title: General health, health-related quality of life and sexual health after pediatric liver transplantation: a nationwide study.
abstract: The long-term impact of pediatric liver transplantation (LT) and its complications on general health, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and sexual health were assessed. We conducted a national cross-sectional study of all pediatric recipients who underwent LT between 1987 and 2007. Of 66 survivors, 57 participants (86%) were compared to randomly chosen healthy controls (n = 141) at 10.7 ± 6.6 years posttransplant. PedsQL4.0, SF-36, DISF-SR and AUDIT questionnaires for appropriate age groups were used. Patients and controls <7 years had similar HRQoL and 54% of patients aged over 7 scored within the controls' normal range on all HRQoL domains. In adult survivors, physical functioning and general health were decreased (p < 0.05). Biliary complications, reoperations and obesity were independently associated with reduced HRQoL (p < 0.05 for all). Still 64% of adult survivors considered their health excellent. Sexual health was similar to controls but LT recipients may experience problems with their orgasm strength (p = 0.050) and condom-based contraception was more common after LT than among controls (58% and 12%, p < 0.001). In conclusion, normal HRQoL and sexual health are achievable post-LT.
authors: Pediatric Surgery, Children's Hospital, and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. silja.kosola@hus.fi
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Kosola
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Lampela
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Lauronen
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Mäkisalo
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Jalanko
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Qvist
authors: M P
authors: MP
authors: Pakarinen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult