title: Perceived health after kidney transplantation: a cross-sectional comparison of long-term and short-term cohorts.
abstract: Although increased longevity of grafts has led to a growing number of long-term kidney transplant recipients, knowledge about the perceived health of these patients remains limited. A cross-sectional sample of 609 patients (60% response) was stratified into a short-term (≤1 year), midterm (>1 and ≤8 years), and long-term cohort (>8 and ≤15 years posttransplantation). Cohorts were compared for perceived health (Visual Analogue Scale of the EQ-5D), number of symptoms, and number of comorbidities by analysis of variance/covariance and multivariate regression analyses. Long-term patients reported more symptoms, (F[2, 606] = 3.09, P = .046) and more comorbidities, (F[2, 588] = 4.75, P = .009) but similar levels of perceived health, (F[2, 550] = 2.37, P > .05). Furthermore, symptoms were less influential for perceived health among long- versus short-term (z = -2.08, P = .038) or midterm cohorts (z = -2.60, P = .009). Previously identified predictors of perceived health accounted for less variance in the long-term as opposed to short-term (z = 4.30, P < .001) and midterm cohort (z = 2.07, P = .039). Despite more symptoms and comorbidities, the perceived health of long-term kidney transplant recipients was comparable to the short- and midterm, possibly due to selective survival or patient adjustment. Because kidney function and symptoms were predominantly associated with short-term perceived health, there is an urgent need to identify variables associated with long-term perceived health.
authors: Department of Health Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Schulz
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Niesing
authors: J J
authors: JJ
authors: Homan van der Heide
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Westerhuis
authors: R J
authors: RJ
authors: Ploeg
authors: A V
authors: AV
authors: Ranchor
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006304:Health Status; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010465:Perception; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult