title: Current status of heart transplantation in children: update 2003.
abstract: Heart transplant is an effective therapy for children with end-stage heart disease. Success of this treatment depends on coordination and careful communication among the family, primary care physician, and transplant team. Primary care physicians play an essential role in the monitoring and management of the medical, nutritional, developmental, and psychosocial issues of pediatric heart transplant patients and their families (Box 3). Ongoing assessment of the child and parent's progress in adapting to transplant is crucial in order for appropriate referrals to occur. Relationships with the primary care team can improve medical outcomes for this complex group of patients and provide a framework for improved adherence to care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Children's Hospital, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA. elizabeth.blume@cardio.chboston.org
authors.forename: Elizabeth D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Blume
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D015444:Exercise; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D006128:Growth; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D016019:Survival Analysis