Return to work after thoracic organ transplantation in a clinically-stable population.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the rate of return to work after transplantation and its determinants in a clinically-stable population of patients transplanted and followed-up at a single institution in Italy.


METHODS
151 thoracic organ transplant recipients (72 lung, 79 heart) were examined. Patients were asked about daily activities, level of education, employment and clinical condition. A six-minute walking test was performed with measurement of dyspnoea using the Borg scale. Quality of Life was evaluated with the SF-36 and GHQ questionnaires.


RESULTS
Before transplantation 131 patients (87%), (70 heart and 61 lung) worked. After transplantation, 51 patients (39%) went back to work and 3 more started working. We found that younger age, a better quality of life (mainly in the mental domain), having had an occupation previously (particularly as an entrepreneur/freelancer), and having been off work for less than 24 months, were independent predictors of return to work.


CONCLUSIONS
Considering their good, objective and subjective, functional status, some patients who could have returned to work, chose not to. Identifying factors which affect return to work might help health professionals to adopt the best course of treatment and psychological support in order to fulfil this goal; however, return to work should not be considered as the only expression of a patient's real psychophysical condition.
Petrucci
Lucia
L
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
Ricotti
Susanna
S
Michelini
Ilaria
I
Vitulo
Patrizio
P
Oggionni
Tiberio
T
Cascina
Alessandro
A
D'Armini
Andrea M
AM
Goggi
Claudio
C
Campana
Carlo
C
Viganò
Mario
M
Dalla-Toffola
Elena
E
Tinelli
Carmine
C
Klersy
Catherine
C
D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D016040:Lung Transplantation / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D020127:Recovery of Function; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric