Liver transplantation has become the treatment of choice for patients with end-stage liver disease. Most studies show a positive effect on quality of life after liver transplantation, but most studies are based on data from Western countries and little is known about quality of life in liver transplant recipients in Turkey or other developing countries.
Objective
To investigate liver transplant recipients' quality of life and factors affecting it, before and 3 months after transplantation in western Turkey.
Design
Descriptive and comparative, with data collected prospectively.
Setting
Two medical centers in Western Turkey.
Patients
Sixty-five adult recipients of a liver transplant between May 15 and December 31, 2007.
Instruments
Quality of life was measured by using the Nottingham Health Profile Turkish version, and sociodemographic and clinical data were collected from patients' records.
Results
Scores on all subscales of the Nottingham Health Profile differed significantly from before to after liver transplantation. The differences between the mean scores for quality of life before and after transplantation varied significantly with the patients' sex and disease severity.
Türkiye Organ Nakli Derneği (Turkish Transplantation Society).HaberalMH. The development of transplantation in Turkey.http://www.tond.org.tr. Accessed February 14, 2011.
MurrayKFCarithersRL, AASLD.AASLD practice guidelines: Evaluation of the patient for liver transplantation. Hepatology.2005;41(6): 1407–1432.
7.
BravataDMOlkinIBarnatoAEKeeffeEBOwensDK. Health-related quality of life after liver transplantation: Meta-analysis. Liver TransplantSurg.1999;5(4):318–331.
8.
TomeSWellsJTSaidALuceyMR. Quality of life after liver transplantation. A systematic review. J Hepatol.2008; 48(4):567–577.
9.
LoBiondo-WoodGWilliamsLWoodRPShawBW. Impact of liver transplantation on quality of life: A longitudinal perspective. Appl Nurs Res.1997;10(1):27–32.
10.
MalufDGStravitzRTCotterellAH. Adult living donor versus deceased donor liver transplantation: A 6-year single center experience. Am J Transplant.2005;5(1):149–156.
11.
EstravizBQuintanaJMValdiviesoA. Factors influencing change in health-related quality of life after liver transplantation. Clin Transplant.2007;21(4):481–499.
12.
SargentSWainwringhtSAP. Quality of life following emergency liver transplantation for acute liver failure. Nurs Crit Care.2006;11(4):168–176.
13.
GotardoDRMStraussETeixeiraMCDMachadoMCC. Liver transplantation and quality of life: Relevance of a specific liver disease questionnaire. Liver Int.2008;28(1):99–106.
14.
KimSHOhEGLeeWH. Symptom experience, psychological distress, and quality of life in Korean patients with liver cirrhosis: A cross-sectional survey. Int J Nurs Stud.2006; 43(8):1047–1056.
15.
RussellRTFeurerIDWisawatapnimitPSalomonRMPinsonCW. The effects of physical quality of life, time, and gender on change in symptoms of anxiety and depression after liver transplantation. J Gastrointest Surg.2008; 12(1): 138–144.
16.
CollisIBurroughsARollesKLloydG. Psychiatric and social outcome of liver transplantation. Br J Psychiatr.1995; 166(4):521–524.
17.
KrasnoffJBVintroAQAscherNLBassNMDoddMJPainterPL. Objective measures of health-related quality of life over 24 months post-liver transplantation. Clin Transplant.2005; 19(1):1–9.
18.
Sainz-BarrigaMBaccaraniUScudellerL. Quality-of-Life assessment before and after liver transplantation. Transplant Proc.2005;37(6):2601–2604.
19.
BelleSHPoraykoMKHoofnagleJHLakeJRZettermanRK. Changes in quality of life after liver transplantation among adults. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) Liver Transplantation Database (LTD). Liver Transpl Surg.1997;3(2):93–104.
20.
BonselGJEssink-BotMLKlompmakerIJSlooffMJ. Assessment of the quality of life before and following liver transplantation. First Results. Transplantation.1992;53(4):796–800.
21.
PereiraeSPHowardLMMuiesanPRelaMHeatonNWilliamsR. Quality of life after liver transplantation for alcoholic liver disease. Liver Transpl.2000;6(6):762–768.
22.
YounossiZMMcCormickMPriceLL. Impact of liver transplantation on health-related quality of life. Liver Transpl.2000;6(6):779–783.
23.
GrossCRMalinchocMKimWR. Quality of life before and after liver transplantation for cholestatic liver disease. Hepatology.1999;29(2):356–364.
24.
SaabSIbrahimABShpanerA. MELD fails to measure quality of life in liver transplant candidates. Liver Transpl.2005; 11 (2):218–223.
25.
Van den Berg-EmonsRKazemierGVan GinnekenBNieuwenhuijsenCHTilanusHStamH. Fatigue, level of everyday physical activity and quality of life after liver transplantation. J Rehabil Med.2006;38(2):124–129.
26.
RatcliffeJLongworthLYoungT. Assessing health-related quality of life pre- and post-liver transplantation: A prospective multicenter study. Liver Transpl.2002;8(3):263–270.
BozdemirCH. Quality of Life in Patients Who Underwent Liver Transplantation [master's thesis]. Izmir, Turkey: DEU Health Institute of Health Science, Surgery Nursing Department; 2006.
29.
GündogduSY. Evaluation of the Quality of Life in Chronic and Transplanted Liver Patients [master's thesis].Afyon, Turkey: AKU Health Institute of Health Science, Medical Nursing Department; 2007.
30.
HuntSMMcEwenJMcKennaSP. Measuring health status: A new tool for clinicians and epidemiologists. J R Coll Gen Pract.1985;35(273):185–188.
31.
CleopasAKollyVPernegerTV. Longer responsce scales improved the acceptability and performance of the Nottingham Health Profile. J Clin Epidemiol.2006;59(11):1183–1190.
32.
KüçükdeveciAAMcKennnaSPKutlaySGürselYWhalleyDArasilT. The development and psychometric assessment of the Turkish version of The Nottingham Health Profile. Int J Rehabil Res.2000;23(1):31–38.
33.
PriceCELoweDCohenAT. Prospective study of the quality of life in patients assessed for liver transplantation: Outcome in transplanted and not transplanted groups. J Royal Soc Med.1995;88(3): 130–136.
34.
GledhillJBurroughsARollesKDavidsonBBlizardBLloydG. Psychiatric and social outcome following liver transplantation for alcoholic liver disease: A controlled study. J Psychosom Res.1999;46(4):359–368.
EstravizBQuintanaJMValdiviesoABilbaoAde UrbinaOrtiz JOSarabiaS. Psychometric properties of a quality of life questionnaire specific to liver transplant. Rev Esp Enferm Dig.2007;99(1):13–18.
