title: Quality of life in kidney donors.
abstract: Reports on quality of life of kidney donors include small populations with variable response rates. The aim was to evaluate quality of life in kidney donors in a large cross-sectional study. Through the Norwegian Renal Registry we contacted all 1984 kidney donors in the period 1963-2007 with a response rate of 76%. All received the Short-Form-36 (SF-36) survey form and a questionnaire specifically designed for kidney donors. SF-36 scores for a subgroup (n = 1414) of kidney donors were not inferior to a general population sample, adjusted for age, gender and education. When asked to reconsider, a majority stated that they still would have consented to donate. Risk factors for having doubts were graft loss in the recipient (OR 3.1, p < 0.001), medical problems after donation (OR 3.7, p < 0.001), unrelated donor (OR 2.2, p = 0.01) and less than 12 years since donation (OR 1.8, p = 0.04). Older age at donation was associated with lower risk (OR 0.98, p = 0.03). Compared with other donors, those expressing doubts had inferior SF-36 scores. Norwegian kidney donors are mostly first-degree relatives. They are fully reimbursed and offered life-long follow-up. All inhabitants are provided universal healthcare. This should be considered when extrapolating these results to other countries.
authors.affiliation: Medical Department, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway. geirmjo@gmail.com
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mjøen
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Stavem
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Westlie
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Midtvedt
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fauchald
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Norby
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Holdaas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D019520:Living Donors; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D011788:Quality of Life; D012042:Registries