Health-related quality of life in emotionally related kidney transplantation: deductions from a comparative study

The health related quality of life (HRQOL) has not been compared between live related and un-related donations. We set out to assess the HRQOL in 52 recipients and compare them to 68 HD patients using the Karnofsky performance status scale. Statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) was used for data analysis. The duration of end-stage renal disease was 7.14 + 3.8 years and 5.30 + 4.15 years for transplant and HD patients respectively. The HRQOL was similar in both living and emotionally related recipients but both were significantly better than that of HD patients (P < 0.0001). There was significant negative correlation between HRQOL and age (r = -0.363, P < 0.0001), serum creatinine (r = -0.502, P = 0.0001), serum urea (r = -0.493, P < 0.0001), serum phosphate (r = -0.363, P = 0.003) and calcium-phosphate product (r = -0.305, P < 0.0001). There was significant positive correlation between HRQOL and haemoglobin (r = +0.495, P < 0.0001) and serum calcium (r = +0.247, P = 0.017). Age of the patients appears to be the most important determinant of HRQOL in the studied population. HRQOL was similar in the related and unrelated donors and was better than in hemodialysis patients.