A Dialysis Center Educational Video Intervention Increases Patient Self-Efficacy and Kidney Transplant Evaluations

Introduction: The optimal treatment for end-stage kidney disease is renal transplant. However, only 1 in 5 (21.5%) patients nationwide receiving dialysis are on a transplant waitlist. Factors associated with patients not initiating a transplant evaluation are complex and include patient specific factors such as transplant knowledge and self-efficacy. Research Question: Can a dialysis center-based educational video intervention increase dialysis patients’ transplant knowledge, self-efficacy, and transplant evaluations initiated? Design: Dialysis patients who had not yet completed a transplant evaluation were provided a transplant educational video while receiving hemodialysis. Patients’ transplant knowledge, self-efficacy to initiate an evaluation, and dialysis center rates of transplant referral and evaluation were assessed before and after this intervention. Results: Of 340 patients approached at 14 centers, 252 (74%) completed the intervention. The intervention increased transplant knowledge (Likert scale 1 to 5: 2.53 [0.10] vs 4.62 [0.05], P < .001) and transplant self-efficacy (2.55 [0.10] to 4.33 [0.07], P < .001. The incidence rate per 100 patient years of transplant evaluations increased 85% (IRR 1.85 [95% CI: 1.02, 3.35], P = .0422) following the intervention. The incidence rates of referrals also increased 56% (IRR 1.56 [95% CI: 1.03, 2.37], P = .0352), while there was a nonsignificant 47% increase in incidence rates of waitlist entries (IRR 1.47 [95% CI: 0.45, 4.74], P = .5210). Conclusion: This dialysis center-based video intervention provides promising preliminary evidence to conduct a large-scale randomized controlled trial to test its effectiveness in increasing self-efficacy of dialysis patients to initiate a transplant evaluation.

Screening Chest CT Prior to Allogenic Transplantation - High Rates of Occult Abnormalities

Introduction: Pulmonary complications constitute a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the post-hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) period. While Chest X-ray (CXR) is customarily used for screening, we have utilized chest computed tomography (CT) within one month of transplant. Here we aim to characterize the prevalence of abnormalities and their impact on the eligibility for allogenic (allo) HCT and outcomes post-transplant. Methodology: We conducted a single center retrospective study of all patients who were evaluated for allogenic HCT from January 2013 through December 2020 in New York Presbyterian Hospital - Weill Cornell Medicine (NYP-WCM). All patients who had chest CT as part of their pre-transplant evaluation were included for analysis. Results: We identified 478 patients who had Chest CT screening. In 396 CT chest was normal or confirmed previous abnormalities. Eighty-two patients (17%) had previously undetected abnormalities (Figure 1). The most frequent abnormalities were pulmonary nodules (defined as nodules of 4 mm or greater) in 27 patients (31%), ground-glass opacities (GGO) in 21 patients (25%), Pneumonia in 18 patients (21%). Miscellaneous findings not related to the primary disease were found in 12 patients (14%) including thyroid nodules, breast nodules and hemangioma of the liver. A new malignancy was found in 6 patients (7%) and incidental pulmonary embolism (PE) in 2 patients (2%) (Figure 2). There were 5 (6%) patients who were ultimately excluded from transplant due to CT chest findings (simultaneous CXR showed abnormalities in only 1 out of 5). Three of those patients were found to have invasive fungal infection, and the other two had unrecognized metastatic lung cancer. For 19 patients (23%), transplant was delayed for diagnostic procedure and/or treatment of pulmonary findings (CXR showed abnormalities in only 3 patients out of 19). The most common reason for delay was lung infection requiring treatment. Thirty-two patients (41%) out of 77 patients with abnormal CT scan who eventually underwent transplant, have died . Sixteen died after relapse, and 16 from non-relapse mortality (NRM) with pulmonary complications playing a role in 13 patients (Figure 3). Conclusion: 17% of patients who had a pre-transplant CT chest had abnormalities that warranted further evaluation. In 23% of these patients, these findings led to a delay in transplant for further optimization. Six percent were deemed ineligible for transplant due to absolute contraindications that were incidentally discovered on chest CT. Initial screening CXR failed to identify a significant number of abnormalities. Our data suggests that chest CT imaging should be part of the routine pre-transplant evaluation. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

1383. Universal Strongyloides Screening in a Heart Transplant Program in South Carolina: Just How Endemic Is It?

Background Strongyloides stercoralis is endemic in sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, Latin America, and the southeastern United States, particularly Appalachia, where Strongyloides seroprevalence approaches 2%. SC is considered a state in which Strongyloides is endemic, however the degree of endemnicity is not known. Here we define the epidemiology of chronic strongyloidiasis in our state, through data obtained via universal screening of heart transplant candidates at our center. Methods This single center retrospective study was performed at a 700 bed academic medical center that is the only comprehensive transplant center in SC. All adult patients who underwent heart transplant evaluation 1/1/2019 - 12/31/2020 were included. Routine pre-transplant evaluation by Transplant Infectious Diseases (TxID) was implemented in the heart transplant program in 2015 and universal screening with Strongyloides IgG began in late 2018. We assessed demographics, risk factors for exposure to Strongyloides, treatment, and outcomes for seropositive subjects. Results During the study period, 218 patients underwent heart transplant evaluation. Adherence to universal screening was 96.8% (211/218). 187 subjects (88.6%) had negative screening results (≤ 0.9 IV) and 24 subjects (11.4%) had equivocal or positive screening results (≥ 1.0 IV). Demographics and risk factors for the 24 equivocal/positive subjects are presented in Table 1. 15 equivocal/positive subjects (66.7%) received ivermectin and 9 (33.3%) did not. The majority of untreated patients were declined for transplant (8/9) and did not have a TxID evaluation (6/9). One untreated patient was waitlisted for transplant and has received ivermectin since being identified in this study. There were no episodes of hyperinfection or disseminated infection in the cohort. Table 1. Demographics and risk factors for subjects with equivocal or positive Strongyloides IgG Conclusion Universal screening of adult heart transplant candidates at SC’s only transplant center detected a Strongyloides seroprevalence rate of 11.4%. The majority of subjects with equivocal/positive Strongyloides IgG were born in the US and did not have other known risk factors (residence in the Appalachian region of SC, military service, overseas travel). These data suggest a high level of endemnicity of strongyloidiasis in SC. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

1386. Seroprevalence of Strongyloidiasis in Liver Transplant Candidates at a Tertiary-Level Hospital in Newark, NJ

Background The liver transplant center at University Hospital (Newark, NJ) is one of the busiest in northern NJ. Current guidelines for Strongyloides stercoralis (Ss) screening in solid transplant recipients recommend targeted testing. We propose a high seroprevalence of this infection in our facility given its significant percentage of foreign-born patients from Ss endemic areas such as Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa. Methods Descriptive study from secondary data. We obtained the total number of Strongyloides antibody tests performed at University Hospital in the last two years (08/2018-10/2020). Subsequently, medical charts were reviewed to obtain epidemiological and clinical data. Results A total of 388 patients underwent screening for Strongyloides antibody, of whom 71 (18%) were positive. The test was mainly performed in male (58%) and foreign-born (55%) patients. More than half (55%) of the US-born individuals had history of travel overseas. The main reasons for testing were transplant evaluation (65%), immunosuppression (14%) and eosinophilia (9%). There was no association between transplant evaluation and seropositivity (81% vs 81%, p = 0.994). Being foreign-born was not associated with a positive test (19% vs 20%, p = 0.834), but for US-born patients, having a history of travel was associated with a positive test (33% vs 14%, p = 0.039). For the Ss positive patients, 34% had a HTLV-I/II test, 48% had at least one stool test, and 76% were given treatment. Conclusion There is a significant seroprevalence of Ss in our transplant candidate population, both non-foreign and foreign-born, prompting the indication for universal screening at our facility. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

Psychosocial Pre-Transplant Screening With the Transplant Evaluation Rating Scale Contributes to Prediction of Survival After Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

There is no standard in hematopoietic stem cell transplantations (HSCT) for pre-transplant screening of psychosocial risk factors, e.g., regarding immunosuppressant non-adherence. The aim of this prospective study is to explore the predictive value of the pretransplant psychosocial screening instrument Transplant Evaluation Rating Scale (TERS) for mortality in a 3-year follow-up. Between 2012 and 2017 61 patients were included and classified as low (TERS = 26.5–29) and increased-risk group (TERS = 29.5–79.5). Both groups were compared regarding mortality until 36 months after transplantation and secondary outcomes [Medication Experience Scale for Immunosuppressants (MESI); incidence/grade of GvHD]. The increased-risk group (n = 28) showed significantly worse cumulative survival in the outpatient setting (from 3 months to 3 years after HSCT) [Log Rank (Mantel Cox) P = 0.029] compared to low-risk group (n = 29) but there was no significant result for the interval immediately after HSCT until 3 years afterwards. Pre-transplant screening with TERS contributes to prediction of survival after HSCT. The reason remains unclear, since TERS did not correlate with GvHD or MESI. The negative result regarding the interval immediately after HSCT until 3 years could be caused by the intensive in-patient setting with mortality which is explained rather by biological reasons than by non-adherence.