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Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Center for Applied Health Research on Aging

LivCog

Title:

Cognitive Function, Self-Management and Health Outcomes Among Liver Transplant Recipients: The LivCog Cohort

Dates:

April 2022 – March 2027 

Funding Source:

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases 

Grant Number:

1R01DK132138-01 

Background:

The LivCog study focuses on a growing, understudied clinical problem - liver transplantation. These patients have complex care needs, high symptom burden, and require proficient self-management skills to access healthcare services, adhere to treatment, and maintain healthy behaviors. With healthcare costs related to liver transplantation expected to increase in the future, more information is needed to help fill in critical gaps in understanding how to help improve health outcomes post transplantation. 

Abstract:

Liver transplantation (LT) is a lifesaving, limited and costly resource that is increasing among older adults with a high comorbidity burden. Liver transplant recipients are at particular risk of poorer cognitive function and impairment due to medical, psychosocial, and liver-disease-specific factors that may impact long-term self-management and health outcomes. By elucidating the various cognitive, psychosocial, self-management and health trajectories from pre-LT to 2 years post-LT, our LivCog study will be able to better characterize those recipients at higher risk of cognitive impairment and compromised self-management capacity post-LT. Findings will inform health system interventions targeting health behaviors, self-management and care partner supports to optimize health outcomes. 
The Specific Aims are: 
Aim 1: Assess cognitive trajectories from pre-transplant to 2 years post-transplant and identify risk factors for poor cognitive function among a diverse sample of de novo liver transplant recipients.     
Aim 2: Evaluate associations between cognitive function and self-management skills, health behaviors, functional health status, and post-transplant outcomes among ‘de novo’ liver transplant recipients.    
Aim 3: Investigate potential mediators and moderators of associations between cognitive function and post-transplant outcomes among ‘de novo’ liver transplant recipients. 

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier:

n/a

Contact

• Principal Investigator: Julia Yoshino Benavente, MPH
• Project Lead: Allison Novorita