Anxiety, Cystic Fibrosis, and Organ Transplantation

Abstract

The presence of an active anxiety disorder in patients under consideration for organ transplantation has the potential to significantly impact candidacy for transplant. As the following case of a young woman with cystic fibrosis illustrates, anxiety can be both adaptive and pathological and can play a major role in a person’s eligibility for organ transplantation. Both the approach to the treatment of anxiety and to the discussion of transplant can affect whether a transplant is ultimately pursued. In addition to management with medication and traditional in-person psychotherapy, anxiety related to organ transplantation can be better managed with the implementation of early, normalized education about organ transplantation in patients with chronic illnesses, judicious use of alternative psychotherapeutic interventions such as the use of telehealth technology and phone-based applications, and referral to peer supports.