Quality of life outcomes in liver transplant recipients: a systematic review

Extraction and Synthesis Tables

Extraction Table

Conceptual Framework

Attrition and Reason

Ind. Variables

Dep. Var.

Measure

Strength

Yang, Shan, Saxena, & Morris

Liver transplantation: A systematic Review

Liver International

QOL improvement

Liver transplant

Quality of life

year health outcomes

Qualitative

QOL after transplant is superior up to 20 years

Level II. Broad-based study (23 individual studies)

Tome, Wells, Said & Lucey

Quality of life after liver transplantation

Journal of Hepatology

To determine what areas of life improve post-transplant

Studies had to have pre- and post-op data

Liver transplant

Psychological health, physical function, psychosocial adaptation, general QOL

P values

P values

Six of 8 QOL domain shows improvement; 2 were neutral

Previously reporter QOL benefit for LT recipients may have been overstated

Level I. Multiple studies, statistical robustness

Garcia, Veneroso, Soares, Lima & Correia

2014

Effect of a physical exercise program on the functional capacity of liver transplant patients

Transplantation Proceedings

To determine how exercise affects QOL of liver transplant patients

Study

15 patients

None

Exercise

Exercise capacity, metabolic capability,

Distance walked, resting energy expenditure

Improve or not improve

REE and distance walked both improved

19.4% increase in distance walked, p

Level V. n was low, and exercise improving health doesn't necessarily have anything to do with LTP

Krasnoff, Vintro, Ashcer, Bass, Paul, Dodd & Painter

2006

A randomized trial of exercise and dietary counseling after liver transplantation.

American Journal of Transplantation

To determine how exercise and dietary counseling influence post-op health

Randomized trial

151 patients

None

Exercise and dietary counseling

Exercise capacity, self-reported health

VO2 Peak

Improved VO2, self-reported health

Improved VO2 peak

ANOVA

Level I. Large sample size, statistical rigor, quant and qualitative

Van den Berg, Kazemier, van Ginnekn, Nieuwenhuijsen, Tilanus, Stam

2006

Fatigue, level of everyday physical activity and quality of life after liver transplantation

Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine

To determine if post-op fatigue affects everyday physical activity

Case comparison

8 patients

None

Physical activity

Self-reported fatigue

Fatigue Severity Scale and RAND 36

Severity of fatigue correlates with everyday exercise

Fatigue correlates with intensity of activity

Correlation

Level III. Small study

Sirivantanauskom, Dumronggittigule, Limsrichamrem, Iramaneerat., Kolladarungkri, Kositamongkol., Mahawithitwong, Asavakam, & Tovikkai,

2012

Quality of life among liver transplant patients

Transplantation Proceedings

To test QoL among liver transplant patients

Questionnaire

59 patients

None

Transplant patients

Qualitative, self-reported outcomes

SF-36 HRQoL scores

Improvements in all measures were noted

Fatigue, pain, activity, symptoms, emotional function and worry all improved

None

Level II. Qualitative, self-reportedstudy with a large sample size

Bownick & Saab

2009

Health-related quality of life after liver transplantation for adult recipient

Liver Transplantation

To test the long-term effects of liver transplants on quality of life

Study

13 studies

None

Liver tranplants

Self-reported health outcomes

SF-36 HRQoL scores

Improvements in first year; scores deteriorate after that

Most scores improve early, after which both health and emotional scores worsen

Overview of studies

Level I. Large number of studies; shows both ST and LT outcome

Sullivan, Radosevitch & Lake

2014

Health-related quality of life: Two decades after liver transplantation.

Liver Transplantation

To test LT health outcomes after transplantation

Study

161 patients

53 who survived 20 years

Liver transplants

HR QoL outcomes, survival

SF-12, MCS, PCS

Mental heath = gen pop; physical health slightly below

Physical was 1 std dev below gen pop.

Correlations

Level I. Provides LT view

Synthesis Table

Study Author