Depression May Worsen Kidney Transplant Outcome
According to research reported in the May issue of the American Journal of Kidney Diseases, depression was associated with double the risk of kidney failure, return to dialysis and death among the studied kidney transplant recipients.
In the study, Dr. Fabienne Dobbels from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium and colleagues identified 47,899 patient who had received a kidney transplant between 1995 and 2003.
In examining the patients' records, the team found that the incidence of depression was about 7% the first year after transplantation, 11% in the second year and 13% in the third year.
Kidney failure occurred in 19% of the patients, 8% died with a functioning kidney and 11% had to return to dialysis therapy. Depression was associated with about double the risk of each of these adverse outcomes, said the researchers.
"Depression after kidney transplantation is a serious condition associated with poor clinical outcomes," said the study authors. Depression screening "is of crucial importance to determine which patients should be referred for specialized mental health treatment."
Comments
I was diagnosed with Depression 8 months after my kidney transplant. My employer - COLOPLAST - dismissed whilst I was recovering from the transplant; the kidney came from my wife Lynda. Coloplast did not support me whilst I was ill and did not want me back working with them. I am still being treated for depression but THANK GOD the kidney is functioning well.