Physical and psychological attributes of fatigue in female heart transplant recipients

Abstract

Background:The attributes of fatigue after orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) are poorly understood. We conducted this study to assess the prevalence, severity and correlates of fatigue among female OHT survivors. Methods:Fifty women (age 54.7 Ϯ 13.0 years) from a single heart transplant center, who underwent OHT 5.1 Ϯ 4.4 (mean Ϯ SD) years earlier, completed a battery of questionnaires including the Profile of Mood States-fatigue sub-scale to assess levels of fatigue, the Beck Depression Inventory to measure depression, and the Short Form-36 to measure functional status and mental health. Demographic and clinical data were obtained from self-reports and medical chart reviews. Results:Women reported mean scores of 15.7 Ϯ 6.8 (range 3 to 27), 13.

Patterns and Predictors of Quality of Life at 5 to 10 Years After Heart Transplantation

“…One notable study described moderately high levels of fatigue in women at Ͼ1 year after heart transplantation. 44 In the same study, fatigue was further found to be correlated with older age and depression. 44 Given the complex nature of fatigue, assessment needs to include consideration of both physiological and psychological components with subsequent targeted recommendations for therapy.…”

Report of the Psychosocial Outcomes Workgroup of the Nursing and Social Sciences Council of the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation: Present Status of Research on Psychosocial Outcomes in Cardiothoracic Transplantation: Review and Recommendations for the Field

“…18 -21 They frequently describe new physical symptoms that cause distress post-transplant, arising primarily as immunosuppressant side effects (e.g., altered body appearance). 16,19,22,23 Heart transplant (HTx) recipients' physical functioning remains high for up to 9 years post-transplant 12,24 -26 Limited data through the early years after lung transplant (LTx) suggest similarly maintained benefits, whereas heart-lung transplant (HLTx) recipients show renewed impairments over time. 15,27,28 Key predictors/correlates of poorer physical functional outcomes post-transplant are displayed in Table 1 outcomes ( Table 2).…”

A cross-sectional study of fatigue and sleep quality before and after kidney transplantation

“…While fatigue severity and sleep disturbances have been studied extensively in other patient populations, their assessment in KTx patients has not kept pace (11–15). Further evaluation of these clinical issues in KTx patients is important because they have the potential to compromise otherwise favorable QOL outcomes achieved by transplantation.…”