Background: While vascularized composite allotransplantation (VCA) is an increasingly successful therapy, medication non-adherence appears to be an important cause of graft loss. Psychosocial factors predict medication adherence in solid organ transplant recipients (SOT), and early experiences suggest psychosocial factors may also play an important role in the success of VCA.

Methods: We surveyed VCA recipients to assess psychosocial factors associated with medication non-adherence in SOT: anxiety, depression, personality, PTSD and perceived social support using validated tools (Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire – 9, Ten Item Personality Inventory, Primary Care PTSD Screen for DSM-5, and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support).

Results: Three of four VCA recipients at our transplant hospital participated (75% response rate, Table 1). Screening revealed that no participants had PTSD, and that all participants had high levels of social support. All participants demonstrated high levels of emotional stability and two demonstrated high levels of extraversion; however, agreeableness, conscientiousness and openness to new experiences were each demonstrated by only one participant. One participant demonstrated minor depression, and two participants demonstrated mild anxiety (Table 2).

Discussion: In this study, VCA recipients appeared to have sufficient social support, which has previously been associated with better medication adherence in SOT recipients. However, VCA recipients may be affected by other psychosocial factors such as depression and anxiety, which have been associated with worse medication adherence in prior studies of SOT recipients.

CITATION INFORMATION: Rasmussen S., Henderson M., Cooney C., Shores J., Lee W., Segev D., Brandacher G. Psychosocial Factors Affecting Recipients of Vascular Composite Allotransplantation Am J Transplant. 2017;17 (suppl 3).

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