QUALITY-OF-LIFE OF HEPATITIS-B AND HEPATITIS-C PATIENTS AFTER LIVER-TRANSPLANTATION

Liver transplantation is an accepted treatment for end-stage liver dis ease due to hepatitis C (HCV), but remains controversial for patients with hepatitis B(HBV). Recently, the use of aggressive hepatitis B imm unoglobulin (HBIg) to maintain hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) titers greater than 500 IU/L has been reported to improve outcome of transplantation for hepatitis B. The aim of this study was to compare the quality of life of patients transplanted for HBV using this regime n of HBIg immunoprophylaxis (group 1) to patients transplanted for HCV (group 2). The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Sickness Impact Profile (SIP), and a work survey were administered to two groups of pa tients. The STAI measured anxiety while the SIP evaluated physical and psychosocial function. Lower scores indicated less anxiety and dysfun ction. Questions regarding hours worked prior to illness and hours wor ked after transplantation were administered to both groups. Group 1 in cluded a majority of patients who were hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) p ositive prior to transplantation, Survey response was 13: 16 (81%) for group 1; and 17: 24 (72%) for group 2. Group 1 revealed significantly lower scores than group 2 on the STAI and the overall SLP score. Grou p 1 reported working similar hours after transplantation as prior to i llness while group 2 did not. Thus, patients transplanted for HBV and treated with aggressive HBIg immunoprophylaxis attained a higher quali ty of life than patients transplanted for HCV.