Quality of life after lobectomy for adult liver transplantation.
BACKGROUND
Adult-to-adult living donor liver transplants are being increasingly performed. Although considerable data are available on the quality of life after kidney donation, there is little comparable information on liver donors.


METHODS
Between August 1998 and July 2000, 48 adults received liver grafts from living donors. At least 2 months after donation, donors were mailed a structured questionnaire and the standardized Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), a generic measure assessing health-related quality of life outcomes using eight scales: mental health, emotional limits, vitality, social function, physical function, physical limits, pain, general health.


RESULTS
Thirty donors (62.5%) responded at a mean of 280+/-157 days after donation. Fifteen (50%) of their recipients had major complications (two deaths, four retransplants, nine biliary complications). Regarding overall satisfaction, all said they would donate again. Compared to published U.S. norms (n=2474), our group of donors scored higher than the general population in seven of eight domains on the SF-36. Donors whose recipients had no complications scored significantly higher in mental health (P<0.007) and general health (P<0.008) compared with U.S. norms. Donors whose recipients had major complications scored significantly lower on the mental health scale than those with recipients without major complications.


CONCLUSIONS
Donors did not regret their decision to donate; several felt the experience had changed their lives for the better. Donors scored as well as or better than U.S. norms in general health. Quality of life after donation must remain a primary outcome measure when we consider the utility of living-donor liver transplants.
Kim-Schluger
Leona
L
Recanati/Miller Transplantation Institute, and Department of Psychiatry, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, New York 10029, USA.
Florman
Sander S
SS
Schiano
Thomas
T
O'Rourke
Marian
M
Gagliardi
Rosemarie
R
Drooker
Martin
M
Emre
Sukru
S
Fishbein
Thomas M
TM
Sheiner
Patricia A
PA
Schwartz
Myron E
ME
Miller
Charles M
CM
D000328:Adult; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D019520:Living Donors / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D044469:Racial Groups; D012016:Reference Values; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States