Patients undergoing liver transplantation: psychosocial characteristics, depressive symptoms, and quality of life.
BACKGROUND
Liver transplantation is the treatment of choice for patients with end-stage liver diseases to improve social rehabilitation and quality of life. Our objective was to evaluate the psychosocial characteristics, depressive symptoms, and quality of life among patients undergoing liver transplantation.


METHODS
Patients underwent individual assessments using a semidirected interview. Beck's Depression Inventory and SF-36 Quality of Life Questionnaire. The signal test was used with a significance level set at .05.


RESULTS
The characteristics of the sample (n = 30) were compatible with literature data for gender (n = 20 men), age (mean age, 51.96 years), education (elementary and middle school), and etiology (viral hepatitis). A significant number of patients were not able to maintain their professional activities: prior to transplantation (n = 18) and after transplantation (n = 13) due to the adverse effects of immunosuppressants (n = 9). The analysis indicated a significant quality of life improvement after transplantation for the following domains: functional capacity (P = .047), physical aspects (P = .024), pain (P = .001), overall health status (P = .003), and social aspects (P = .021). Significant depressive symptoms (n = 6) were experienced before and after the surgery.


CONCLUSIONS
The data indicated a significant quality of life improvement after liver transplantation. Occupational activity and surgery time had a positive influence on these results. The frequency of depressive symptoms was similar before and after transplantation, correlating with less favorable quality of life scores. The results indicated the need to provide regular psychosocial assessment and follow-up in all stages of therapy.
Santos Junior
R
R
FAMERP Medical School, São Jose do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.
Miyazaki
M C O S
MC
Domingos
N A M
NA
Valério
N I
NI
Silva
R F
RF
Silva
R C M A
RC
D000328:Adult; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004651:Employment; D006801:Humans; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012919:Social Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires