Psychosocial outcome of living donors after living donor liver transplantation: a pilot study

CANLI KARACİĞER DONÖRLERİNDE YAŞAM KALİTESİNİN DEĞERLENDİRİLMESİ

Objective: In this study, it was aimed to examine the effect of transplantation on physical, mental and psychosocial health of donors by evaluating the quality of life of living liver donors after transplantation. Methods: The study was conducted with three groups at XXXX University Faculty of Medicine Organ Transplantation and Research Center. 43 living donors from 2017 and 43 living donors from 2007-2016 who underwent liver transplantation were randomly selected to participate in the study. Also 43 control subjects were selected randomly from the community. The study was conducted by a single interviewer between 01.02.2018 and 31.05.2018 by telephone or e-mail. The socio-demographic data questionnaire, Short Form-36 (SF-36) and Hospital Anxiety-Depression Scale (HADS) prepared by the researchers were applied to all participants. Results: The mean age of the participants was 38.04 ± 9.84 years, and of these participants 48.1% (n= 62) of them were female. When donors and control group were evaluated in terms of their quality of life, no significant difference was found between physical role, energy(vitality) and mental health subgroups(p> 0.05). However, donors have a better quality of life in physical functioning, emotional aspect, social functioning, pain and general health subgroups. It was detected that the quality of life was not affected by age, gender, marital status, educational status, economic status, job loss, comorbidity or disturbance by presence of operational scar. Only sexual problems and the loss of the recipient’s life were observed to have a negative impact on the quality of life. There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of anxiety and depression (p

Post-operative outcomes in anonymous living liver donors: What motivates individuals to donate to strangers

Anonymous living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) is a strategy to address the shortage of available transplantable livers; however, few studies have been conducted on this population. The objective of this study was to describe the motivations and medical, psychosocial, and financial outcomes of anonymous living liver donors. Between 2010-2019, 116 anonymous living liver donors were evaluated, 59 (51.7%) of whom proceeded to surgery. A subset of 21 anonymous donors were matched to biologically/emotionally related donors according to age, gender, race, and duration since surgery. A medical chart review and post-surgical interviews were performed to assess medical and financial outcomes. The primary motivation for donors was an unselfish desire to help others (43, 72.9%). A total of 13 (22%) anonymous donors experienced complications. Of these, 7 (11.9%) were grade I Clavien-Dindo classification, 5 (8.5%) grade II, and 1 was grade III (1.7%); and no patients had grade IV-V Clavien-Dindo complications. Increased anxiety was reported by 3 (5.1%) donors, and one donor reported clinical levels of depression (1.7%). Within the matched controls, anonymous donors were not significantly different to biologically/emotionally related donors with regard to surgical complications, psychosocial, or financial outcomes. Allowing a greater number of anonymous donors may facilitate the reduction of the waitlist for liver transplant candidates. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Liver Living Donation for Cancer Patients: Benefits, Risks, Justification

LDLT covers all standard indications for liver transplantation, and the results are similar or even better than for standard DDLT. Due to the donor shortage and long waiting time, LDLT has become a relevant option for patients with liver tumors, provided the expected five-year survival rate is comparable to that of patients receiving a DDLT. Nowadays, LDLT offers the possibility to extend the standard morphometric selection by considering the biological parameters. In the setting of LDLT, we are not only faced with surgical morbidity in the donor, but long-term non-medical problems like psychological complications and financial burden also have to be considered. On the other hand, the benefits to the donor are mainly social and psychological. In LDLT, the donor's altruism is the fundamental ethical principle and it is based on the principles of (1) beneficence (doing good), (2) non-maleficence (avoiding harm), (3) respect for autonomy, and (4) respect for justice (promoting fairness). On top of that, the concept of double equipoise of living organ donation evaluates the relationship between the recipient's need, the donor's risk, and the recipient's outcome. It considers each donor-recipient pair as a unit, analyzing whether the specific recipient's benefit justifies the specific donor's risk in particular oncologic indications. In this light, it is essential to seek adequate informed consent focused on risk, benefits and outcome benefits of both donor and recipient supported by an independent living donor advocate. Finally, the transplant team must protect donors from donation if harm does not justify the expected benefit to the recipient.

Psychosocial Assessment of Donors in Pediatric Living Donor Liver Transplantation: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Pediatric living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) is the only way to save children with end-stage liver disease. The donor for liver transplantation (LT) may have a complicated psychosocial condition.

PURPOSE

This review aims to identify the domains of the donor psychosocial questions that should be addressed and summarize the aspects and tools future psychosocial assessments should include.

METHODS

We searched the PubMed, Medline, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases for the terms pediatric, liver transplantation, donor, and psychosocial. We used the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tool to appraise reporting quality. Two researchers independently selected the papers and performed data extraction and quality appraisal.

RESULTS

The articles included in this review contain 26 quantitative studies and 2 qualitative studies. The study quality was moderate to high. Donors have ambivalence, anxiety, the need for family and social support, the need for adequate information, distress, and low self-esteem during the preoperative period. In the postoperative period they have poor psychological condition, panic disorder, conversion disorder and substance use/abuse disorder, abnormal family functioning, better psychosocial outcome, or among others. The assessment methods consisted of the questionnaire survey and semi-structured interview. Among the 28 studies, 17 different psychosocial domains were mentioned. The most frequently referred to was family and social support.

CONCLUSION

The contents of the psychosocial assessment must include anxiety or depression, family and social support, ambivalence, information, and positive psychosocial characteristics. Assessment methods should use the questionnaire survey and semi-structured interview. According to this review, future research can develop a specific psychosocial assessment tool for pediatric LT donors.

Changes in the quality of life of living liver donors: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Comprehending the physical, psychological, social benefits, and harm associated with liver donation is critical in promoting practices to maintain donors' long-term health. However, changes in quality of life among living liver donors pre- and post-donation have not been established.

OBJECTIVE

This meta-analysis of prospective longitudinal studies examined the quality of life changes among living liver donors pre- and post-donation.

METHODS

PubMed, Embase, CINHAL with full text, and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses were mainly searched for full-text articles from inception till December 2018 to identify studies assessing the quality of life of living liver donors. The methodological quality of the included studies was examined. The quality of life post-donation at five assessment points, ≤1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, and ≥ 24 months were compared with the pre-donation, respectively.

RESULTS

The search yielded 2215 records, and a total of 15 articles (13 studies) with 715 donors were included in this meta-analysis. Physical functioning scores at ≤1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, and ≥24 months post-donation were significantly lower than pre-donation [overall standardized mean difference (SMD) = -0.67, 95% CI: -0.86, -0.49; p ≤]. Significantly higher level of pain was found at 3-month post-donation (SMD, -1.05; 95% CI: -1.26, -0.85; p < 0.00001). Also, a significantly higher level of anxiety was found at 3-month post-donation (SMD, -0.29; 95%CI: -0.51, -0.07; p = 0.01), but there were no significant changes in general psychological state and depression. A significant reduction in donors' social quality of life (SMD, -2.61; 95%CI: -4.75, 0.48; p = 0.02) was found at ≤1-month post-donation, and recovery to pre-donation levels occurred at 3 months post-donation.

CONCLUSIONS

Living liver donation was associated with a decline in physical functioning, which was sustained for longer than 2 years post-donation. Impaired social and psychological quality of life affected donors for 1-3 months after their donation. The quality of life of living liver donors has become a pressing issue requiring more attention from doctors and nurses within the transplant team. However, multicenter, prospective, and longitudinal studies are needed to confirm the long-term safety of living liver donors.

Fatigue, Pain, and Other Physical Symptoms of Living Liver Donors in the Adult-to-Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation Cohort Study

Little is known about living liver donors' perceptions of their physical well-being following the procedure. We collected data on donor fatigue, pain, and other relevant physical outcomes as part of the prospective, multicenter Adult-to-Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation Cohort Study consortium. A total of 271 (91%) of 297 eligible donors were interviewed at least once before donation and 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after donation using validated measures when available. Repeated measures regression models were used to identify potential predictors of worse physical outcomes. We found that donors reported more fatigue immediately after surgery that improved by 2 years after donation, but not to predonation levels. A similar pattern was seen across a number of other physical outcomes. Abdominal or back pain and interference from their pain were rated relatively low on average at all study points. However, 21% of donors did report clinically significant pain at some point during postdonation study follow-up. Across multiple outcomes, female donors, donors whose recipients died, donors with longer hospital stays after surgery, and those whose families discouraged donation were at risk for worse physical well-being outcomes. In conclusion, although not readily modifiable, we have identified risk factors that may help identify donors at risk for worse physical outcomes for targeted intervention. Liver Transplantation 00 000-000 2018 AASLD.

Assessment of relevant factors with respect to psychosocial properties in potential living donor candidates before liver transplantation

BACKGROUND

Living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) has been developed as one of gold standard treatments for end-stage liver disease. Mental health is a required selection criterion for adult living liver donors and may influence the quality of life after operation.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 1,210 potential living donor candidates for liver transplantation (LT) underwent psychosocial evaluation that included a semi-structured interview, multi-choice self-reported inventory (Beck Depression Inventory-2nd edition [BDI-II], Beck Anxiety Inventory [BAI]), and the family APGAR (Adaptability, Partnership, Growth, Affection, Resolve) index. The test results were compared by family relationships, and subgroups were classified based on the donation type: 1) parents to children, 2) grown children to parents, 3) siblings to siblings, 4) spouses to spouses, and 5) other relatives to other relatives.

RESULTS

The BDI-II (P < 0.001) and BAI differed considerably according to the donation type in potential donor candidates. Compared with other subgroups, parents donating to their children suffered the most severe psychological stress before LDLT and exhibited more depressive (P < 0.001) and anxiety symptoms. However, the stress associated with grown children donating to their parents, siblings, and spouses was not significantly higher than it was for other relatives. Furthermore, a significant negative correlation existed between family APGAR scores and the severity of depression and anxiety (P < 0.001) among potential donor candidates.

CONCLUSION

These results indicate the importance of understanding potential donor candidates' psychological characteristics before LT. Greater anxiety and depression may be exhibited by parent donors due to the distress from fears of death or illness of the recipients, or their guilty feeling for their child. Additionally, family dysfunction also revealed more depression and anxiety. Such donor candidates should be given more extensive pre-donation counseling for minimizing pre-LDLT psychological stress.

Psychosocial Outcomes 3 to 10 Years After Donation in the Adult to Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Studies of liver donors' psychosocial outcomes focus on the short term and rely largely on quality-of-life measures not specific to donation. We sought to examine long-term donation effects on 3 psychosocial domains: perceived physical, emotional, and socioeconomic outcomes.

METHODS

Individuals donating 3 to 10 years previously at 9 centers were eligible for telephone surveys. Survey responses were examined descriptively. Cluster analysis was used to identify distinct donor groups based on response profiles across psychosocial domains. Potential predictors of response profiles were evaluated with regression analysis.

RESULTS

Five hundred seventeen donors (66%) participated (M = 5.8 years postdonation, SD = 1.9). Fifteen percent to 48% of donors endorsed current donation-related physical health problems and concerns, and 7%-60% reported socioeconomic concerns (eg, insurance difficulties, financial expenditures). However, on average, donors experienced high psychological growth, and 90% felt positively about donation. Cluster analysis revealed 5 donor groups. One group showed high psychological benefit, with little endorsement of physical or socioeconomic concerns (15% of donors). Four groups showed less favorable profiles, with varying combinations of difficulties. The largest such group showed high endorsement of physical concerns and financial expenditures, and only modest psychological benefit (31% of donors). Men and nonHispanic whites were most likely to have unfavorable response profiles (Ps < 0.01). Compared with donors aged 19 to 30 years, older donors were less likely to have unfavorable profiles; these differences were significant for donors in the >40 to 50 year age group (Ps < 0.008).

CONCLUSIONS

Even many years postdonation, donors report adverse physical and socioeconomic effects, but positive emotional effects as well. Identification of response profiles and predictors may improve targeting of postdonation surveillance and care.

The impact of osteoporosis on health-related quality of life in patients after liver transplantation - a pilot study

Introduction

Liver transplantation (LT) is now a well-established procedure with 5-year survival rates over 70%, and one of its ultimate goals is the improvement of patient health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Osteoporosis remains a serious potential complication of LT, leading to fragility fractures, pain, and functional impairment.

Aim

To assess the degree of osteoporosis and the impact of fragility fractures on HRQOL in patients with chronic liver diseases treated with LT.

Material and methods

Twenty-seven patients (14 female, 13 male) at a median period of 3.5 years post LT participated in the study. HRQOL was assessed by Short Form-36 and PBC-40 instruments. Bone mineral density (BMD) in the lumbar spine and hip neck were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Physical activity was assessed by questionnaire. Data on the duration of the liver disease, time from LT, and fragility fractures were also collected.

Results

As many as 74.1% of the patients had reduced BMD (t-score < -1.0 SD) in the hip. Mean values of the spine and hip BMD z-scores were -1.1 and -0.9 SD, respectively. Time after LT, percentage of lean tissue, and physical activity were positively associated with BMD. The prevalence of fractures was 48%. We did not find significant differences in age, gender, body composition parameters, physical activity, BMD, and HRQOL scores between the subjects with and without fractures.

Conclusions

We found a high prevalence of fragility fractures and a decreased BMD in LT recipients. Patients with a history of fractures had similar HRQOL scores to those without fractures.

Patterns and predictors of sexual function after liver donation: The Adult-to-Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation Cohort study

Although sexual functioning is an important facet of a living donor's quality of life, it has not received an extensive evaluation in this population. Using data from the Adult-to-Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation Cohort Study, we examined donor sexual functioning across the donation process from the predonation evaluation to 3 months and 1 year after donation. Donors (n = 208) and a comparison group of nondonors (n = 155) completed self-reported surveys with specific questions on sexual desire, satisfaction, orgasm, and (for men) erectile function. Across the 3 time points, donor sexual functioning was lower at the evaluation phase and 3 months after donation versus 1 year after donation. In the early recovery period, abdominal pain was associated with difficulty reaching orgasm [odds ratio (OR), 3.98; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.30-12.16], concerns over appearance were associated with lower sexual desire (OR, 4.14; 95% CI, 1.02-16.79), and not feeling back to normal was associated with dissatisfaction with sexual life (OR, 3.58; 95% CI, 1.43-8.99). Efforts to educate donors before the surgery and prepare them for the early recovery phase may improve recovery and reduce distress regarding sexual functioning.

Long-term quality of life after liver donation in the adult to adult living donor liver transplantation cohort study (A2ALL)

BACKGROUND & AIMS

There are few long-term studies of the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in living liver donors. This study aimed to characterize donor HRQOL in the Adult to Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation Study (A2ALL) up to 11 years post-donation.

METHODS

Between 2004 and 2013, HRQOL was assessed at evaluation, at 3 months, and yearly post-donation in prevalent liver donors using the short-form survey (SF-36), which provides a physical (PCS) and a mental component summary (MCS).

RESULTS

Of the 458 donors enrolled in A2ALL, 374 (82%) had SF-36 data. Mean age at evaluation was 38 (range 18-63), 47% were male, 93% white, and 43% had a bachelor's degree or higher. MCS and PCS means were above the US population at all time points. However, at every time point there were some donors who reported poor scores (>1/2 standard deviation below the age and sex adjusted mean) (PCS: 5.3-26.8%,

MCS

10.0-25.0%). Predictors of poor PCS and MCS scores included recipient's death within the two years prior to the survey and education less than a bachelor's degree; poor PCS scores were also predicted by time since donation, Hispanic ethnicity, and at the 3-month post-donation time point.

CONCLUSIONS

In summary, most living donors maintain above average HRQOL up to 11 years prospectively, supporting the notion that living donation does not negatively affect HRQOL. However, targeted support for donors at risk for poor HRQOL may improve overall HRQOL outcomes for living liver donors.

Applicability and Validity of the Amnestic Comparative Self-Assessment in Adolescents

The Amnestic Comparative Self-Assessment (ACSA) is a sensitive, efficient, and economic instrument to assess overall quality of life in adult populations. The present study investigates the applicability of the ACSA in an adolescent sample and compares it to a measure of health-related quality of life, the Kiddo-Kindl. The sample comprised 92 adolescents (50 girls, 42 boys) aged 11-17 years (mean age: 13.67, standard deviation: 1.34). Of the investigated sample, n=69 (75%) completed the ACSA. No significant demographic differences were found between ACSA-respondents and non-respondents. The correlation of the Kiddo-Kindl and the ACSA was moderate (r=0.50). The Kiddo-Kindl subscales and the ACSA correlated between r=0.07 and 0.41. The majority of adolescents are able to complete the ASCA, and its acceptance and validity are independent of age. Thus, future investigations could adopt the ACSA in adolescents to assess overall quality of life.

Prevention of poor psychosocial outcomes in living organ donors: from description to theory-driven intervention development and initial feasibility testing

CONTEXT

Although some living donors experience psychological, somatic, and interpersonal difficulties after donation, interventions to prevent such outcomes have not been developed or evaluated.

OBJECTIVE

To (1) summarize empirical evidence on psychosocial outcomes after donation, (2) describe a theoretical framework to guide development of an intervention to prevent poor outcomes, and (3) describe development and initial evaluation of feasibility and acceptability of the intervention.

METHODS

Based on a narrative literature review suggesting that individuals ambivalent about donation are at risk for poor psychosocial outcomes after donation, the intervention targeted this risk factor. Intervention structure and content drew on motivational interviewing principles in order to assist prospective donors to resolve ambivalence. Data were collected on donors' characteristics at our institution to determine whether they constituted a representative population in which to evaluate the intervention. Study participants were then recruited to assess the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention. They were required to have scores greater than 0 on the Simmons Ambivalence Scale (indicating at least some ambivalence about donation).

RESULTS

Our population was similar to the national living donor population on most demographic and donation-related characteristics. Eight individuals who had been approved to donate either a kidney or liver segment were enrolled for pilot testing of the intervention. All successfully completed the 2-session telephone-based intervention before scheduled donation surgery. Participants' ratings of acceptability and satisfaction were high. Open-ended comments indicated that the intervention addressed participants' thoughts and concerns about the decision to donate.

CONCLUSIONS

The intervention is feasible, acceptable, and appears relevant to donor concerns. A clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy of the intervention is warranted.

Influence of kinship on donors' mental burden in living donor liver transplantation

In the context of living donor liver transplantation (LDLT), German transplantation law stipulates that donor candidates should primarily be relatives of the recipients or persons with distinct and close relationships. In this study, we investigated the influence of the relationship between the donor and the recipient on the donor's emotional strain before transplantation. Donors were categorized according to the following subgroups: (1) parents donating for their children, (2) children donating for their parents, (3) siblings, (4) spouses, (5) other relatives, and (6) nonrelatives. The sample consisted of 168 donor candidates. Anxiety (F = 2.8, P = 0.02), depression (F = 2.6, P = 0.03), and emotional quality of life (F = 3.1, P = 0.01) differed significantly according to the relationship between the donor and the recipient. In comparison with healthy controls, parents donating for their children were significantly less stressed before LDLT and demonstrated fewer anxiety (P < 0.01) and depression symptoms (P < 0.05). Adult children donating for their parents demonstrated the highest mental burden and the lowest emotional quality of life. However, this was not due to the responsibility of these children for their own families because differences between donors with children and donors without children could not be ascertained. This group should be given special attention before LDLT and during follow-up visits, and psychological help should be provided when it is necessary.

Health-related quality of life in living liver donors after transplantation

BACKGROUND

Living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) has recently emerged as an effective therapeutic alternative for patients with end-stage liver disease. In the meantime, the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of the donors is becoming better appreciated. Here we aimed to review the current literature and summarize the effects of liver donation on the long-term HRQoL of living donors.

DATA SOURCES

A literature search of PubMed using "donors", "living donor liver transplantation", "health-related quality of life", and "donation" was performed, and all the information was collected.

RESULTS

The varied postoperative outcomes of liver donors are attributive to the different evaluation instruments used. On the whole, donors experienced good long-term physical and mental well-being with a few complaining of compromised quality of life due to mild symptoms or psychiatric problems. The psychosocial dimension has received increasing attention with the vocational, interpersonal and financial impact of liver donation on donors mostly studied.

CONCLUSIONS

Generally, donors have a good HRQoL after LDLT. Nevertheless, to achieve an ideal donor outcome, further work is necessary to minimize the negative effects as well as to incorporate recent progress in regenerative medicine.

Functional abdominal complaints occurred frequently in living liver donors after donation

BACKGROUND

Donor outcome after living donor liver transplantation has not been examined extensively with regard to postoperative abdominal complaints. We wanted to examine the extent and type of abdominal complaints after removal of a part of the liver and gallbladder in living donors as well as potential similarities with known disorders.

METHODS

Twelve patients of mixed ethnicity, nine men, aged 18-45 years, and three women, aged 32-46 years, were enrolled in the study during a 3-year period and followed up at 6 and 12 months. Patients filled out questionnaires pertaining to functional abdominal complaints (FAC) using a recognized questionnaire, Rome II, as well as specific abdominal pain symptoms known from gallstone disease.

RESULTS

FAC occurred in 11 patients at 6 months and nine patients at 12 months while abdominal pain occurred in seven and six patients, respectively. Three patients had FAC but no abdominal pain while two patients had no complaints at 12 months. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) was found in the majority of patients.

CONCLUSIONS

FAC and pain seemed to indicate a general postoperative disorder, of a psychosomatic character, and not connected with removal of part of the liver and gallbladder in particular. However, the occurrence of IBS and FD should merit attention, as they are known to impair quality of life.

Quality of life for donors after living donor liver transplantation: a review of the literature

Living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) decreases the shortage of liver grafts for patients in need of a liver transplant, but it involves 2 patients: a recipient and a living donor. Despite the magnitude of the procedure for LDLT donors, only a few studies have investigated the effect of LDLT on the quality of life (QOL) of donors. We performed a systematic search of the MEDLINE database to identify peer-reviewed articles assessing QOL in adults after LDLT donation. Nineteen studies describing 768 unique donors met our inclusion criteria for this review. The median number of donors enrolled in each study was 30 (range = 10-143), and the median follow-up period was 10.4 months (range = 3-51.3 months). Before donation, donor QOL was significantly better than that in control adult populations across all measured QOL domains. Within the first 3 months after donation, the physical domains of QOL were significantly worse than the predonation levels, but they returned to baseline levels within 6 months for the majority of patients (80%-93%). Mental domains of QOL remained unchanged throughout the donation process. Common donor concerns after LDLT included bloating, loss of muscle tone, poor body image, and fatigue. In conclusion, according to our review of the existing literature, most LDLT donors return to their baseline QOL within 6 months. However, there is a lack of long-term data on donor QOL after LDLT, and few standardized assessments include measures of common patient concerns. Additional studies are necessary to develop a comprehensive risk profile for LDLT that includes a rigorous assessment of donor QOL.

Comparison between psychosocial long-term outcomes of recipients and donors after adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation

The purpose of this study was to examine psychosocial states of recipients and donors several years after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) and to find out the pre-transplant predictors of desirable post-transplant psychosocial states. The recipients and donors of adult-to-adult LDLT at Kyoto University Hospital, Japan, from November 2001 through July 2003 were interviewed and examined by means of questionnaires about anxiety, depression, and quality of life (QOL), and the participants were evaluated by the same test batteries sent by mail three to five yr after LDLT. Twenty-seven pairs of recipients and donors, 13 recipients, and three donors participated in this study. The recipients and the donors had a decline in social QOL. The main predictor of psychosocial states of the recipients was the length of wait for LDLT, and the predictors of the donors were family or support system availability and recipients' depressive states at LDLT. The donors who were spouses of the recipients had better QOL than other donors. It might be better to perform LDLT as soon as possible once LDLT has been judged to be necessary, and the relative who is on close terms with the recipient should be selected as donor.

Mental and physical quality of life in actual living liver donors versus potential living liver donors: a prospective, controlled, multicenter study

In a quasi-experimental design, we investigated the quality of life (QOL) in actual liver donors (n = 43) and potential liver donors (n = 33) before and 3 months after liver transplantation. This is the first study in this field combining a prospective design with an adequate control group. Potential donors served as a control group because they also had a relative in need of a liver transplant and were as emotionally involved with the recipient as actual donors, but they were not subjected to the donor operation. Groups did not differ in age, gender, marital status, donor-recipient relationship, urgency of transplantation, or recipient group (adult versus child). Actual donors showed decreased physical QOL, whereas potential donors were not affected. However, for both groups, a decrease in anxiety was found. Furthermore, actual donors showed a better mental QOL postoperatively than potential donors. The recipients of these 2 groups did not differ with respect to postoperative complications. Furthermore, the groups did not report a different caregiver burden, but actual donors showed higher self-esteem. Because of the surgery, the worsening of physical symptoms in actual donors was expected. It is remarkable, however, that although actual donors still showed a limited physical QOL 3 months after the operation, in both groups, a similar reduction in anxiety could be observed, and actual donors even demonstrated a better mental QOL postoperatively than potential donors. The latter might be due to a psychological benefit that actual donors derived from the fact that they were able to help the recipients.

Current trends in live liver donation

The introduction of living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) has been one of the most remarkable steps in the field of liver transplantation (LT), able to significantly expand the scarce donor pool in countries in which the growing demands of organs are not met by the shortage of available cadaveric grafts. Although the benefits of this procedure are enormous, the physical and psychological sacrifice of the donors is immense, and the expectations for a good outcome for themselves, as well as for the recipients, are high. We report a current overview of the latest trends in live liver donation in its different aspects (i.e. donor's selection, evaluation, operation, morbidity, mortality, ethics and psychology). This review is based on our center's personal experience with almost 200 LDLTs and a detailed analysis of the international literature of the last 7 years about this topic. Knowing in detail how to approach to the different aspects of living liver donation may be helpful in further improve donor's safety and even recipient's outcome.

Humour therapy in patients with late-life depression or Alzheimer's disease: a pilot study

BACKGROUND

Of the disabling disorders of the elderly, depression is the most common affective disorder and Alzheimer's disease (AD) the most common neurodegenerative disorder. Pharmacological treatment strategies for these disorders are often accompanied with severe side effects. Therefore non-pharmacological treatment strategies are of great importance. The aim of the present study was to investigate the impact of humour therapy on quality of life in patients with depression or AD.

METHODS

Twenty patients with late-life depression and 20 patients with AD were evaluated. Ten patients in each group underwent a humour therapy group (HT) once in two weeks for 60 min in addition to standard pharmacotherapy, which was given as usual to the other group as standard therapy (ST). All patients completed a psychometric test battery at admission and before discharge from the clinic.

RESULTS

The quality of life scores improved both in HT and ST groups for depressive patients but not for patients with AD irrespective of the therapy group. Depressive patients receiving HT showed the highest quality of life after treatment. In addition, patients with depression in both therapy groups showed improvements in mood, depression score, and instrumental activities of daily living.

CONCLUSIONS

Although there was no significant effect of humour therapy comparing with standard therapy on quality of life, these findings suggest that humour therapy can provide an additional therapeutic tool. Further studies with higher frequently humour groups are required in order to investigate the impact of humour therapy in gerontopsychiatric treatment.

Psychosocial aspects of pediatric living donor liver transplantation

While the medical aspects of living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) have been investigated to a comparatively large degree, only in recent years have psychosocial aspects like donors' quality of life and attitude towards living donation been dealt with. In the course of a retrospective study, we examined 36 pediatric living liver donors at an average of 4.5 +/- 2.8 years postoperatively. The donation's impact on the family was considered "very high," "high," or "average" by 48% of the donors. The physical impact of the donation was regarded as being higher than the emotional impact. Subjective full recovery was achieved at an average of 4.5 months postoperatively. All patients stated that they would donate again. Donors' quality of life, as assessed with the 36-Item Short-Form Quality of Life Questionnaire (SF-36), was significantly higher than the German normative sample. Anxiety and depression, assessed with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-German version, were significantly lower compared to healthy controls. However, 14 patients (39%) described persistent, mostly physical, symptoms more than 1 yr postoperatively. In conclusion, the study's findings may enable clinicians to achieve a better understanding of living donors' situations, both pre- and postoperatively, and may help to assess the psychosocial risk of LDLT. Knowledge of possible ongoing problems may facilitate intervention at an early stage and should be included among the information given to potential living liver donors. Prospective studies using more specific instruments with an emphasis on the long-term psychosocial outcome of LDLT are needed for future research.

Impact of Liver Donation on Quality of Life and Physical and Psychological Distress

Our objectives were to assess the characteristics of donors for living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT) and to examine the impact of donation on LDLT donor quality of life (QOL) regarding physical and psychological distress.

METHODS

Data were collected from a mailed survey or an interview using a cross-sectional prospective study design. We used the abbreviated version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF), Physical Symptom Disturbance Scale, and Psychological Distress Scale. LDLT donors were recruited from a teaching hospital located in a metropolitan area of northern Taiwan.

RESULTS

The 35 LDLT donors have a mean age 34.0 +/- 8.6 years and were recruited at a median of 25.9 months after donation (range, 0.6-92 months). The average scores in the four domains of the WHOQOL-BREF scale ranged from 13.5 to 14.9. LDLT Donors reported higher QOL scores in social and environment domains but lower scores in physical and psychological domains than healthy adults. Numbers of physical symptoms experienced by each donor ranged from one (n = 4) to 27 (n = 2). Feeling throbbing, itching or numbness around the wound was the most common physical symptom disturbance reported by donors (n = 26, 74%). Approximately 40% of the donors reported having one to three metrics of psychological distresses. "Easily feel distress and angry" was the most common psychological distress reported by 57% (n = 20) of donors.

CONCLUSIONS

This study indicated that liver donation had a mild negative impact on donors physical and psychological facets of QOL. These results may assist professionals to provide appropriate clinical management.

Impaired psychosocial outcome of donors after living donor liver transplantation: a qualitative case study

Adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) of the right hepatic lobe has been developing into an established therapy for treating pre-terminal liver diseases. There is little experience available on the psychosocial outcome of living donors. The aim of this first qualitative case study was to investigate the patterns for impaired psychosocial outcome in donors after LDLT. Donor hepatectomies were performed in 30 donors at the Charité Berlin. Six months after surgery, the six of the 30 donors with negative moods and physical complaints in psychometric monitoring were examined. The post-operative interviews were transcribed and analysed using current qualitative research methods. These six donors (20%) reported various unspecific complaints and psychological conflicts. Sadness was expressed about organ rejection and death of the recipient. Anxieties about the recipient and their own health were verbalized. Disappointment and anger refer to the experience that they were not as fully appreciated by the medical system and their social environment as expected. The negative emotions of donors with impaired psychosocial outcome could be related to a decrease in self-esteem in the post-operative course. Adequate medical and psychological treatment opportunities for these donors should be provided.

[Living donor liver transplantation from the perspective of the donor: results of a psychosomatic investigation]

OBJECTIVES

Living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) has been gaining importance in the treatment of endstage liver disease in adults. Thus far, only few empirical studies have been published on the psychosocial situation of donors who are faced with the risk of medical complications after resection of the right hepatic lobe. The aims were to describe the clinical problems before and after transplantation and to contribute to the discussion of ethical issues based on empirical findings.

METHODS

In the present overview, the pre-/post-transplant and follow-up periods are characterized from a psychosocial point of view using actual psychosocial and medical findings in living donors of the right hepatic lobe.

RESULTS

Before LDLT, 11 % of potential donors were not recommended for the transplantation due to marked ambivalence about the operation. After donation 26 % of donors showed high values for anxious depression and physical complaints despite low rates of surgical complications.

CONCLUSIONS

For clinical psychosomatic evaluations of potential donors it is important to provide donors an opportunity to report any misgivings and anxieties as openly as possible. The psychosocial impairment and physical complaints of some donors after transplantation are yet not clearly understood. More psychosocial studies in this field will be necessary to investigate ethical questions and to develop criteria for an evidence-based medical care of living donors.

"Hepar divisum"--as a rare donor complication after intraoperative mortality of the recipient of an intended living donor liver transplantation

In this study, we present our experience with 4 healthy donors having the rare condition of "hepar divisum" after the intraoperative death of the recipient of an intended right adult living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). The study included 4 donors and 4 intended right LDLT recipients affected by neuroendocrine tumor (n = 2), hepatocellular carcinoma (n = 1), and cryptogenic cirrhosis (n = 1). All 4 recipients died intraoperatively. At the time of recipient death, the dissection of the donor liver parenchyma was complete, the vessels intact, and the hepatic duct(s) already divided. In each case, reconstruction of the donor biliary tract was performed: hepaticojejunostomy (HJ) in 2 cases, each with 3 ducts, and duct-to-duct anastomosis in 2. Of the donors receiving the HJ, 1 had a cut surface bile leak and the other experienced an anastomotic leak, treated by percutaneous drainage and reoperation, respectively. The latter patient experienced recurrent HJ stenosis at 44 months and 50 months after the operation and was treated by percutaneous balloon dilatation. One duct-to-duct reconstruction was complicated by early stenosis (postoperative day 6) and treated with endoscopic stenting. In conclusion, in the case of intraoperative death of the recipient of an intended LDLT, when the parenchyma and the hepatic duct of the donor have already been divided, the options are completion of the donor hepatectomy or the status of "fegatum divisum" with reconstruction of biliary tract. The high incidence of biliary complication, however, is of concern. When more than 1 hepatic duct is present, the donor hepatectomy should be completed and the graft reallocated according to the policy of the transplant institution.

Liver transplantation in children: part 1--peri-operative issues

This two-part review provides a comprehensive summary of clinical and research literature on paediatric liver transplantation. Part 1 outlines the peri-operative issues of liver transplantation, covers a brief history, discusses the indications and methods of transplantation and outlines the physical complications which can occur either as a result of the surgery or the subsequent immunosuppressive therapy required to maintain graft integrity. Post-liver transplantation care may require prolonged admission in hospital due to the complications that can occur during surgery and as a result of immunosuppression. This can have a further impact on the emotional status of the child and family. Health care professionals in all settings require greater knowledge about paediatric liver transplantation, its associated complications and long-term health implications.

Living donor adult liver transplantation: a longitudinal study of the donor's quality of life

We report the results of a prospective, longitudinal quality of life survey on our adult right lobe (RL) liver donors. A total of 47 donors were enrolled; a standard SF-36 form and 43 questions developed by our team were completed before donation, at 1 week, and 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after donation. There were no donor deaths. Twenty-nine complications occurred in 16 patients. Major complication rate was 12.8%. Employment status and personal finances were identified as major stressors. All donors who wished to return to work did so by 1 year (mean 3.4 months). Individuals reported between 0 dollars and 25,000 dollars in losses (wages, travel, lodging, etc.). Relationships with recipients and other family members were not altered significantly. Anticipated pain (predonation) was greater than actual pain reported. Donors indicated satisfaction with the donation process regardless of recipient outcome. Physical complaints were significant at 1 week and 1 month, but returned to baseline. Donor mental health remained stable. In conclusion, RL donors found the experience to be a positive one throughout the first postdonation year. The study identified areas (finances, employment and expected recipient outcomes) to be stressed as future donors are evaluated.

Surgical advances in liver and bowel transplantation

Liver and intestinal transplantation are currently the treatments of choice for life-threatening hepatic and gastrointestinal failure. These technologies have evolved through contributions from the fields of immunology, anatomy, physiology, surgery, anesthesiology, critical care, ethics, epidemiology, and public health. Transplantation now accounts for the treatment of over 5,000 recipients per year who are in a state of organ failure. The available donor population, however, is not increasing to meet the demands of the faster growing recipient population. This discrepancy has led to the rapid development of novel strategies that require critical evaluation to build on the success rates in recent years. This article presents the most salient advances in liver and intestinal transplantation in the last 15 years.

A critical review of the health-related quality of life of children and adolescents after liver transplantation

We critically examined research on health-related quality of life (HRQL) in children and adolescents after liver transplantation. The specific aims were to identify research studies on HRQL after liver transplantation, to critique the methodological quality of the studies, to estimate overall HRQL after transplant, and to make recommendations for future research. Databases searched included Medline, Cumulative Index to Nursing and the Allied Health Literature, PsycINFO, EMBASE, Allied and Complementary Medicine, Institute for Scientific Information Web of Science, and Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts. Searches also were made on related Web sites and proceedings of transplantation and associated conferences. Eligible studies involved children between birth and 18 years of age who received isolated orthotopic, auxiliary, or living related liver transplantation. HRQL was assessed through 2 or more of the domains of physical health, psychological functioning, social functioning, family functioning, or general well-being. Eligible studies were abstracted, assessed for methodological quality, and synthesized using the sign test to provide an indication of the effect of liver transplantation on each HRQL domain. The synthesis of findings suggested an improvement in HRQL in comparison with pretransplant status; there was a trend toward a worse HRQL in comparison with the healthy population and better than those with other chronic illnesses. In conclusion, liver transplantation in childhood has a negative impact on some aspects of HRQL. However, this finding is tentative because of the small number of studies and variable study quality found.

Quality of life of living donors before and after living donor liver transplantation

Living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) is becoming an established method for treatment of terminal liver disease in adults. After resection of the right hepatic lobe, postoperative complications can arise in healthy donors, and even individual cases of death have been recorded. There remains, however, little research on the psychosocial aspects in living donors before and after LDLT. Using the WHOQOL questionnaire, this prospective study investigates the quality of life (QoL) in a sample of 28 living donors, including the relationship between postoperative complications and QoL before and 6 months after donation. Before LDLT, the donor QoL is high, above that of the general healthy population. After LDLT, a significant reduction in the QoL appears in the areas of "physical health" and "living conditions." Nevertheless, the QoL remains above the level of the general population. Only two donors showed general QoL values below those of the general population. The postoperative complications had no significant influence on the QoL after transplantation. The high QoL of donors following LDLT indicates a positive psychosocial outcome for the majority of donors, irrespective of donation-related complications. Additional psychosocial studies will be necessary to disclose predictors for an unfavorable psychosocial outcome following LDLT.

The essence of living parental liver donation--donors' lived experiences of donation to their children

The use of living parental liver donors will continue and probably increase because of lack of cadaveric livers for paediatric transplantation and the excellent graft survival of parental livers. Therefore, it is important for the health care professionals involved in living parental liver donation to understand the experience of being a liver donor. The aim of this study was to investigate the expressed deeper feelings of parents who donated a part of their liver to their own child. The study took the form of in-depth interviews with 11 donors. All donors were biological parents of the recipient, nine fathers and two mothers. The interpretive phenomenology method was used, and interpretive analysis was carried out in three interrelated processes in line with Benner. Data collection was guided by the researcher's preliminary understanding of the donor experience from being involved in the surgery and care of the donors as well as the paediatric recipients. However, the research question was approached from the perspective of holistic care for the donor. In this study, the essence of living parental liver donation was found to be the struggle for holistic confirmation. There were three categories leading to this central theme; the total lack of choice, facing the fear of death and the transition from health to illness. There was total agreement among the respondents that there is no choice when it comes to the question of donation. The findings in this study stress the importance of organizing the parental liver donation programme with as much focus on the donor as on the child. Based on the results of this study, several clinical implications are suggested for the formation of guidelines for living parental liver donation.

Liver transplantation

Over the last 20 years dramatic improvements in liver transplantation have given children and adults a greater than 80% chance of long-term survival. The year 2002 marked a dramatic change in the system for allocating livers from a model based both on medical criteria (Child-Turcotte-Pugh) and waiting time to a system based solely on medical urgency model of end-stage liver disease (MELD). Further attempts to increase organ availability were seen in the continued increase in living donor transplants. Attention was directed both at recipient outcome and on morbidity and safety for the donor. Despite continued advances in the technical outcomes of liver transplantation, recurrent viral disease and malignancy remain major challenges.