Neurological development of children born to liver transplant recipients.
BACKGROUND
Immunosuppressive treatment used in pregnant liver recipients may have a negative impact on fetal development and successively a child.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to make a neurological assessment of infants and children born to liver transplant recipients (LTRs) born between December 4, 2001, and February 11, 2013, in the 1(st) Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Warsaw.


METHODS
The study involved 88 children, of whom 44 children were born to LTR mothers, and 44 children born to women who were not organ recipients and delivered at a similar gestational age. The gestational age of neonates ranged from 33 to 41 weeks, and the birth weight ranged from 1420 g to 4100 g. The neurological examination was performed in children from 7 weeks to 10 years of age. The neurological development was assessed by a specialist in pediatric neurology. The results of the examination were divided according to the following criteria: 1) normal development, 2) slight disorders, 3) moderate disorders, and 4) severe disorders. The Fisher's exact test was used for statistical analysis.


RESULTS
Normal development was found in 35 of 44 (79.54%) children in the LTR group and 39 of 44 (88.63%) children in the control group (P = .3827). Slight disorders were observed in 6 of 44 (13.63%) children in LTR group and 5 of 44 (11.36%) children in the control group. Moderate disorders were found only in 3 of 44 (6.81%) children in the LTR group. No severe disorders were observed in both groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Neurological development of children born to the liver recipients who were exposed to chronic immunosuppressive treatment in their fetal lives is the same as that of children whose mothers have not undergone organ transplantation.
Division of Neonatology, 1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland. Electronic address: jzamora1@wp.pl.
J
J
Schreiber-Zamora
Division of Neonatology, 1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland.
B
B
Kociszewska-Najman
Division of Neonatology, 1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland.
B
B
Borek-Dzięcioł
Division of Neonatology, 1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland.
A
A
Drozdowska-Szymczak
Division of Neonatology, 1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland.
N
N
Czaplińska
Division of Neonatology, 1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland.
O
O
Pawlik
1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland.
A
A
Cyganek
1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland.
B
B
Pietrzak
1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland.
M
M
Wielgoś
D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007223:Infant; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D066027:Transplant Recipients
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents