Journal Article Annotations
2016, 1st Quarter
Transplant Psychiatry
Annotations by Paula Zimbrean, MD, FAPM
April 2016
- The impact of the donors’ and recipients’ medical complications on living kidney donors’ mental health
- Living with the unknown: posttraumatic stress disorder in pediatric bone marrow transplantation survivors and their mothers
Also of interest:
- Esteban-Zubero E, García-Gil FA, López-Pingarrón L: Melatonin role preventing steatohepatitis and improving liver transplantation results
Cell Mol Life Sci 2016 Mar 29 [Epub ahead of print]
- This is a basic science review of the effects of melatonin upon the immune system and upon oxidation in the steatotic liver. Melatonin is a free radical scavenger and has direct and indirect effects as an antioxidant agent. The indolamine is observed not only to prevent fatty liver disease, but also to prevent its evolution. Moreover, during liver transplantation observed benefits in preventing graft rejection and improving graft survival have been documented. This information suggests that melatonin should be preferentially used as a hypnotic agent in patients with liver transplantation for steatotic liver disease.
PUBLICATION #1 — Transplant Psychiatry
The impact of the donors’ and recipients’ medical complications on living kidney donors’ mental health
Annotation
The finding: This study found that psychological well-being of living kidney kidney donors correlated with posttransplant medical complications of both donors and recipients.
Strength and weaknesses: The study assessed prospectively the psychological status of living kidney donors using Brief Symptom Inventory, The Dutch Mental Health Continuum-Short Form and Positive And Negative Affect Schedule pre- and post-donations. The authors analyzed the correlations between medical complications of both donor and recipient and the psychological status.
Relevance: Psychiatric complications in living kidney donors are rare. This study identifies risk factors for these potential complications and allows providers to focus their effort for screening and treatment in patients who are at higher risk of developing psychological complications post-donation.
PUBLICATION #2 — Transplant Psychiatry
Living with the unknown: posttraumatic stress disorder in pediatric bone marrow transplantation survivors and their mothers
Annotation
The finding: There is a high rate of PTSD in children who undergo bone marrow transplantation.
Strength and weaknesses: This study assessed systematically PTSD in children who receive BMT and their mothers. It is a small study and the authors did not control for factors that increase risk for PTSD such as previous trauma.
Relevance: Nevertheless the high rate of PTSD found in this group supports further investigation and should encourage clinicians to consider screening for PTSD in this population.
