抄録
Living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) is now an established therapeutic option for end-stage liver disease with overall survival comparable to that following deceased donor liver transplantation. However, the long-term quality of life (QOL)-related issues following LDLT remain to be investigated. In LDLT, the recipient receives an organ from a living donor, often a family member with strong emotional bonds. Unlike in the case of deceased donors, the lasting bond may strongly affect QOL following transplantation. The aims of the present study were to clarify the health-related QOL of LDLT recipients and to evaluate whether live liver donation affects outcomes. Adult LDLT recipients who made regular follow-up outpatient clinic visits to the liver transplantation service at The University of Tokyo Hospital were enrolled in the study. Subjects were surveyed using two self-administered questionnaires, the standard Short Form 36 (SF36) and a self-designed questionnaire addressing social issues specific to LDLT. Over the 3 months of the study, 88 recipients visited the clinic for regular follow-up examinations. Of these, 83 agreed to be interviewed for the study, of whom 72 (87%) provided complete responses. The SF36 scores for physical functioning, role physical (role limitations due to physical health), and social functioning were significantly lower for study participants than for the general Japanese population. A higher level of education and the degree to which the recipient felt indebted to the donor had significant negative effects on SF36 scores. QOL after LDLT may be lower than that of the general population. The continuing emotional bond with live donors after surgery may strongly affect the QOL of adult LDLT recipients.
