The Quality of Life for Living Donors after Kidney Transplantation

Myoung Hee Kim; Oh Jung Kwon; Chong Myung Kang

doi:10.4285/jkstn.2012.26.1.15

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Kim, Kwon, and Kang: The Quality of Life for Living Donors after Kidney Transplantation

Original Article

The Journal of the Korean Society for Transplantation

The Journal of the Korean Society for Transplantation 2012; 26(1): 15-22.

Published online: 31 March 2012

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4285/jkstn.2012.26.1.15

The Quality of Life for Living Donors after Kidney Transplantation

Myoung Hee Kim, R.N.¹, Oh Jung Kwon, M.D.², Chong Myung Kang, M.D.³

¹Transplant Center, Hanyang University Hospital, Hanyang University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

²Department of Surgery, Hanyang University Hospital, Hanyang University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

³Department of Internal Medicine, Hanyang University Hospital, Hanyang University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Corresponding author (ojkwon@hanyang.ac.kr)

Received 14 October 2011 Accepted 13 February 2012

Abstract

Background

The impact on quality of life (QOL) and safety has increasingly been an important consideration for living donors after kidney transplantation. The purposes of this study were to evaluate the QOL of living kidney donors and to indentify factors for impediment of their QOL.

Methods

The subjects of this study were 69 living kidney donors with whom transplantations were performed in our center from 1990 to 2010. The data was collected from May to July 2010 using donor characteristics and SF-36.

Results

The donors were predominantly female (60.9%) and the average age was 45.4±12.0 years. The total numbers of donors, categorized by their relationship to the recipients, included 20 siblings (29.0%), 17 parents (24.6%) and 13 spouses (18.8%). The measured characteristics as related to donation included the full return to normal pre-donation activities (72.5%), no visit to a hospital or pharmacy after donation (69.6%) and donation decision as propria persona (97.1%). Most donors were satisfied with their donation (92.8%) and had no regrets for making the donation (87.0%). The average score for QOL of all subjects was 71.89. The overall QOL of living kidney donors revealed lower scores (48.56±5.45) as compared to average scores (50) of the healthy population in the USA. In particular, the scores for PCS (52.87) on the SF-36 were higher than the scores for MCS (44.25).

Conclusions

Most living kidney donors were satisfied with their donation and showed good physical recoveries despite a lower QOL. Consequently, carefully pre-transplantation psychological assessment and programs are necessary to support donors. Systematic and continuous management after transplantation, as well as preoperatively appropriate information and counsel, is needed for kidney donors.

Keywords: QOL, Kidney transplantation, Living donor

Figures and Tables

Table 1

General characteristics of donor (n=69)

Table 2

Donation characteristics of donor (n=69)

Table 3

The quality of life of living kidney donors (n=69)

Table 4

Difference of QOL according to general characteristics of donor (n=69)

Abbrebiations: QOL, quality of life; M, mean; PF, physical function; RP, role limitation-physical; BP, body pain; GH, general health; VT, vitality; SF, social function; RE, role limitation-emotion; MH, mental health.

^*P<.05; ^**P<.01.

Table 5

Difference of QOL according to donation characteristics of donor (n=69)

^*P<.05, ^**P<.01, ^***P<.001.

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