Primary Care Utilization, Preventative Screening, and Control of Metabolic Syndrome in Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis Liver Transplant Recipients

Abstract

Objectives: Patients with pre-transplant metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) are at high risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS) after liver transplant. While many patients are co-managed by a transplant team, most preventative screening and MetS management may occur in the primary care setting. We aimed to evaluate primary care utilization by MASH liver transplant recipients as well as MetS screening and control. Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review that included adults who underwent liver transplant for MASH or cryptogenic cirrhosis at a single institution from January 2010 to December 2016, had available primary care data, and at least 36-months of follow-up post-transplant. Measures included primary care utilization, adherence to screening guidelines, and control of MetS. We used Fischer’s exact test to explore the association of primary care utilization with screening and control. Results: A total of 37 patients met inclusion criteria with 366 visits reviewed. The median time to first visit was 68 days post-transplant and patients had a median of 9 total visits. Few patients met screening guidelines for diabetes (8.1%) or hyperlipidemia (10.8%). The percentage of patients with control of obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia decreased over the 36-month follow-up period. Primary care utilization was not associated with adherence to screening recommendations for diabetes ( P = .141) or hyperlipidemia ( P = .103). Higher primary care utilization was not associated with control of hypertension ( P = .107), diabetes ( P = .871), or hyperlipidemia ( P = .999). Conclusion: More research is needed to investigate barriers to screening and management of MetS conditions in this high-risk patient population in the primary care setting as well as to optimize post-transplant care coordination.