Motor delays may persist post-liver transplant in young children

The severity of liver disease as well as growth delays may impact motor development after a young child undergoes liver transplant (LT), according to a study.

In this retrospective review, the motor outcomes of 33 children <6 years old with cholestatic liver disease were analyzed pre-and 1-year post-isolated LT. The median age at LT was 10 months.

Most patients (58%) were male, and 70% had a diagnosis of biliary atresia, 21% had a diagnosis of Alagille syndrome, and 9% had other diagnoses.

Before LT, >75% of children were considered at risk for motor delay. Children who were considered at risk or delayed pre-LT had an increased risk of motor delay (gross motor quotient) post-LT.

Higher INR before LT correlated with lower total motor quotient after LT, while longer time on the transplant waitlist correlated with lower fine motor quotient post-LT.

There was a positive correlation between gross motor quotient post-LT and height z-scores pre-LT and post-LT.

Reference
Patterson C, So S, Rogers A, et al. Motor outcomes in young children pre-and one-year post-liver transplant. Pediatr Transplant. 2021;e14200. doi: 10.1111/petr.14200. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34874102.