Quality of life after small intestinal transplantation and among home parenteral nutrition patients

Background: The purpose of the study was to quantify changes in the quality of life of small bowel recipients before and after transplantation and of home parenteral nutrition (HPN)-dependent patients before and after therapy. We examined quality of life across multiple areas of function including physical, social, and emotional indices. Methods: The Quality of Life Instrument in the form of a self-administered questionnaire was completed voluntarily by the recipients of small intestinal transplants and by a cohort of HPN-dependent patients. Results: Small intestinal transplant recipients reported significant improvement in the quality of their life and function. They also rated their quality of life and function during the pretransplant, TPN-dependent period to be worse than before the development of chronic intestinal failure. Similarly, HPN recipients reported significant worsening across most areas of quality of life when they compared their premorbid period to the HPN-dependent state. Conclusions: TPN dependence causes significant impairment in the quality of life in most areas of functioning. In contrast, small intestinal transplantation restores the quality of life among recipients with functioning grafts.