Level of Life Quality in Heart and Kidney Transplant Recipients: A Multicenter Study

Abstract

Objective: The main objective of the researchers was to determine the level of life quality among heart and kidney transplant recipients depending on the time and type of the transplant.

Methods: The study was conducted using standardized questionnaires: the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey, Life Orientation Test-Revised, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. The study included 146 recipients (109 heart transplant recipients and 37 kidney transplant recipients) from 1 to 26 years after the transplantation surgery (mean 9 years).

Results: The mean age of the study group was 52 years. The mean time since organ transplantation was 10 years for heart transplantation and 4.3 years for kidney transplantation. The study group obtained a slightly lower score for quality of life compared to the general population. In the Physical Component Summary (PCS), the study participants obtained the highest mean for the domain bodily pain (47.6), while the lowest score was in the domain role physical (41.82). As for the Mental Component Summary (MCS), the highest mean was obtained for the domain vitality (50.57), whereas the lowest one was for the domain role emotional (43.38). In 33% of the participants, risk of depression was identified. Statistically significant differences were observed depending on the type of the transplanted organ in the PCS for the domains general health, physical functioning, and bodily pain and the MCS for role emotional and social functioning. The statistically significant predictors for the PCS domain were the type of transplanted organ, recipients' age, and occurrence of anxiety. In turn, the predictor for the MCS was the occurrence of depression.

Conclusions: The quality of life (QOL) assessment varies between kidney and heart transplant recipients. The QOL is determined by the recipients' age and the occurrence of anxiety and depression. The obtained QOL assessment results are slightly lower than those in the general population.