Publication

Abstract : INTRODUCTION: Liver transplantation is the treatment for end stage liver disease in both adults and children.Fatigue is a major problem in patients after liver transplantation.The present study is an attempt to assess the level of fatigue among liver transplantation recipients. METHODS: A descriptive survey done among a convenience sample of 30 liver transplant recipients in a tertiary care hospital, Kochi, South India. Ethical clearance was obtained from institutional ethics committee. Piper fatigue scale was use to measure the level of fatigue. RESULTS: Majority of the participants were in the age group of 30-60 years with mean age 26 years. The period after transplantation of the participants ranged from one month to six years and seven months, and 15(50%) had transplantation within six months. The level of fatigue was moderate in 27(90%) and mild in 3(10%) of the participants. The mean fatigue score was 4.59+/- 1.1 and the score ranged from 1 to 6.3. Among the different dimensions of fatigue the score was higher in cognitive (5.5+/-1.3) and sensory dimensions (5.4+/-1.5). It was least in behavioural/severity dimension (3.3+/-1.6). A negative correlation was observed between fatigue score and number of months after transplantation (r = - 0.53, p< 0.001). CONCLUSION: The findings of the study show that majority of the patients experience fatigue after liver transplantation, revealing it as a priority problem in the plan of care.