GI Symptoms and Quality of Life of End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Patients as Opposed to After Kidney Transplantation

Abstract

Purpose: To prospectively assess the effect of kidney transplantation on GI symptoms and quality of life (QOL). Methods: Validated GI and QOL questionnaires were given to patients listed for kidney transplantation, and patients with functioning grafts greater than 12 weeks post kidney transplantation. Z test for the directional difference between 2 proportions and Fisher's Exact Test (with an expected frequency of less than 5 in some cells) were used. A quality of life score was created in order to study correlations with GI symptoms. Pearson Correlation test was used. Results: 91 questionnaires were completed (43 pre-renal transplant and 48 post-renal transplant). Pre-renal transplant patients were predominately males, 65%, and African American, 58%. Post-renal transplant patients were 52% males, with 35.4% African American, 54.1% White and 10.4% others. Results are organized in the two tables below. Conclusion: Pre-renal transplant patients reported more food ingestion associated abdominal pain, constipation, and a longer duration of dysphagia as well as GERD compared to post-renal transplant patients. These are all disorders of decreased GI motility, and may suggest a relationship between ESRD and decreased GI motility. Post-renal transplant patients displayed a higher prevalence of diarrhea, likely due to a known side effect of immunosuppressive medications. The post-renal transplant populations reported presence of abdominal pain rather than discomfort compared to pre-renal transplant patients. The presence of abdominal pain in the former group, which could be surgery related, correlated positively with worse quality of life. A significantly improved QOL, as expected, was observed in the post kidney transplant group.Figure: [1078]Figure: [1078]