Longitudinal Study of Liver Transplant Recipients' Quality of Life as a Function of Their Perception of General Health: At Waiting List and at 3, 6, and 12 Months Post-Transplantation

• Published in: Transplantation proceedings 2013-12, Vol.45 (10), p.3653-3655
• Main Authors: Martín-Rodríguez, A, Fernández-Jiménez, E, Pérez-San-Gregorio, M.A, Pérez-Bernal, J, Gómez-Bravo, M.A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Anxiety - diagnosis; Anxiety - etiology; Anxiety - psychology; Depression - diagnosis; Depression - etiology; Depression - psychology; Female; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Health Status; Humans; Liver Transplantation - adverse effects; Liver Transplantation - psychology; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Middle Aged; Pain, Postoperative - diagnosis; Pain, Postoperative - etiology; Pain, Postoperative - psychology; Patients - psychology; Perception; Quality of Life; Risk Factors; Surgery; Surveys and Questionnaires; Time Factors; Treatment Outcome; Waiting Lists
• ISSN: 0041-1345; 1873-2623
• DOI: 10.1016/j.transproceed.2013.10.026

Abstract Objective The objective of this study was to compare the evolution (at waiting list, and at 3, 6, and 12 months post-transplantation) of quality of life of cadaveric liver transplant recipients as a function of their perception of general health. Methods Two groups (15 patients with better and 15 with worse self-perception of health 1 year after transplantation) were assessed at the pretransplantation and post-transplantation phases using the EuroQol (EQ-5D) questionnaire. Mixed analysis of covariance was performed with 2 factors: phase (at waiting list and at 3, 6, and 12 months post-transplantation) and perception of general health (better and worse). Cohen’s d was also calculated. Results Interactive effects were found in the variables pain/discomfort ( P  = .010) and anxiety/depression ( P  = .001). The following simple effects reached large effect sizes. Transplant recipients presented more pain/discomfort when on the waiting list than at 3 months (worse self-perception, P  = .022, d  = 1.35; better self-perception, P  = .001, d  = 0.95). At 6 months ( P  = .001, d  = −1.45) and at 12 months ( P  = .001, d  = −1.75), transplant recipients with worse self-perception displayed more pain/discomfort. Transplant recipients with better self-perceived health showed more anxiety/depression when on the waiting list than at 3 months ( P  = .004, d  = 1.49), at 6 months ( P  = .005, d  = 1.48), and at 12 months ( P  = .001, d  = 1.97). Patients with worse self-perception presented more anxiety/depression when on the waiting list than at 6 months ( P  = .030, d  = 1.21) and 12 months compared with at 3 months ( P  = .011, d  = −0.97) and 6 months ( P  = .001, d  = −1.39). At 12 months, transplant recipients with worse self-perception showed more anxiety/depression ( P  = .001, d  = −2.18). Conclusion Pain/discomfort and, especially, anxiety/depression contribute to liver transplant recipients' worse general health status 1 year after transplantation.