Anxiety and depression for liver transplant recipients and their impact factors

Objective To investigate the status of anxiety and depression for liver transplant (LT) recipients and explore their impact factors.Methods During the period of January 2005 to December 2008,the symptoms of anxiety and depression for 53 post-LT recipients ( LT group) and 48 patients with benign end-stage liver disease ( BELD group) were assessed by the self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and the selfrating depression scale (SDS).And they were compared with that of domestic norm ( Norm group).The impact factors of anxiety and depression for LT recipients were analyzed by stepwise logistic regression.Results The anxiety scores of LT,BELD and Norm groups were (42 ± 9),(47 ± 11 ) and (30 ± 10) and the depression scores of three groups (48 ± 11 ),(52 ± 11 ) and (33 ±9) respectively.The anxiety score was different significantly among three groups(P＜0.01 ).It was higher in the LT and BELD groups than that in the Norm Group( P ＜0.01 )while it was lower in the LT group than that in the BELD group(P ＜0.05).The depression scores were different significantly among three groups(P ＜0.01 ).It was higher in the LT and BELD groups than that in the Norm Group.And it was lower in the LT group than that in the BELD group ( P ＜ 0.05 ).The impact factor of anxiety for LT recipients was patient age and that of depression per capita monthly family income.Conclusion The level of anxiety and depression of post-LT recipients is higher than that of domestic norm.The main impact factor for post-LT anxiety is patient age and that of depression per capita monthly family income. Key words: Liver transplantation;  Anxiety;  Depression