaluation. This study evaluates the impact of this pharmacist-driven intervention on vaccination rates in our lung transplant candidates.
Methods: Electronic medical records were retrospectively reviewed for waitlist and transplant dates, relevant serologic testing, and vaccines given for eight target vaccines (listed in the table below). We present data for three cohorts: 1) pre-intervention (patients transplanted 1/1/14-6/30/15 [N=37]), 2) post-intervention/transplanted (patients transplanted 10/1/15-12/1/16 [N=20]), and 3) post-intervention/waitlist (patients on the waitlist as of 12/1/16 [N=8]). Each vaccine was categorized as not indicated, completed, in progress, or overdue for administration.
Results: Summarized in the table below, results from this study show a notable increase in vaccination rates for 7 of our 8 target vaccines as a result of this pharmacist-led intervention.
| Pre-intervention (transplanted) [N=37] | Post-intervention (transplanted) [N=20] | Post-intervention (waitlisted) [N=8] | |
| Vaccine | (Not indicated, completed, in progress, unable to evaluate, overdue) | ||
| 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate | 0%, 32%, 22%, 46% | 0%, 60%, 5%, 35% | 0%, 75%, 13%, 13% |
| 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide | 0%, 51%, 35%, 14% | 0%, 50%, 30%, 20% | 0%, 88%, 13%, 0% |
| influenza | 24%, 54%, 0%, 22% | 30%, 55%, 0%, 15% | 0%, 88%, 0%, 13% |
| hepatitis A | 46%, 11%, 24%, 19% | 35%, 15%, 40%, 10% | 13%, 50%, 25%, 13% |
| hepatitis B | 11%, 24%, 38%, 27% | 15%, 20%, 50%, 15% | 0%, 63%, 25%, 13% |
| tetanus, diptheria and pertussis | 0%, 51%, 0%, 49% | 0%, 80%, 0%, 20% | 0%, 88%, 0%, 13% |
| varicella zoster | 89%, 5%, 0%, 5% | 95%, 0%, 0%, 5% | 75%, 0%, 0%, 25% |
| herpes zoster | 14%, 8%, 0%, 78% | 10%, 10%, 0%, 80% | 25%, 13%, 0%, 63% |
Conclusion: This data demonstrates a pharmacist-led assessment of vaccination can significantly improve vaccination rates among transplant candidates. We suggest that vaccine assessment become a routine part of a transplant pharmacist's pre-listing evaluation.
CITATION INFORMATION: Cortez M, Bag R, Potter L. Improving Vaccination Rates for Lung Transplant Candidates. Am J Transplant. 2017;17 (suppl 3).
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
Cortez M, Bag R, Potter L. Improving Vaccination Rates for Lung Transplant Candidates. [abstract]. Am J Transplant. 2017; 17 (suppl 3). https://atcmeetingabstracts.com/abstract/improving-vaccination-rates-for-lung-transplant-candidates/. Accessed May 18, 2025.« Back to 2017 American Transplant Congress