Clinical and Molecular Hepatology (대한간학회지)

The Korean Association for the Study of the Liver (대한간학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Fatigue and weakness hinder patient social reintegration after liver transplantation

  • Kang, So Hyun (Department of Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital) ;
  • Choi, YoungRok (Department of Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital) ;
  • Han, Ho-Seong (Department of Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital) ;
  • Yoon, Yoo-Seok (Department of Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital) ;
  • Cho, Jai Young (Department of Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital) ;
  • Kim, Sungho (Department of Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital) ;
  • Kim, Kil Hwan (Department of Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital) ;
  • Hyun, In Gun (Department of Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital) ;
  • Shehta, Ahmed (Gastrointestinal Surgery Center, Department of Surgery, Mansoura University College of Medicine)
  • Received : 2018.03.27
  • Accepted : 2018.06.29
  • Published : 2018.12.25
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

Background/Aims: With improvements in the survival of liver transplantation (LT) recipients, the focus is shifting to patient quality of life (QOL), and employment is an important factor in aiding the social reintegration of LT patients. This study aims to evaluate the current employment status of liver graft recipients and various factors that may hinder reemployment. Methods: Fifty patients above age 18 who underwent either living or deceased donor LT at a single center from March 2009 to July 2016 were interviewed during their visit to the outpatient clinic. The internally developed questionnaire consisted of 10 items. The Karnofsky Performance Scale and EQ-5D were used to evaluate patient function and QOL. Results: A total of 25 (50%) patients returned to work after transplantation (the working group), and 21 (84%) patients in the working group returned to work within the first year after transplantation. In the non-working group (n=25), 17 (68%) answered that their health was the reason for unemployment. Fatigue and weakness were the most frequent symptoms. Conclusions: The data shows that as many as 50% of total patients returned to work after receiving LT. Fatigue and weakness were the most common complaints of the unemployed group, and resolving the causes of these symptoms may help to increase the employment rate.

Keywords

References

  1. Lee SG, Moon DB, Hwang S, Ahn CS, Kim KH, Song GW, et al. Liver transplantation in Korea: past, present, and future. Transplant Proc 2015;47:705-708. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.transproceed.2015.02.015
  2. Jain A, Reyes J, Kashyap R, Dodson SF, Demetris AJ, Ruppert K, et al. Long-term survival after liver transplantation in 4,000 consecutive patients at a single center. Ann Surg 2000;232:490-500. https://doi.org/10.1097/00000658-200010000-00004
  3. Huda A, Newcomer R, Harrington C, Blegen MG, Keeffe EB. High rate of unemployment after liver transplantation: analysis of the United Network for Organ Sharing database. Liver Transplantation 2012;18:89-99. https://doi.org/10.1002/lt.22408
  4. Huda A, Newcomer R, Harrington C, Keeffe EB, Esquivel CO. Employment after liver transplantation: a review. Transplant Proc 2015;47:233-239. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.transproceed.2014.10.022
  5. Onghena L, Develtere W, Poppe C, Geerts A, Troisi R, Vanlander A, et al. Quality of life after liver transplantation: state of the art. World J Hepatol 2016;8:749-756. https://doi.org/10.4254/wjh.v8.i18.749
  6. Eng M, Zhang J, Cambon A, Marvin MR, Gleason J. Employment outcomes following successful renal transplantation. Clin Transplant 2012;26:242-246. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1399-0012.2011.01441.x
  7. Rongey C, Bambha K, Vanness D, Pedersen RA, Malinchoc M, Therneau TM, et al. Employment and health insurance in long-term liver transplant recipients. Am J Transplant 2005;5:1901-1908. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-6143.2005.00961.x
  8. Starzl TE, Brettschneider L, Penn I, Bell P, Groth CG, Blanchard H, et al. Orthotopic liver transplantation in man. Transplant Proc 1969;1:216-222.
  9. Rudler M, Rousseau G, Lebray P, Metenier O, Vaillant JC, Savier E, et al. Rate of employment after liver transplantation in France: a single-centre study. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2016;28:159-163. https://doi.org/10.1097/MEG.0000000000000522
  10. Korean Network for Organ Sharing (KONOS). 2016 Annual Report. KONOS web site, . Accessed 10 Jan 2017.
  11. van den Berg-Emons R, van Ginneken B, Wijffels M, Tilanus H, Metselaar H, Stam H, et al. Fatigue is a major problem after liver transplantation. Liver Transpl 2006;12:928-933. https://doi.org/10.1002/lt.20684
  12. Hong K, Kim H, Lee JM, Lee KW, Yi NJ, Lee HW, et al. Fatigue and related factors after liver transplantation. Korean J Hepatobiliary Pancreat Surg 2015;19:149-153. https://doi.org/10.14701/kjhbps.2015.19.4.149
  13. Aadahl M, Hansen BA, Kirkegaard P, Groenvold M. Fatigue and physical function after orthotopic liver transplantation. Liver Transpl 2002;8:251-529. https://doi.org/10.1053/jlts.2002.31743
  14. Cortazzo MH, Helkowski W, Pippin B, Boninger ML, Zafonte R. Acute inpatient rehabilitation of 55 patients after liver transplantation. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2005;84:880-884. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.phm.0000184093.53032.ed
  15. van den Berg-Emons RJ, van Ginneken BT, Nooijen CF, Metselaar HJ, Tilanus HW, Kazemier G, et al. Fatigue after liver transplantation: effects of a rehabilitation program including exercise training and physical activity counseling. Phys Ther 2014;94:857-865. https://doi.org/10.2522/ptj.20130402
  16. Everhart JE, Beresford TP. Liver transplantation for alcoholic liver disease: a survey of transplantation programs in the United States. Liver Transpl Surg 1997;3:220-226. https://doi.org/10.1002/lt.500030305

Cited by

  1. Rehabilitation for social reintegration in liver transplant patients vol.24, pp.4, 2018, https://doi.org/10.3350/cmh.2018.1012
  2. Impact of biliary complications on quality of life in live-donor liver transplant recipients vol.13, pp.10, 2021, https://doi.org/10.4254/wjh.v13.i10.1405
  3. Fatigue after heart transplantation – a possible barrier to self‐efficacy vol.35, pp.4, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1111/scs.12951