Arida Buivydienė, Viktorija Basytė, Andrej Kolosov, Jonas Valantinas
Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate viral hepatitis C andliver disease complications before liver transplantation influenceon quality of life after liver transplantation and assess quality oflife after liver transplantation compared with the general population.The survey was conducted in 2013-2014 at Vilnius UniversityHospital “Santariškių klinikos”. Twenty-five patients who underwentorthotopic liver transplantation between 2005 and 2013were enrolled in the study. Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) andthe Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), were usedto assess quality of life after liver transplantation. Quality of lifewas compared between patients who were infected and non-infectedwith hepatitis C virus. In addition, complications before livertransplantation impact on quality of life were evaluated. Alsoquality of life of liver recipients was compared with publishedquality of life data of general population. Statistical analysis wasperformed using Microsoft Excel and SPSS 17.0 program. Groupdifferences and data reliability were determined by Student t andMann-Whitney tests. Liver recipients displayed higher values of“social relations” (80.7±21.29 points) and “reduced activity limitationdue to emotional factors” (77.16±35 points). Lower valueswere “activity limitation due to a physical condition” (61.2±40.5points), “general health” (62.28±26.23 points) and “energy/vitality”(68.4±16.88 points). Evaluation of liver recipients by HADscale suggested normal anxiety (5.84±4.57 points), normal mood(3.2±3 points) and normal emotional state (9.04±7.23 points).Patients, who were infected with viral hepatitis C before livertransplantation, showed significantly worse assessment of health(p=0.026), as well as worse emotional state (p=0.043). It is alsofound that experienced complications before liver transplantation,were followed by a statistically significant (p=0.01) better “physicalactivity” and “social relations” (p=0.004). In comparison ofquality of life between the treatment group and the general population,a statistically significant difference in any quality of lifewas not observed. The results of the data showed that liver recipientquality of life assessment is almost indistinguishable fromthe general population. Both physical and emotional health afterliver transplantation was worse in viral hepatitis C group. The developmentof liver disease complications before transplantationwas followed by increased physical activity and improved socialrelations.
Keyword(s): liver transplantation; recipients; quality of life; hepatitis C
DOI: 10.5200/sm-hs.2014.119
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