A Status of Health-related Quality of Life of Renal Recipients at a Transplant Center in Kathmandu

Abstract

Background: Renal transplant is considered as the best treatment available to restore renal function in patients with renal failure. Health-related quality of life (HrQoL) is an important indicator for evaluating therapeutic outcomes and mortality in patients with end-stage renal disease, including renal failure. This study aimed to assess the health-related quality of life (HrQoL) of renal transplant recipients. Methods: This observational cross-sectional study involved 165 post renal transplant patients (mean age ± SD, 37.5 ± 10.7 years) from Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital. Health-related quality of life was assessed by face-to-face interviews, using Kidney Transplant Questionnaire (KTQ-25) and scored according to the scoring algorithm of KTQ-25. Results: The mean score of HrQoL was 5.44 ± 0.80, with the highest score for appearance (6.65 ± 0.53) and the lowest for uncertainty/ fear dimension (4.29 ± 1.10). Several factors, including age, occupation, loan, length of renal replacement therapy, and time since transplantation were significantly associated with different dimensions KTQ-25 questionnaire (all, p < 0.05). Conclusion: As uncertainty/fear affected the quality of life most, counseling programs for recipients are needed focusing on psychological wellbeing. Although funding is available for patients with end-stage renal failure from the government, that does not seem to be adequate for them.

Keywords

• Renal Transplantation
• HRQOL
• Kidney Transplant
• Kidney Transplant Questionnaire-25
• Transplant Center