Quality of life, functional status, and depression in male liver transplant recipients with recurrent viral hepatitis C.

BACKGROUND

The quality of life, psychologic sequelae, and functional status of liver transplant recipients with recurrent hepatitis C virus (HCV) hepatitis have not been well defined.

METHODS

Perceived quality of life, psychologic distress, depression, adaptive coping, and functional status were prospectively assessed in 59 liver transplant recipients at baseline (before transplantation) and 6 and 12 months after transplantation; comparisons were made between patients with recurrent HCV hepatitis and all other patients.

RESULTS

Recurrent HCV hepatitis developed in 41% (14/34) of the patients with HCV. At 6 months, the patients with recurrent HCV hepatitis had significantly lower functional status (P=0.013) and experienced less gain in physical functioning from baseline than other patients (P=0.02). Quality of life, depression, and psychologic distress were not different at 6 months for patients with recurrent HCV hepatitis compared with all other patients. At 12 months, the patients with recurrent HCV hepatitis had significantly lower quality of life (P=0.003), greater depression (P=0.045), higher psychologic distress (P=0.05), and lower physical functioning (P=0.008) than all other patients.

CONCLUSION

Recurrent HCV hepatitis in liver transplant recipients is associated with impairment in quality of life, functional status, and greater depression compared with patients who did not have HCV and those without HCV recurrence.