Association between gastrointestinal symptoms and health-related quality of life after heart transplantation.
BACKGROUND
Heart transplantation (HTx) ameliorates the self-perceived health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients with terminal heart disease; gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, due to obligatory immunosuppression, may contribute to impaired HRQoL post-HTx.


METHODS
In this cross-sectional, exploratory study we aimed to investigate association between GI symptoms and HRQoL. The study consisted of 167 patients who had undergone HTx between 1985 and 2006 in Finland. Short-Form 36 (SF-36) Quality of Life and Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS) questionnaires were sent to the patients at the end of 2006 for capturing data on the HRQoL of HTx recipients.


RESULTS
Higher or equal SF-36 scores describing the HRQoL dimensions compared with the Finnish age- and gender-matched reference population were as follows: physical functioning, 60.5%; role-physical, 67.5%; bodily pain, 62.6%; general health, 64.0%; vitality, 68.1%; social functioning, 68.1%; role-emotional, 70.0%; and mental health, 70.4%. The prevalence of troublesome GI symptoms (GSRS score >1) per GSRS dimension was 53.9% for diarrhea, 91.0% for indigestion, 60.6% for constipation, 73.4% for abdominal pain, 46.4% for reflux and 95.8% for any GI symptom. Diabetes contributed to the presence of diarrhea (odds ratio [OR]: 3.00; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.12 to 8.00), use of prednisolone to indigestion (OR: 3.21; 95% CI: 1.05 to 9.79) and increased age to constipation (OR: 1.04; 95% CI: 1.02 to 1.07).


CONCLUSIONS
HRQoL after HTx is relatively good and comparable to the age- and gender-matched reference population. HRQoL is vulnerable to side-effects caused by the obligatory post-HTx immunosuppressive regimen, where GI symptoms play a major but clearly an underestimated role.
Jokinen
Janne J
JJ
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland. janne.jokinen@helsinki.fi
Hämmäinen
Pekka
P
Lemström
Karl B
KB
Lommi
Jyri
J
Sipponen
Jorma
J
Harjula
Ari L J
AL
D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006304:Health Status; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome