title: Long-term health-related quality of life of living kidney donors: a single-center experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Over the last few years, the evaluation of the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of living kidney donors (LKD) has become of particular interest. The present study sought to evaluate the physical and mental HRQoL after kidney removal. The clinical and paraclinical course of these patients was examined, and the impact of preoperative donor evaluation, donor nephrectomy, and surgical recovery was evaluated. These data were compared with reference data of the general population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 1998 and 2010, 72 living kidney donations were performed at our institution. To assess the HRQoL, two questionnaires-the Short Form 36 (SF-36) and a special LKD questionnaire-were sent to all 72 living donors. The records of the follow-up examinations of all 72 donors were retrospectively analyzed in order to assess the clinical and paraclinical data after kidney donation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 72 donors, 55 (76.4 %) responded to the questionnaires. There was no change in systolic and diastolic blood pressure during the 7-year follow-up (p > 0.05). Mild proteinuria (>150 mg/l) was observed in six cases. Kidney donors had a higher HRQoL compared to the general population with mean values of the physical and mental summation scale (PCS and MCS, respectively) being 51.3 (SD = 7.6) and 50.6 (SD = 8.1). Peri- or postoperative complications were associated with lower values for physical function and physical component summary (PCS) (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Living donor kidney transplantation appears to be safe for donors. The HRQoL is excellent. To ensure a positive outcome for donors, a good clinical evaluation of potential donors is essential.
authors.affiliation: Department of Visceral, Transplantation, Vascular, and Thoracic Surgery, University Hospital of Leipzig, Liebigstraße 20, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Benzing
authors.affiliation: Department of Visceral, Transplantation, Vascular, and Thoracic Surgery, University Hospital of Leipzig, Liebigstraße 20, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Hans-Michael
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Hau
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Hospital of Mühlacker, Hermann-Hesse-Straße 34, 75417, Mühlacker, Germany.
authors.forename: Greta
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kurtz
authors.affiliation: Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Moritz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schmelzle
authors.affiliation: Department of Visceral, Transplantation, Vascular, and Thoracic Surgery, University Hospital of Leipzig, Liebigstraße 20, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Hans-Michael
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Tautenhahn
authors.affiliation: Department of Visceral, Transplantation, Vascular, and Thoracic Surgery, University Hospital of Leipzig, Liebigstraße 20, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Mehmet Haluk
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Morgül
authors.affiliation: Department of Visceral, Transplantation, Vascular, and Thoracic Surgery, University Hospital of Leipzig, Liebigstraße 20, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wiltberger
authors.affiliation: Department of Visceral, Transplantation, Vascular, and Thoracic Surgery, University Hospital of Leipzig, Liebigstraße 20, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Broschewitz
authors.affiliation: Department of Visceral, Transplantation, Vascular, and Thoracic Surgery, University Hospital of Leipzig, Liebigstraße 20, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Georgi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Atanasov
authors.affiliation: Section for Nephrology, Department of Endocrinology and Nephrology, University Hospital of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Anette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bachmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Visceral, Transplantation, Vascular, and Thoracic Surgery, University Hospital of Leipzig, Liebigstraße 20, 04103, Leipzig, Germany. Michael.Bartels@medizin.uni-leipzig.de.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bartels
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D019520:Living Donors; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009392:Nephrectomy; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000453:epidemiology; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement
keywords: Hypertension; Living kidney donors transplantation; Proteinuria; Quality of life; SF-36