Sleep disturbances and quality of life in patients after living donor liver transplantation

Sleep Quality and Related Factors Among Liver Transplant Recipients in Korea: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND

Poor sleep quality is common after liver transplantation, which lowers health-related quality of life. However, the detection and management of sleeping difficulties in liver transplant recipients have been limited.

PURPOSE

This study was designed to assess sleep quality in liver transplant recipients in Korea and associated factors, including symptom experience, depression, and family support, using the theory of unpleasant symptoms as a theoretical framework.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study of 149 liver transplant recipients in a Korean tertiary hospital was conducted in 2019. Data were obtained using several structured self-report questionnaires, including the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Modified Transplant Symptom Occurrence and Symptom Distress Scale, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale-Revised, and Family Support Scale. Multiple linear regression was used to determine the factors associated with sleep quality.

RESULTS

The prevalence of sleep disturbance was 55% in the sample. Low sleep quality was associated with being female and with having a higher symptom experience, higher depressive symptoms, and lower family support. In the multiple linear regression analysis, depression and symptom experience was shown to significantly affect sleep quality.

CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

The liver transplant recipients in this study reported poor sleep quality. The factors associated with the sleep quality included depression and symptom experience. To enhance sleep quality, interventions designed to reduce depression and symptoms related to liver transplantation should be provided. The results of this study may be used to develop nursing strategies to improve sleep quality in liver transplant recipients.

Neuropsychiatric sequelae after liver transplantation and their possible mechanism via the microbiota-gut-liver-brain axis

Patients after liver transplantation are often impacted by mental and even neuropsychiatric disorders, including depression, sleep disorders, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Neuropsychiatric sequelae have an adverse impact on rehabilitation and can even incapacitate people, reducing their quality of life. Despite screening tools and effective treatments, neuropsychiatric sequelae after liver transplantation (NSALT) have not been fully diagnosed and treated. Current research suggests that NSALT may be partly related to intestinal microbial variation, but the detailed mechanism remains unclear. In this review, we describe the clinical and diagnostic features, prevalence, prediction, clinical course and outcome, management, and treatment of NSALT; we also summarize their mechanisms through the microbiota-gut-liver-brain axis. Finally, we propose to improve NSALT on the basis of adjusting the gastrointestinal flora, immune inflammation or vagus nerve (VN), providing a novel strategy for clinical prevention and treatment.

Incidence and prevalence of depressive, anxiety, and insomnia symptoms among adult liver transplant recipients: A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

Psychological morbidity among transplant recipients may negatively impact post-transplantation outcomes. Our objectives were to compute pooled incidence and prevalence estimates for depressive, anxiety, and insomnia symptoms among adults who underwent liver transplant.

METHODS

Electronic searches of MEDLINE, PubMed Central, CINAHL, and Google Scholar were carried out from inception to October 2022 to identify observational studies conducted among adult liver transplant recipients which measured depression, anxiety, and/or insomnia. We used the Joanna-Briggs tool for study quality appraisal.

RESULTS

Sixty-five studies (pooled N = 12,183) provided data for meta-analysis. The one-year pooled point prevalence rate for depressive symptoms was 25% (95% Confidence Intervals [CI]: 20% to 30%; I² = 94%; 37 studies; N = 6088) while that of anxiety and insomnia symptoms were 29% (95% CI: 21% to 38%; I² = 96%; 28 studies; N = 4016) and 28% (95% CI: 16% to 43%; I² = 98%; 14 studies; N = 1834), respectively. The findings remained robust across subgroup and sensitivity analyses. Most included studies had low or moderate risk of bias.

CONCLUSIONS

Depressive, anxiety, and insomnia symptoms are commonly prevalent following liver transplantation. Our findings, though limited by high heterogeneity across analyses, have important implications for screening, management, and prevention of psychological morbidity in this group.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

This protocol was submitted for registration with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) (CRD 42021276008).

Self-reported poor quality of sleep in solid organ transplant: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

High quality sleep of sufficient duration is vital to overall health and wellbeing. Self-reported poor quality of sleep, sleep reported as irregular in timing, marked by frequent awakenings, or shortened in duration, is common across the solid-organ transplant trajectory.

AIM

This Systematic Review aimed to summarize available literature on rates of self-reported poor quality of sleep among solid organ transplant candidates and recipients.

METHODS

A systematic search of published literature was conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, CINHAL, and PsychInfo databases with no date restrictions. Original articles in the English language describing self-reported quality of sleep using standardized questionnaires in adults either waitlisted for, or who received a solid organ transplant (heart, lung, kidney, liver, pancreas, or multi-solid organ) were included.

RESULTS

Of a potential 2054 articles identified, 44 were included (63.6% renal transplant, 20.5% liver transplant, 11.4% lung transplant, and 4.5% included multiple organ transplant populations), with the majority (68.2%) focusing only on post-transplant populations. No included articles focused solely on heart or pancreas transplant populations. On average, the transplant population with the greatest improvement in quality of sleep (reported as poor sleep quality, insomnia, sleep disturbance, or sleep dissatisfaction) from transplant candidacy to post-transplantation were renal transplant (from 53.5% pre, to 38.9% post) followed by liver transplant patients (from 52.8% pre, to 46.3% post), while lung transplant patients remained similar pre- to post-transplantation (55.6% pre, to 52% post). Poor quality of sleep was frequently associated with anxiety and depression, poorer quality of life, restless legs syndrome, and higher comorbidity.

CONCLUSIONS

Reports of poor quality of sleep are highly prevalent across all solid-organ transplant populations, both pre- and post-transplantation. Future studies should assess quality of sleep longitudinally throughout all phases of the transplantation trajectory, with more research focusing on how to optimize sleep in solid organ transplant populations.

Restless legs syndrome among subjects having chronic liver disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Sleep disturbances are commonly reported in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD). Changes in quality of sleep in patients with CLD could be related to multiple factors viz., elevated levels of tryptophan, histamine, and increased turnover of dopamine in caudate-putamen and cingulate cortex. Also, iron metabolism disturbances are reported in patients with CLD. These changes may result in restless legs syndrome (RLS) that worsens sleep-quality. There have been reports suggesting an increased prevalence of RLS among patients with CLD. Literature was searched in PubMed, EMBASE, and Google Scholar. A total of twenty-two relevant articles were found. Out of these, nine studies have assessed the prevalence of RLS among patients with chronic liver disease or cirrhosis in the clinical population. Population prevalence reported from various studies was used to calculate odds ratio. Having included studies using various methods for diagnosis (clinical as well as questionnaires) pooled odds-ratio for the RLS was 8.62. It remains unaffected by study-method, gender, age, and geographical-area. However, studies using clinical diagnosis for RLS had lower odds compared to questionnaire based diagnosis. Studies varied with regards to diagnostic methods, age, gender, etiology, and severity of liver dysfunction. The severity and etiology of CLD and biochemical correlate of CLD were not found to be associated with RLS. Possible pathophysiological mechanisms are discussed for the occurrence of RLS in this population. In conclusion, the prevalence of RLS is higher among patients with CLD, however, the correlates are unknown.

Sleep disorder in patients with chronic liver disease: a narrative review

Sleep disturbance is a common feature of chronic liver disease (CLD) with impact on health-related quality of life; 60-80% of patients with CLD report subjective poor sleep; frequent presentations of sleep disturbance include insomnia, reduced sleep efficiency, increased sleep latency, reduced time in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, restless leg syndrome and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). Key contributors to sleep disturbance include hepatic encephalopathy (HE) and circadian rhythm imbalance due to altered melatonin metabolism. Specific conditions causing CLD, such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), chronic viral hepatitis and primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) result in different types of sleep disturbance, and the treatment of these conditions can often also lead to sleep disturbance. There are currently limited management options for sleep disturbance in CLD. Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a common condition that causes chronic intermittent hypoxia due to airway collapse during sleep. This chronic intermittent hypoxia appears to contribute to the development of NAFLD. The presence of reactive oxygen species and the overexpression of hypoxia inducible factor 1-alpha secondary to hypoxia may be responsible for the second 'hit' of the 'two-hit' hypothesis of NAFLD. Treatment of the intermittent hypoxia with continuous positive airway pressure therapy has limited efficacy against liver dysfunction. There remain many outstanding areas of investigation in the management of sleep disturbance in CLD, and of liver dysfunction in OSA.

The Molar Ratio of Total Branched-chain Amino Acids to Tyrosine Predicts a Digit Symbol Test Abnormality in Cirrhotic Patients

Objective We aimed to investigate the association between the digit symbol test (DST) and clinical characteristics, including the nutritional status of liver cirrhosis patients. Methods Fifty-nine cirrhotic patients without a history of overt hepatic encephalopathy were retrospectively evaluated. We examined neuropsychological abnormalities (NPAs) using the DST. We also estimated the detailed nutritional status using the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). The patients were divided into two groups according to their DST status: patients with normal DST scores (DST-Nor group, n=45) and those with abnormal DST scores (DST-Abn group, n=14). The clinical and nutritional findings of the two groups were compared. Results Overall, 14 (23.7%) patients had a DST abnormality. There were significant differences between the two groups in serum albumin (Alb; p=0.0043), valine (Val; p=0.0016), leucine (Leu; p=0.0078), isoleucine (Ile; p=0.0022), the molar ratio of total branched-chain amino acids to tyrosine (BTR; p=0.00025), total-bilirubin (T-Bil; p=0.0071), prothrombin time (%) (PT; p=0.028), and serum sodium (Na; p=0.035). A multivariate analysis found the BTR to be the only independent predictor of a DST abnormality (hazard ratio, 9.24; p<0.031). An FFQ analysis, revealed that the nutritional findings of patients with and without a DST abnormality, were similar. Conclusion The BTR was useful for predicting the risk of NPAs, as defined by a DST abnormality. The risk of NPAs may be estimated by monitoring the BTR.

Sleep Quality and Psychosocial Factors in Liver Transplant Recipients at an Outpatient Follow-Up Clinic in China

Background

Sleep disturbance is a common problem in liver transplant recipients, but few studies have confirmed the psychosocial factors associated with sleep quality in patients after liver transplantation. This study aimed to identify the psychosocial factors related to sleep quality among liver transplant patients during outpatient follow-up.

Material/Methods

A retrospective cross-sectional study was performed in 124 liver transplant patients during outpatient follow-up. All participants completed a general demographic questionnaire, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scale (GAD-7), the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and the perceived social support scale (PSSS).

Results

The mean global PSQI score was 6.57 (SD, 4.28), which was significantly higher than the mean score for people with normal sleep quality; 50 (40.3%) recipients were classified as having poor sleep quality (PSQI >7). Among the self-reported sleep problems, 62 (50.0%) participants reported that they had to go to the bathroom at night, 58 (43.5%) woke up in the middle of the night or early morning, 84 (67.7%) reported depression symptoms, and 116 (93.5%) had low-level social support. The global PSQI score was positively correlated with anxiety and depression scores, while the global PSSS score was negatively correlated with anxiety and depression scores (p<0.01). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the length of the post-liver transplant period, the type of residence, BMI, depressive symptoms, and anxiety symptoms were important factors affecting sleep quality among liver transplant patients (p<0.05).

Conclusions

Our findings showed high prevalence and incidence of poor sleep quality in liver transplant recipients in outpatient follow-up, with significant correlations with anxiety, depression, and social support, and it was affected by multiple factors. This indicates a need for further research on the follow-up results of sleep and the benefits of comprehensive interventions involving psychosocial factors in liver transplant recipients in China.

Hepatitis C virus-related symptoms, but not quality of life, were improved by treatment with direct-acting antivirals

AIM

Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection have a significantly high sustained virologic response rate after a short treatment course and do not have any severe adverse effects. Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) have become increasingly important to assess the total impact of a chronic disease. We aimed to evaluate the changes in symptoms of patients with HCV infection treated with DAAs by using PROs.

METHODS

A total of 107 patients with chronic HCV infection were treated with DAAs. Daclatasvir/asunaprevir or sofosbuvir/ledipasvir was used for HCV 1B infection, and sofosbuvir/ribavirin for HCV 2A/2B infection. The PROs measured at the start of treatment and 1 year after the start of treatment were cirrhosis-related symptom score (CSS), presence of restless legs syndrome (RLS), Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS), Pittsburg sleep quality index (PSQI), Kessler 6 score (K-6), and the SF-36 to measure quality of life (QOL). All patients had a sustained virologic response rate of 24.

RESULTS

The CSS, PSQI, K-6, and RLS scores were improved 1 year after beginning treatment. However, QOL had not recovered. Changes in total CSS were correlated with HCV genotype, sex, hypertensive drug use, serum low-density lipoprotein, and ESS at the start of treatment and RLS 1 year after the start of treatment. The factors that contributed to worsening of CSS were HCV genotype 2B and RLS 1 year after the start of treatment.

CONCLUSION

Treatment with DAAs eliminated HCV-RNA and improved most symptoms, but QOL did not recover.

Sleep Quality Assessment and Daytime Sleepiness of Liver Transplantation Candidates

OBJECTIVE

The goal of this study was to evaluate the sleep quality and daytime sleepiness of patients eligible for liver transplants.

METHODS

A cross-sectional prospective study was conducted on liver transplant candidates from a transplant center in the interior of São Paulo State. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Epworth Sleepiness Scale questionnaires were applied to obtain demographic and clinical characteristics and to assess sleep quality and daytime sleepiness.

RESULTS

The mean (±SD) score on the Epworth Sleepiness Scale of the 45 liver transplantation candidates was 7.00 ± 2.83 points, with 28.89% having scores >10 points, indicating excessive daytime sleepiness. The mean score on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was 6.64 ± 4.95 points, with 60% of the subjects showing impaired sleep quality, with scores >5 points. The average sleep duration was 07:16 h. Regarding sleep quality self-classification, 31.11% reported poor or very poor quality. It is noteworthy that 73.33% of patients had to go to the bathroom, 53.33% woke up in the middle of the night, and 40.00% reported pain related to sleeping difficulties. Comparison of subjects with good and poor sleep quality revealed a significant difference in time to sleep (P = .0002), sleep hours (P = .0003), and sleep quality self-classification (P = .000072).

CONCLUSION

Liver transplant candidates have a compromised quality of sleep and excessive daytime sleepiness. In clinical practice, we recommend the evaluation and implementation of interventions aimed at improving the sleep and wakefulness cycle, contributing to a better quality of life.

A prospective cohort study on posttraumatic stress disorder in liver transplantation recipients before and after transplantation: Prevalence, symptom occurrence, and intrusive memories

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed at increasing the understanding of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in liver transplant patients by describing the course of PTSD, symptom occurrence, psychological co-morbidity, and the nature of re-experiencing symptoms.

METHODS

A prospective cohort study was performed among 95 liver transplant recipients from before transplantation up until one year post-transplantation. Respondents filled out a questionnaire regarding psychological functioning (PTSD, anxiety, and depression) before, and at 3, 6, and 12months post-transplantation. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used to analyze the data.

RESULTS

Before transplantation, respectively 10.5% and 6.3% of the respondents were identified as possible cases of full or partial PTSD. In all cases, co-morbid conditions of anxiety and/or depression were present. After transplantation, no new onset of full PTSD was found. New onset of possible partial PTSD was found in six respondents. Arousal symptoms were the most frequently reported symptoms, but may not be distinctive for PTSD in transplant patients because of the overlap with disease- and treatment-related symptoms. Re-experiencing symptoms before transplantation were mostly related to waiting for a donor organ and the upcoming surgery; after transplantation this was related to aspects of the hospital stay.

CONCLUSIONS

In our group of liver transplant patients, PTSD symptomatology was more present before transplantation than after transplantation. Being diagnosed with a life-threatening disease seemed to be the main stressor. However, when a diagnosis of PTSD is suspected, assessment by a clinician is warranted because of the overlap with mood and anxiety disorders, and disease- and treatment-related symptoms.

The effect of renal transplantation on quality of sleep in former dialysis patients

Data on sleep quality in renal transplanted (RTX) patients are scarce, and longitudinal studies are lacking. The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of sleep complaints in RTX patients and identify variables associated with improvement in sleep quality. In a longitudinal study, 301 dialysis patients were followed for up to 5.5 years, during which time 142 were transplanted. Out of the transplanted patients, a total of 110 were eligible for inclusion. Sleep quality and depression were assessed with the validated questionnaires Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and data were collected during dialysis and after RTX. Based on PSQI scores, 59% were characterized as poor sleepers after RTX compared to 75% when in dialysis (P = 0.016). A total of 46% experienced a clinical relevant improvement in overall sleep quality, while 21% experienced a clinical relevant deterioration. In multivariable analyses, clinical meaningful change in sleep quality was not associated with either depressive symptoms assessed with BDI or other clinical variables. Sleep quality improved after RTX in nearly half of the patients, but poor sleep quality was prevalent in RTX patients. Therefore, sleep quality should routinely be assessed in RTX patients.

Screening for minimal hepatic encephalopathy in patients with cirrhosis by cirrhosis-related symptoms and a history of overt hepatic encephalopathy

The diagnosis of minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) is more difficult in comparison to the diagnosis of overt hepatic encephalopathy (OHE), as patients with MHE do not exhibit overt neurological deficits and must be diagnosed using specialized equipment. However, identifying MHE is critical for patients with cirrhosis, and a simple screening test is required. The present study aimed to evaluate the associations between MHE, clinical characteristics and questionnaire items regarding sleep disturbances and cirrhosis-related symptom score (CSS). A total of 91 patients who had cirrhosis without OHE were evaluated using various questionnaires [i.e., CSS, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, the Japanese version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Japanese 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36)]. MHE was diagnosed using the neuropsychological test. MHE was associated with severe liver damage, which was indicated by liver damage markers and a history of OHE. In addition, MHE was associated with the CSS, PSQI and SF-36 results. The multivariate analyses revealed that a history of OHE was the factor that was the most strongly associated with MHE. Among patients without a history of OHE, MHE was most strongly associated with CSS, although it was also associated with severe liver damage and platelet counts. A prediction score (calculated using a history of OHE and CSS) provided an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.738 and a sensitivity of 0.671 for identifying MHE. In conclusion, a history of OHE and CSS may be useful for identifying MHE in patients with cirrhosis.

Resident fatigue in otolaryngology residents: a Web based survey

IMPORTANCE

Resident fatigue has become a point of emphasis in medical education and its effects on otolaryngology residents and their patients require further study.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of our study was to evaluate the prevalence and nature of fatigue in otolaryngology residents, evaluate various quality of life measures, and investigate associations of increased fatigue with resident safety.

STUDY DESIGN

Anonymous survey.

SETTING

Internet based.

PARTICIPANTS

United States allopathic otolaryngology residents.

INTERVENTION

None.

MAIN OUTCOME(S) AND MEASURES

The survey topics included demographics, residency structure, sleep habits and perceived stress. Responses were correlated with a concurrent Epworth Sleep Scale questionnaire to evaluate effects of fatigue on resident training and quality of life.

RESULTS

190 residents responded to the survey with 178 completing the Epworth Sleep Scale questionnaire. Results revealed a mean Epworth Sleep Scale score of 9.9±5.1 with a median of 10.0 indicating a significant number of otolaryngology residents are excessively sleepy. Statistically significant correlations between Epworth Sleep Scale and sex, region, hours of sleep, and work hours were found. Residents taking in-house call had significantly fewer hours of sleep compared to home call (p=0.01). Residents on "head and neck" (typically consisting of a large proportion of head and neck oncologic surgery) rotations tended to have higher Epworth Sleep Scale and had significantly fewer hours of sleep (p=.003) and greater work hours (p<.001). Additionally, residents who reported no needle stick type incidents or near motor vehicle accidents had significantly lower mean Epworth Sleep Scale scores. Only 37.6% of respondents approve of the most recent Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education work hour restrictions and 14% reported averaging greater than 80hours of work/week.

CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE

A substantial number of otolaryngology residents are excessively sleepy. Our data suggest that the effects of fatigue play a role in resident well-being and resident safety.

Restless Legs Syndrome Following Lung Transplantation: Prevalence and Relationship With Tacrolimus Exposure

CONTEXT

Complications following lung transplantation are common and significantly reduce quality of life, and increase morbidity and mortality. Increasing evidence suggests sleep disorders are prevalent following lung transplantation, but factors associated with their development are not known.

OBJECTIVES

We sought to evaluate the prevalence of restless legs syndrome (RLS) in a lung transplant population and determine if a relationship exists between RLS and exposure to immunosuppressant medications.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

Subjects were recruited through the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics Lung Transplant Clinic (N = 125). Participants (N = 81) completed sleep questionnaires, including the four RLS diagnostic criteria, insomnia severity index, and Sheehan disability scale. Cumulative tacrolimus exposure was determined in 62 subjects by calculating an area under the curve (AUC) to assess for a relationship with restless legs syndrome.

RESULTS

Prevalence of RLS was 35 percent. Cumulative mean ± SEM tacrolimus exposure was similar in patients with RLS versus those without RLS (17446 ± 1855 ng days/mL vs. 15303 ± 1643 ng days/mL, respectively; p = 0.42). Insomnia severity index scores (12.5 ± 1.0 vs 6.8 ± 0.7, p < 0.0001) and Sheehan disability scores (7.8 ± 1.3 vs 3.6 ± 0.6, p = 0.003) were significantly higher in those with vs those without RLS symptoms, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data confirms increased prevalence of RLS following lung transplantation reported by previous studies. RLS symptoms were not related to estimated tacrolimus exposure. Predictors of RLS following lung transplantation need to be further investigated to better identify and control RLS symptoms and reduce associated insomnia and disability.