Living Donor Adult Liver Transplantation: A Longitudinal Study of the Donor's Quality of Life

Abstract

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 and $25 000 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.

Assessment of living donors with respect to pre- and posttransplant psychosocial properties and posttransplant family functioning in pediatric liver transplantation

“…Donors displayed a decrease in anxious depression and increase in elevated mood scales compared to the preoperative period. However, negative psychosocial outcomes such as clinical depression and somatization have been reported after LRLT in a number of studies (13,14). In the study by Erim et al (15), 6 (14%) living donors -all female -had transient, but severe psychiatric disturbance as depressive disorders in 5 and posttraumatic stress disorder in 1.…”

Clinical Implications of Advances in the Basic Science of Liver Repair and Regeneration

“…(68). The mechanism of this can be deduced from the following observations: (1) HGF is known to bind hepatic ECM and be released in the event of matrix remodeling (69), and (2) (71) (Figure 3 (74). These findings speak to the physical requirements of the liver stroma to act a scaffold to support hepatocytes proliferation (Figure 2).…”

Adult Right-Lobe Living Liver Donors: Quality of Life, Attitudes and Predictors of Donor Outcomes

“…Unfortunately, few studies have conducted a standardized assessment of donor health-related quality of life (HRQOL) postdonation and the majority have relied on small sample sizes (9). Existing studies suggest that liver donors enjoy a similar, if not better HRQOL compared with the general population, and that the vast majority of donors would go through the process again (10)(11)(12)(13)(14). However, in order to develop effective guidelines for donor selection and enhance donor quality of care, there is a need for research that not only describes donor HRQOL postdonation, but also identifies risk factors for poor HRQOL outcomes (15).…”