Comparison of perceived health status among solid organ transplant candidates

In solid organ transplantation (TX), perceived health status (PHS) is a relevant patient-reported outcome. For patients on TX waiting lists, PHS information is limited. The aim of this study was therefore to compare PHS of heart, liver, lung, and renal TX candidates.

We used a cross-sectional descriptive design, including consecutive heart, liver, lung and renal TX candidates listed at a university hospital in Belgium. PHS was evaluated using the generic EuroQoL instrument, assessing patients' perceptions of their general PHS, and evaluating the health-related domains of mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression. Data were analyzed using multivariable ordinal logistic regression.

The study included 314 TX candidates: 29 heart, 75 liver, 67 lung, and 143 renal. Analyses controlling for possible PHS-impacting variables (age, gender, marital status, education, comorbidities) yielded significantly disparate results between the four candidate groups. Renal candidates reported best PHS, followed by liver candidates, whereas heart and lung candidates, whose score differences were not significant, had worst PHS.

The EQ-5D seems to be a valuable tool to identify differences in health-related problems in the four different organ candidate groups. The results can be used to create intervention programs focusing on effective clinical management for these patients pre- and post-transplant.