Differences in emotional responses in living and deceased donor kidney transplant patients

Background: The psychological functioning of living donor (LD) and deceased donor (DD) recipients are important factors for emotional adjustment to transplantation. This study investigated differences in medical, sociodemographic and emotional factors between these two groups.

Methods: A total of 241 kidney transplant recipients (68 LD, 173 DD) completed questionnaires on emotional and behavioural responses to transplantation, including quality of life, anxiety and depression, social support and experience with immunosuppressive medication.

Results: Overall, LD recipients were younger, better educated, more often employed and had a shorter duration of dialysis prior to transplantation. Findings indicate that LD recipients expressed more guilt towards the donor than DD recipients. In addition, more LD recipients experienced clinically significant levels of anxiety. Both groups experienced high levels of negative effects of immunosuppressant medication. No differences between LD and DD recipients were found for gender, relationship status, time since transplantation or transplant rejection treatment during the last 12 months. In addition, perceived social support and quality of life were comparable between the two groups.

Conclusions: Feelings of guilt and anxiety may be an important focus for interventions to improve emotional adjustment to transplantation, especially in LD recipients.