GOOD QUALITY OF LIFE AFTER MORE THAN A DECADE OF LIVING DONOR LIVER TRANSPLANTATION.

BACKGROUND

Receptors of living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) have higher rate of postoperative biliary and vascular complications that may reduce posttransplant quality of life (QOL) due to the need of invasive and repetitive treatments.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of our study is to assess the various aspects of QOL of receptors undergoing LDLT after 10 years of transplantation and to identify potential factors that might be associated with impaired QOL.

METHODS

Data of all patients with more than 10 years of LDLT were retrospectively evaluated. Patients were interviewed through a quality of life questionnaire (SF-36).

RESULTS

From a total of 440 LT performed in 17 years (from September 1991 through December 2008), 78 patients underwent LDLT, of which 27 were alive and 25 answered completely the questionnaire. There were 17 (68%) men and 8 (32%) women, with a mean age of 38.6±18.5 years at the time of transplantation and mean follow up time of 15.1±1.9 years. The average MELD was 16.4±4.9 and the main indication for LT was hepatic cirrhosis caused by hepatitis B virus (32%). When compared to the general po-pulation, LDLT patients had lower mental health score (66.4 vs 74.5, P=0.0093) and higher vitality score (87.8 vs 71.9, P<0.001), functional aspects (94.6 vs 75.5, P=0.002), social aspects (93 vs 83.9, P=0.005), physical aspects (92 vs 77.5, P=0.006), and emotional aspects (97.33 vs 81.7, P<0.001). General health status (73.28 vs 70.2, P=0.074) and pain (78.72 vs 76.7, P=0.672) scores were similar in both groups.

CONCLUSION

It is concluded that the various aspects LDLT recipients' QOF are similar to those of the general population more than a decade after the transplant, except for the mental health domain which is lower.