Changes in Patient Symptoms After Kidney Transplantation.

BACKGROUND

Immunosuppressant usage in kidney transplant recipients is commonly associated with toxicity which can manifest in a variety of adverse effects. This study aimed to compare the nature and frequency of patient-reported symptoms before and after kidney transplantation.

METHODS

A single-center study was conducted involving adult kidney transplant recipients at 3 to 11 weeks post-transplantation. Patients completed a questionnaire pertaining to the prevalence of symptoms experienced a few months before and since transplantation. A paired Student's t-test and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to identify changes in the number and frequency of symptoms, respectively, with a p-value <.05 considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

Eighty patients completed this non-interventional study. While a similar number of symptoms (mean ± standard deviation) were experienced before and after transplantation (9.9 ± 4.8 and 9.0 ± 4.7, respectively; p = .098) there was a shift in the frequency of symptoms. Since transplantation, there was an improvement (reduced frequency) in itch (p ≤ .001), tiredness/fatigue (p = .045), nausea (p ≤ .001), headache/migraine (p ≤ .001), fidgetiness/restlessness (p = .018) and mind going blank (p = .022). However, hand tremor (p ≤.001), tremor elsewhere (p ≤.001), waking at night (p ≤.001), and dysesthesia (thermodysregulation and paresthesia) (p = .008) worsened (increased frequency), as reported by 75%, 26%, 45%, and 38% of patients, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Many patients experience tremor and dysesthesia as new symptoms or report them more frequently early after transplantation. Further research into understanding and managing these toxicities over this period is warranted.