Anxiety and depression are correlated with higher morbidity after kidney transplantation

Psychiatric comorbidities have been reported to be associated with low quality of life, but less attention has been paid to their impact on other morbidity measures. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation of anxiety and depression with marital relation, sexual function, and sleep quality in kidney transplant recipients.

In a cross-sectional study between 2005 and 2006, 88 kidney transplant recipients were divided into four groups according to their scores of anxiety and depression using Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS): group I(anx) (anxiety score <11; n=64); group II(anx) (anxiety score >or= 11; n=24); group I(dep) (depression score <11; n=68); and group II(dep) (depression score >or= 11; n=20). Morbidity measures including quality of life (Short Form-36), marital adjustment (Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale), sexual relationship (Relationship and Sexuality Scale), and quality of sleep (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) were separately compared between groups of anxious versus nonanxious and depressed versus nondepressed.

Group I(anx), compared with group II(anx), displayed a better state of mental health (48.80 +/- 7.14 vs. 44.45 +/- 7.80; P=.01), general health (49.36 +/- 12.77 vs. 42.91 +/- 16.67; P=.05), marital adjustment (55.13 +/- 8.01 vs. 48.35 +/- 16.62; P=.04), and lower sleep disturbance (1.36 +/- 0.62 vs. 1.66 +/- 0.63; P=.05). Group I(dep), compared with group II(dep), showed lower fatigue score (39.79 +/- 8.30 vs. 46.84 +/- 8.85; P=.002) and better sexual relationships (15.28 +/- 5.50 vs. 19.00 +/- 5.92; P=.03).

Screening for anxiety and depression in kidney transplant recipients is essential. Appropriate treatment of these prevalent psychiatric comorbidities may improve various aspects of patient well-being, including quality of life, sleep, marital relations, and sexual relationship.