title: Living-Donor Versus Deceased-Donor Kidney Transplantation: Comparison of Psychosocial Consequences for Recipients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Health benefits of a living-donor kidney transplantation are numerous and well known. There is, however, a dearth of knowledge on postoperative quality of life among the living-donor (LD) compared to deceased-donor (DD) transplant recipients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study involved 89 patients after renal transplantation: 48 from LDs and 41 from DDs. Interview data indirectly indicated the patients' health, whereas physiological parameters directly pinpointed the patients' health and the graft function. All study participants completed questionnaires to measure quality of life and the specificity of emotional and cognitive functioning.
  
  
  RESULTS
  LD kidney recipients were younger than DD recipients (40 years vs. 49 years). LD and DD transplantation patients were similar in health status assessed by indirect methods (data from an interview) and direct methods (laboratory tests results). They, however, differed in their psychosocial functioning. LD patients had a greater sense of happiness (P < .01) and of self-efficacy (P = .07). Moreover, these patients were more actively involved in their social lives (P < .02) and were more satisfied with their social relationships (P = .07). LD recipients also had a higher quality of life in terms of mental functioning (P < .01) and satisfaction with their environments (P < .01). Additionally, there were significant correlations between quality of life and the quality of cognitive and emotional functioning in the group of LD recipients. The perceived impact of health on physical and professional activity and daily routines was similar in LD and DD groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LD post-transplantation patients may derive greater psychosocial benefits from this form of treatment. This effect is not dependent on somatic parameters (comparable data from an interview and laboratory tests results). This study suggests that patients should be assisted by a multidisciplinary healthcare team, and receive continuous support from relatives during the post-transplantation adaptation process. This facilitates the patients' postoperative quality of life.
authors: Department of Transplantation Medicine, Nephrology and Internal Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland. Electronic address: jola-md@go2.pl.
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Gozdowska
authors: University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Poznań, Poland.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Zatorski
authors: Department of Transplantation Medicine, Nephrology and Internal Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Torchalla
authors: Department of Transplantation Medicine, Nephrology and Internal Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors: Ł
authors: Ł
authors: Białek
authors: University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Poznań, Poland.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Bojanowska
authors: Clinic of General and Transplantation Surgery, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Tomaszek
authors: Clinic of General and Transplantation Surgery, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Serwańska-Świętek
authors: Clinic of General and Transplantation Surgery, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Kieszek
authors: Clinic of General and Transplantation Surgery, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Kwiatkowski
authors: Clinic of General and Transplantation Surgery, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Chmura
authors: Department of Transplantation Medicine, Nephrology and Internal Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Durlik
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003643:Death; D005260:Female; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology*; D019520:Living Donors; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014019:Tissue Donors / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D066027:Transplant Recipients / Q000523:psychology*