Die gesundheitsbezogene Lebensqualität von Nierenlebendspendern nach erfolgter Spende

Subtitle: Health-related quality of life of kidney donors after donation

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Franke, Gabriele Helga | Rensing, Anne | Reimer, Jens | Kribben, Andreas | Pietruck, Frank | Philipp, Thomas

Affiliations: Studiengang Rehabilitationspsychologie, Hochschule Magdeburg-Stendal (FH), Standort Stendal | Klinik für Nieren- und Hochdruckkrankheiten, Zentrum für Innere Medizin, Universitätsklinikum Essen | Klinik und Poliklinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf

Note: [] Korrespondenzadresse: Prof. Dr. Gabriele Helga Franke, Rehabilitationspsychologie, Hochschule Magdeburg-Stendal, Osterburger Straße 25, 39675 Stendal. E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract: Objectives: The study was conducted to assess the health-related quality of life of kidney donors one year or longer after donation. Methods: Kidney donors were asked to answer a set of questionnaires measuring sociodemographic data as well as psychological distress (BSI), health-related quality of life (SF-36), and several questions regarding donation (modified EUROTOLD questionnaire), one year or longer after donation. Results: 47 out of 65 patients answered. All donations were successful to the day of investigation. Time between donation and participation in the survey was on average 31 months (standard deviation 14 months, range 12–72 months). 16 donors (34%) were male and 31 (66%) female. The majority was married (37, 79%), only a few widowed (2, 4%) and divorced or living separately (8, 17%). The majority donated the kidney to his/her son (15, 32%) or daughter (7, 15%), the wife (7, 15%) or husband (5, 11%), donations to sister or brother (6, 13%), parents (4, 8%), nephew, foster-daughter or stepson (each 1) were less frequent. On average, there was no measurable psychological distress in the group of 47 donors; only 6 (13%) donors demonstrated remarkable psychological distress. Health-related quality of life in terms of physical capacity and emotional role functioning was lower compared with normative data; and higher regarding general health perception, vitality, and psychological well-being (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Two or three years after successful kidney donation donors report better health-related quality of life than normative samples regarding general health perception, vitality and psychological well-being; only very few donors were markedly psychologically distressed. These results could be the effect of a specific selection before kidney donation (rejection of potentially donors suffering from severe psychological or physical illness). On the other hand, the successful donation and the positive consequences for family life (termination of dialysis etc.) could enrich one&'s life. Living kidney donation seems to restrict physical capacity and emotional role function; future studies should differentially investigate these contradictory results.

Keywords: Quality of life, Living kidney donor

Journal: Zeitschrift für Medizinische Psychologie, vol. 17, no. 1, pp. 23-26, 2008