QUALITY-OF-LIFE OF PANCREATIC TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS

OBJECTIVE To comprehensively assess and compare pancreas/kidney transplant recipients' quality of life. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS This quasi- experimental comparative study of 31 successful and 13 failed pancreas transplant recipients collected data from persons who had received pancreas and kidney transplants greater-than-or-equal-to 6 mo prior at a university tertiary care center. Physical and social function, symptoms, mental state, and sense of well-being of the recipients were assessed. RESULTS Groups did not differ significantly regarding age, gender, marital status, onset or length of diabetes, comorbidity, type of prior dialysis, current kidney function, length of time since transplant, physical activity, symptom burden, emotional state, feelings of well-being, and present quality of life and health. A significant time by group interaction occurred for quality of life (P = 0.0013) and health (P = 0.0001). The successful group indicated that both quality of life and health were significantly better than in the past, and continued improvement was expected. The unsuccessful group did not have this perception. Members of the failed group were significantly more satisfied with their social support. The unsuccessful group's major concerns related to diabetes, not immunosuppression. CONCLUSIONS Recipients of successful pancreas transplants perceived their improvement in health and quality of life to be significantly greater than the unsuccessful recipients.