Health-related quality of life and associated factors in HIV-positive transplant candidates and recipients from a HIV-positive donor

Claire Juliet Martin*, Elmi Muller, Demetre Labadarios, Frederick Johannes Veldman, Susanna Maria Kassier

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Introduction: HRQOL in transplant candidates and recipients who are also infected with HIV and are awaiting a kidney, or have received one from a HIV-positive donor, has not been previously investigated. Methods: The HRQOL of 47 HIV-positive kidney transplant candidates and 21 recipients from HIV-positive donors was evaluated using the Short Form-36 (SF-36) and face to face interviews at baseline and at 6 months. The correlation between SF-36 scores and sociodemographic, clinical and nutritional factors was determined. Results: 68 patients completed the SF-36 at baseline and 6 months. Transplant candidates: transplant candidates had lower HRQOL than recipients. The main mental stressors were income, employment and waiting for a donor. Physical health complaints were body pain (BP) and fatigue. Pre-albumin and BMI was positively correlated with general health at baseline (r = 0.401, p = 0.031 and r = 0.338, p = 0.025). Besides a positive association with role physical (RP) and BP, albumin was associated with overall physical composite score (PCS) (r = 0.329, p = 0.024) at 6 months. Transplant recipients: Transplant recipients had high HRQOL scores in all domains. PCS was 53.8 ± 10.0 and 56.6 ± 6.5 at baseline and 6 months respectively. MCS was 51.3 ± 11.5 and 54.2 ± 8.5 at baseline and 6 months respectively. Albumin correlated positively with PCS (r = 0.464, p = 0.034) at 6 months and role emotional (RE) (r = 0.492, p = 0.024). Higher pre-albumin was associated with better RE and RP abilities and MCS (r = 0.495, p = 0.034). MAMC was associated with four domains of physical health and strongly correlated with PCS (r = 0.821, p = 0.000). Conclusion: Strategies to improve HRQOL include ongoing social support, assistance with employment issues and optimising nutritional status.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)171-184
Number of pages14
JournalQuality of Life Research
Volume31
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jan 2022

Keywords

  • Dialysis
  • Gastrointestinal symptoms
  • HIV
  • Kidney transplant

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Health-related quality of life and associated factors in HIV-positive transplant candidates and recipients from a HIV-positive donor'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this