title: The Course and Predictors of Health-Related Quality of Life in Living Kidney Donors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
abstract: A better understanding of the course and risk factors for impaired long-term health-related quality of life (HRQoL; ie, physical, psychological, and social-relational functioning) after kidney donation might help clinicians improve the care of live kidney donors. This systematic review and meta-analysis summarizes prospective studies about the course and predictors of HRQoL in living kidney donors. Studies indicate that shortly after donation, donors have lower HRQoL, with minor to moderate changes in psychological and social-relational functioning and major changes in physical functioning. At 3-12 months after donation, HRQoL returned to baseline or was slightly reduced, particularly for fatigue, but scores were still comparable to general population norms. Results were mainly robust across surgery techniques. A limited number of studies examined risk factors for impaired HRQoL, with low psychological functioning before donation as the most consistent predictor. Based on these results, clinicians can inform potential donors that, on average, kidney donors have high long-term HRQoL; however, donors with low psychological functioning at baseline are those most at risk of impaired long-term HRQoL. Future studies should focus on other potentially relevant predictors of postdonation HRQoL, including donor eligibility criteria and donor-recipient relationships, to optimize screening and interventions for donors at risk.
authors.affiliation: Leiden University, Institute of Psychology, Health, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Leiden, The Netherlands.|Department of Medical Psychology, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wirken
authors.affiliation: Leiden University, Institute of Psychology, Health, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Leiden, The Netherlands.|Department of Medical Psychology, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: van Middendorp
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Hooghof
authors.affiliation: Radboud Institute of Health Sciences, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Rovers
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Hoitsma
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Hilbrands
authors.affiliation: Leiden University, Institute of Psychology, Health, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Leiden, The Netherlands.|Department of Medical Psychology, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: A W M
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Evers
mesh_terms: D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000523:psychology*; D019520:Living Donors / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009392:Nephrectomy / Q000523:psychology*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D013997:Time Factors