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"ExplorinG frailty and mild cognitive impairmEnt in kidney tRansplantation to predict biomedicAl, psychosocial and health cost outcomeS (GERAS): protocol of a nationwide prospective cohort study "

Research Project
 | 
01.01.2015
 - 31.12.2022

For the burgeoning cohort of older patients considered for kidney transplantation, evidence gaps regarding frailty and mild cognitive impairment limit clinical decision-making and medical management. As known risk factors for 'hard' clinical outcomes in chronic illness, both require further study in transplantation. Integrating these and other bio-psychosocial factors into a comprehensive pre-transplant patient assessment will provide insights regarding economic implications and may improve risk prediction. This pioneering project jointly examines frailty and mild cognitive impairment from bio-psychosocial and health economic perspectives. Results may significantly inform risk prediction, care tailoring and resource optimization to improve health outcomes in the ageing kidney transplant cohort. A nation-wide multi-centre prospective cohort study nested in the Swiss Transplant Cohort Study. Our nationally representative convenience sample includes 250 adult kidney transplant recipients. Data sources include the Swiss Transplant Cohort Study and primary data collected at time of transplantation, 6 months, 1 and 2 years posttransplant via established measures (the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Psychosocial Questionnaire, Fried Frailty Instrument and a blood analysis), investigator-developed instruments and datasets compiled by hospitals' management control units, sickness funds, the Swiss Federal Statistical Office and the European Renal Association. Descriptive, competing risk survival and mixed effects analyses will be performed. Research Ethics Committee approval was obtained in January 2016. Findings of the GERAS study will provide evidence for healthcare professionals to better identify patients most at risk for adverse outcomes. This can guide early intervention and tailor pre- and post-transplant care, policy development and resource allocation aiming to improve outcomes for the growing cohort of elderly and frail kidney transplant recipients.

Funding

GERAS

Lotte und Adolf Hotz-Sprenger Stiftung, 12.2016-12.2018 (25)
PI : Mauthner, Oliver.
CI : De Geest, Sabina M..

GERAS

Stiftung Pflegewissenschaft, 10.2016-12.2017 (15)
PI : Mauthner, Oliver.
CI : De Geest, Sabina M..

GERAS

SNF Schweizerischer Nationalfonds, 07.2015-06.2017 (24)
PI : Mauthner, Oliver.
CI : De Geest, Sabina M..

GERAS

Weitere/diverse..., 09.2015-08.2016 (12)
CI : De Geest, Sabina M..

Publications

Beerli, Nadine et al. (2022) ‘Age at Time of Kidney Transplantation as a Predictor for Mortality, Graft Loss and Self-Rated Health Status: Results From the Swiss Transplant Cohort Study’, Transplant International, 35, p. 10076. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3389/ti.2021.10076.

URLs
URLs

Mauthner, Oliver et al. (2017) ‘Handle with care: A systematic review on frailty in cardiac care and its usefulness in heart transplantation’, Transplantation reviews, 31(3), pp. 218–224. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trre.2017.03.003.

URLs
URLs

Mauthner, Oliver et al. (2016) ‘ExplorinG frailty and mild cognitive impairmEnt in kidney tRansplantation to predict biomedicAl, psychosocial and health cost outcomeS (GERAS): protocol of a nationwide prospective cohort study’, Journal of advanced nursing, 73(3), pp. 716–734. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.13179.

URLs
URLs

Members (3)

FEMALE avatar

Sabina M. De Geest

Principal Investigator
MALE avatar

Oliver Mauthner

Principal Investigator
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Nadine Beerli

Project Member