Symptom burden and associated factors in renal transplant patients in the U.K.
Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 05/21/2012
Afshar M et al. – For renal transplant recipients, symptom burden is similar to dialysis, although with less pain, anorexia, and immobility. Routine symptom assessment should be undertaken in transplant patients to identify these often undisclosed symptoms.
Methods- A U.K.–based, cross–sectional symptom survey of end–stage kidney disease patients transplanted more than one year previously.
- Patient–reported data were collected using the renal Patient Outcome Scale.
- Demographic/clinical data were also collected, including estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), renal diagnosis, and comorbidity.
- 110 patients participated; mean age was 47 years (SD 13.6), and mean eGFR was 46mL/min (SD 16.8, range 14–101).
- Symptom burden was high, with a mean of seven symptoms, but marked variance (SD 5.2, range 0–22).
- The most prevalent symptoms were weakness (56%, 95% CI 47–65), difficulty sleeping (46%, 95% CI 37–56), dyspnea (42%, 95% CI 33–51), feeling anxious (36%, 95% CI 28–46), and drowsiness (36%, 95% CI 28–46).
- Certain symptoms–weakness, difficulty sleeping, dyspnea, and drowsiness–were commonly reported as severe.
- A significant inverse relationship between renal function, as measured by eGFR, and number of symptoms (P<0.05) emerged.
