Sustained Improvement in Patient Reported Outcomes 10 Years after Liver Transplantation by Protocol Longitudinal Assessment of Health Related Quality of Life
1Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, TX
2Department of Educational Psychology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX.
Meeting: 2018 American Transplant Congress
Abstract number: B318
Keywords: Liver cirrhosis, Liver transplantation, Quality of life, Survival
Session Information
Session Name: Poster Session B: Non-Organ Specific: Economics, Public Policy, Allocation, Ethics
Session Type: Poster Session
Date: Sunday, June 3, 2018
Session Time: 6:00pm-7:00pm
Presentation Time: 6:00pm-7:00pm
Location: Hall 4EF
Purpose: Data on patient (pt) reported outcomes, especially beyond the first year after liver transplantation (LT) are scarce. We examined changes in health related quality of life (HRQOL) after LT to assess whether improvements are sustained long term after LT.
Methods: Pts undergoing LT completed standardized HRQOL questionnaires prior to transplant and at protocol time points annually up to 10 years after LT. The primary outcome was assessment of overall quality of life, health perception, self perception and ability to function using multiple validated instruments. Composite scores across categories were scaled from 0-100. Median scores for each category were reported.
Results: 160 pts filled 480 surveys between 1992-2012. Median age was 49.5. 52 % were male and 91% were Caucasian. The main indications for LT included alcohol +/- HCV in 41% followed by PBC/PSC in 25%. Pre LT median scores for health perception, self perception and ability to function were low. Following LT the overall HRQOL, composite scores for health perception, self perception and ability to function all improved at 1 and 2 years (yrs) after LT; improvement was sustained at 5 yrs after LT.
| Variable | Pre LT | 1 or 2 yrs | 5 yrs |
| Overall HRQOL | 54 | 74.4 | 71.5 |
| Health Perception | 53.6 | 69.7 | 64.8 |
| Self-Perception | 60.6 | 76.3 | 73 |
| Ability to function | 33.4 | 79.9 | 71.8 |
The percent of employed pts decreased (37.5 % pre LT vs. 30 % at 1 or 2 yrs vs. 32% at 5 yrs). 84% reported that health caused problems with work pre LT which decreased to 31% at 1 or 2 yrs and 27% at 5 yrs. Pre LT, 79.6% reported missing work for health reasons, this decreased to 37% at 1 or 2 yrs and remained the same (37%) up to 5 yrs. 53 pts had 10 yr data available. Analysis of long term data showed that HRQOL values at 10 yrs continued to be better than pre LT values
| Variable | Pre LT | 10 yrs |
| Overall HRQOL | 57.3 | 73.6 |
| Health Perception | 56 | 68.4 |
| Self-Perception | 63.9 | 77.6 |
| Ability to function | 40.9 | 68.2 |
Conclusions: In the largest longitudinal study of pt reported outcomes, HRQOL improves after 1-2 yrs post LT, this improvement is sustained for 10 yrs.
CITATION INFORMATION: Elwir S., Warren A., Saracino G., Asrani S., Elliott T., Klintmalm G. Sustained Improvement in Patient Reported Outcomes 10 Years after Liver Transplantation by Protocol Longitudinal Assessment of Health Related Quality of Life Am J Transplant. 2017;17 (suppl 3).
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
Elwir S, Warren A, Saracino G, Asrani S, Elliott T, Klintmalm G. Sustained Improvement in Patient Reported Outcomes 10 Years after Liver Transplantation by Protocol Longitudinal Assessment of Health Related Quality of Life [abstract]. https://atcmeetingabstracts.com/abstract/sustained-improvement-in-patient-reported-outcomes-10-years-after-liver-transplantation-by-protocol-longitudinal-assessment-of-health-related-quality-of-life/. Accessed May 16, 2025.« Back to 2018 American Transplant Congress