Characteristics of Psychosocial Factors in Liver Transplantation Candidates with Alcoholic Liver Disease before Transplantation: A Retrospective Study in a Single Center in Taiwan

Yu-Ming Chen, Tien-Wei Yu, Chih-Chi Wang, Kuang-Tzu Huang, Li-Wen Hsu, Chih-Che Lin, Yueh-Wei Liu, Wei-Feng Li, Chao-Long Chen and Chien-Chih Chen
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Yu-Ming Chen: Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung 833, Taiwan
Tien-Wei Yu: Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung 833, Taiwan
Chih-Chi Wang: Liver Transplantation Center and Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung 833, Taiwan
Kuang-Tzu Huang: Institute for Translational Research in Biomedicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung 833, Taiwan
Li-Wen Hsu: Liver Transplantation Center and Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung 833, Taiwan
Chih-Che Lin: Liver Transplantation Center and Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung 833, Taiwan
Yueh-Wei Liu: Liver Transplantation Center and Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung 833, Taiwan
Wei-Feng Li: Liver Transplantation Center and Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung 833, Taiwan
Chao-Long Chen: Liver Transplantation Center and Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung 833, Taiwan
Chien-Chih Chen: Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung 833, Taiwan

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 22, 1-12

Abstract: Liver transplantation (LT) is an essential treatment for end-stage alcoholic liver disease (ALD). The patients’ psychosocial condition plays a vital role in post-transplantation prognosis. A survey of the candidates’ psychosocial wellbeing is necessary before LT. This study aims to investigate the psychosocial characteristics, including the depression degree, family function, alcohol use duration, and alcohol abstinence period, of LT candidates with ALD. In addition, 451 candidates for LT due to ALD were enrolled. They received psychosocial evaluations, including depression scale (Hamilton depression rating scale) and family functioning assessment (adaptability, partnership, growth, affection, resolve (APGAR) index). The test scores were analyzed according to age, alcohol use duration, and alcohol abstinence period. The Hamilton depression rating scale (HAM-D) score and the family APGAR index score differentiated significantly according to the age, alcohol use duration, and abstinence period of the LT candidates. The patients with shorter alcohol use duration tended to have more severe depressive symptoms and poorer family support. The younger patients showed a significantly shorter abstinence period, more severe depression, and poorer family functioning than older patients. The younger ALD patients and patients with shorter alcohol use duration showed an increased severity of depression before transplantation. They need more mental health care over time.

Keywords: alcoholic liver disease; liver transplantation; depression; psychosocial evaluation; family function (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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