ABSTRACT
The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess the health status and quality of life (QOL) of paid unrelated versus related living kidney donors postdonation at Shiraz Transplant Center in Iran. We invited all donors (n = 580, 347 paid unrelated, 233 related) who underwent donor nephrectomy at our center from 2004 to 2010 to participate in a health survey and physical examination. Of 580 donors, 144 consented to participate; participation of paid unrelated donors was significantly lower than related (52/347 vs. 92/233; p < 0.001). Participants underwent a complete physical examination, QOL assessment (using a 36-item short form health survey [SF-36] questionnaire) and laboratory work-up. The paid unrelated donors compared with related donors were younger (34.2 ± 7.2 vs. 40.7 ± 9.7 years, p < 0.001), had shorter time since donation (2.9 ± 1.6 vs. 3.8 ± 2 years, p = 0.004), had higher estimated GFR (72.6 ± 22 vs. 63.8 ± 15.3 mL/min/1.73 m(2), p = 0.006) and had a higher percentage of patients with microalbuminuria (35% vs. 0%, p < 0.001). Additionally, general health and social functioning scores among paid unrelated donors were significantly lower (p < 0.001 and p = 0.02, respectively) than related donors. Other SF-36 scores, although lower in paid unrelated donors, did not reach statistical significance. Iranian paid unrelated donors have lower QOL and higher incidence of microalbuminuria compared with related donors.
Subject(s)
Health Status , Kidney Transplantation/methods , Living Donors/statistics & numerical data , Quality of Life , Adult , Albuminuria/diagnosis , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Glomerular Filtration Rate , Humans , Iran , Kidney Transplantation/economics , Kidney Transplantation/psychology , Living Donors/psychology , Male , Middle Aged , Nephrectomy/economics , Proteinuria , Renal Insufficiency/therapySubject(s)
Blood Pressure , Kidney Function Tests , Nephrectomy/statistics & numerical data , Quality of Life , Tissue Donors/statistics & numerical data , Tissue and Organ Harvesting/classification , Age Factors , Blood Urea Nitrogen , Creatinine/blood , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Middle Aged , Postoperative Complications/epidemiology , Reference Values , Time Factors , Tissue and Organ Harvesting/statistics & numerical dataABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Muscle cramps that improve after carnitine or vitamin E therapies are common in haemodialysis (HD) patients. Because vitamin C participates in carnitine biosynthesis, and its levels are reduced in uraemia, subclinical vitamin C depletion may contribute to HD cramps. Our aim was to determine the effects of vitamins C, E and their combination on the frequency and intensity of HD cramps. METHODS: In this placebo-controlled, double-blind study, 60 HD-patients were randomized into four therapeutic groups. Each group (n=15) received six identical capsules daily for 8 weeks, containing one of the following: vitamin E (400 mg), vitamin C (250 mg), their combination, or placebo. RESULTS: The frequency and intensity of HD cramps decreased significantly in all three vitamin groups compared with the placebo group at the end of the trial, and compared with the pre-treatment values. At the end of the trial, vitamins E, C, their combination, and placebo produced cramp reductions of 54, 61, 97 and 7%, respectively. The percentage cramp reduction had no significant correlation with age, sex, aetiology of end-stage renal disease, serum electrolytes or HD duration, but showed a positive correlation (r=0.33, P=0.01) with the type of therapy. No vitamin-related adverse effects were encountered during the trial. CONCLUSION: Short-term treatment with the combination of vitamins E and C is safe and effective in reducing HD cramps; however, its safety for prolonged therapy has yet to be evaluated in HD patients.
