Nr. 2 - 2. Quartal 1996

Psychological Implications of Kidney Transplantation

G. Becker, G. Franke, O. Witzke, Th. Philipp, U. Heemann

Kidney transplantation has emerged as a major therapeutic regimen of end stage renal failure. Surprisingly, data on its psychological implications are scarce. This study was designed to gain insights into the psychological self-assessment of kidney graft.

626 kidney graft recipients were handed a questionnaire, focusing on quality of life after transplantation, impairment by side effects of immunosuppression and attitude towards graft, donor and transplantation. The questionnaire had a rating scale from 0 to 4 (0 meaning denial, 4 approval of the quoted statement).

316 ( 147 female, 169 male) out of 626 patients responded to the questionnaire. The feedback rate was 50.5 %. The patients had a mean age of 48.1 +/- 13.1 years and had been transplanted 5.2 +/- 3.8 years before. Since transplantation the majority of patients (87.5 %) experienced a marked improvement of life quality. This was particularly attributed to an improved physical (40.8 %), mental (73.1 %) and sexual capacity (48.0 %). These improvements were not related to renal function, hemoglobin or duration of transplantation. Only 43.6 % of patients between 16 and 60 years thought of themselves as being able to perform a full time job. 31.0 % reflected intensively on their transplantation, contrasting to a minimal number of patients who reflected on their respective graft (2.2 %) and donor (7.4 %). As a consequence of immunosuppression 34.3 % of patients gained more than 5 kg of weight or suffered from osteoporosis (8,3 %), joint pains (15.2 %), hypertrichosis (13.7 %) or gingival hyperplasia (12.7 %).

In conclusion, kidney transplantation improved life quality in many fields, but side effects of immunosuppression remain a problem.

Keywords:

Quality of life, kidney transplantation, side effects, immunosuppression

Kurztitel:

Becker, G. et al. (1996) TxMed 2:88

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