HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY-OF-LIFE AFTER LIVER-TRANSPLANTATION

To gather information regarding how to best assist liver transplant re cipients in improving their self-care capacity and well-being, we inve stigated their total health situation. A retrospective, cross-sectiona l survey with up to a 10-year follow-up concerning experienced health and quality of life after liver transplantation (LTX) was conducted. T he aim of this study was to provide descriptive data on the experience d health and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) after LTX and to e valuate whether the pretransplantation medical conditions affected the se parameters. All patients who had undergone LTX, were alive at the t ime of the study, and had a follow-up of more than 6 months (n = 134) were asked to complete three self-administered questionnaires. The res ponse rate was 95% (n = 120). There was no correlation between pretran splantation Child-Pugh score and HRQOL after LTX. Liver transplant rec ipients were more limited in their physical health than healthy subjec ts but were equal in social functioning and mental health. Twenty-six percent suffered from severe bodily pain. A significant difference was reported in all health areas, with the exception of vitality and soci al functioning, between employed and unemployed transplant recipients. Liver transplant recipients suffered from limited physical functionin g many years after transplantation. Their social functioning and menta l health were not negatively affected. This study emphasizes that bodi ly pain and difficulties in performing regular activities because of p hysical illness are problems frequently experienced by liver transplan t recipients. Copyright (C) 1998 by the American Association for the S tudy of Liver Diseases.