PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS IN PATIENTS AWAITING HEART-TRANSPLANTATION

Heart transplantation has become an established procedure for the trea tment of terminal heart failure. However, due to a shortage of donor o rgans, the waiting period for a donor organ is increasing. Cross-secti onal and retrospective studies have indicated that there is tremendous psychological distress during this waiting period. The aim of this st udy was to assess this phase systematically and longitudinally. At the beginning of their waiting period, 62 patients at the Heidelberg Tran splantation Centre were examined with regard to their physical complai nts, quality of life, and level of depression. Four months later the r emaining 42 patients were re-examined. The sample showed a significant increase (p<0.001) in subjective physical symptoms and an impairment in social activities (p<0.05) and everyday life (p<0.05), and a signif icant increase in depression (p<0.001), despite the relatively short t ime period. These results show the necessity of supportive psychothera py for patients undergoing heart transplantation. (C) 1998 Elsevier Sc ience Inc.