Health-related quality of life in pediatric liver transplanted patients compared with a chronic liver disease group

BACKGROUND: Achieving a good health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is currently one of the main aims in long term survival of liver transplanted children (PLT). Purpose of our study is to compare HRQoL of PLT patients (N = 33, mean age 12.8 y) vs. sex and age matched patients with compensated and clinically stable chronic liver disease (CLD) (N = 25, mean age 11.9 y). METHODS: HRQoL was measured from both patient and parental perspectives using the CHQ-CF87 and CHQ-PF50 questionnaires, respectively. RESULTS: General Health Perception scores of PLT subjects resulted significantly lower than those of CLD both at self- and parental report (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively). No other significant differences in other HRQoL domains were found between groups. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the two populations are quite similar regarding HRQoL, but both parents and children of PLT group perceive a worse general health. Further studies are needed to confirm these results.