Fixed Versus Growth Mindset and the Association With Alcohol Relapse After Liver Transplantation

Area of Science:

• Hepatology
• Transplant Surgery
• Addiction Psychiatry

Background:

• Alcohol relapse post-liver transplant (LT) is a significant concern, with relapse rates ranging from 10% to 50%.
• Identifying patients at lower risk for relapse is a priority for LT selection criteria.
• Psychological concepts like fixed versus growth mindset may influence post-LT outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate potential predictors of alcohol relapse in patients who received LT for alcohol-related liver disease (ALD).
• To explore the correlation between psychological mindset, tobacco use, and post-LT alcohol use.
• To identify factors that may indicate successful long-term abstinence after LT.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective phone survey of 46 LT recipients transplanted for ALD between May 2016 and April 2023.
• Patients completed questionnaires on alcohol use, tobacco use, and mindset (0-60 scale).
• Self-reported alcohol use was validated using phosphatidylethanol testing.

Main Results:

• Of 46 LT recipients, 17 (37%) reported post-LT alcohol use, while 29 (63%) remained abstinent.
• Mindset scores did not differ between relapse and abstinence groups.
• Successful tobacco cessation prior to LT was significantly more common in patients who remained abstinent (52%) compared to those who relapsed (18%).

Conclusions:

• Predicting alcohol relapse in ALD patients awaiting LT remains challenging.
• Successful tobacco cessation may serve as a positive indicator for alcohol abstinence post-LT.
• Further research with larger cohorts is warranted to validate these findings.