title: Comparison of the affective symptomatology between liver transplant recipients and patients with multiple sclerosis considering their functional impairment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to compare the affective symptomatology in two medical conditions under immunotherapy (cadaveric liver transplantation [G1] and multiple sclerosis [G2]), considering their functional impairment, and to assess the clinical significance of the results regarding a representative age-adjusted sample of the general Spanish population (G3).
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a cross-sectional design, 164 patients (82 per clinical group) were selected, matched for gender, and homogenized regarding age and functional impairment according to the Physical functioning subscale from the SF-36 Health Survey. The criterion variables were the Mental health and Role-emotional SF-36 subscales and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. An analysis of covariance was conducted, controlling for age and the Physical functioning score as covariates. Cohen's d was reported as an effect size index and to analyze the clinical significance regarding a representative age-adjusted sample of the general Spanish population (n = 7881).
  
  
  RESULTS
  No statistically significant differences were found between conditions in any affective dimension (P > .05; ds₁₋₂ from 0.08 to 0.30) or in the percentage of clinical cases regarding the anxious (P = .628) or depressive spectrum (P = .716). The neurological patients showed clinically significant impairment in both SF-36 subscales (ds₂₋₃ = 0.55 and 0.52, respectively), but transplant recipients only differed from the general population in Role-emotional (d₁₋₃ = 0.81).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite having controlled for functional impairment, important deterioration in daily functioning was still found in liver recipients due to emotional problems, and no relevant differences were observed even when compared with a neurodegenerative condition such as multiple sclerosis.
authors: Faculty of Psychology, Department of Personality, Assessment, and Psychological Treatment, University of Seville, Spain. Electronic address: eduferjim2@us.es.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Fernández-Jiménez
authors: Faculty of Psychology, Department of Personality, Assessment, and Psychological Treatment, University of Seville, Spain.
authors: M A
authors: MA
authors: Pérez-San-Gregorio
authors: Faculty of Psychology, Department of Personality, Assessment, and Psychological Treatment, University of Seville, Spain.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Martín-Rodríguez
authors: Critical Care and Urgencies, University Hospital Virgen del Rocío of Seville, Spain.
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Pérez-Bernal
authors: Hepatic-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery and Liver Transplant Unit, University Hospital Virgen del Rocío of Seville, Spain.
authors: M A
authors: MA
authors: Gómez-Bravo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000523:psychology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life; D013030:Spain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D066027:Transplant Recipients / Q000523:psychology*