Ten years of "extended" life: quality of life among heart transplantation survivors.
BACKGROUND
Long-term quality of life (QOL) outcome in heart transplant recipients still remains uncertain. This study evaluates the health status and QOL of survivors with associated predictors 10 years after heart transplantation.


METHODS
A total of 276 patients who underwent heart transplantation in the Department of Cardiac Surgery, University of Pavia, between 1985 and 1992 were included in a cross-sectional study. Patients still alive 10 years after transplantation (n=122) were asked to complete the SF36 questionnaire and then received a full clinical examination. All QOL instruments that were used had acceptable reliability and validity. Descriptive statistics, Kaplan-Meier estimate, correlation coefficients, and general linear regression were used to analyze the data.


RESULTS
Survival rates 1, 5, and 10 years after transplantation were 87%, 77%, and 57%, respectively, and the average life expectancy was 9.16 years. The mental QOL of patients 10 years after heart transplantation was similar to that among the general population. The physical QOL was worse among patients when compared with the QOL of the general population, with predictors including older age, being married, the presence of complications, and impaired renal function.


CONCLUSIONS
Heart transplantation ensures a relatively high QOL even 10 years after surgery. Predictors of a poor QOL were determined, which may help to identify those patients for whom a poor outcome is likely so treatment can be tailored accordingly.
DSSAeP, Sezione di Psichiatria, Università di Pavia and Servizio Psichiatrico di Diagnosi e Cura, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo-Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy. plpoliti@smatteo.pv.it
Pierluigi
P
Politi
Marco
M
Piccinelli
Paolo
P
Fusar-Poli
Paolo Fusar
PF
Poli
Catherine
C
Klersy
Carlo
C
Campana
Claudio
C
Goggi
Mario
M
Viganò
Francesco
F
Barale
D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006304:Health Status; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D017741:Survivors; D013997:Time Factors