Kidney Transplantation and Its Impact on Quality Of Life: An Integrative Review.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52221/jvnus.v7i2.943Keywords:
kidney transplantation, quality of life, transplant recipient, psychological well-being, immunosuppressive therapyAbstract
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is highly prevalent worldwide and carries significant morbidity and mortality rates. Kidney transplantation is the last-line therapy for patients with end-stage renal disease. The quality of life after kidney transplantation is a widely studied topic, given its importance in assessing not only the clinical aspects but also the overall impact on the patient's life. This study aims to analyze the key impacts of kidney transplantation on the quality of life of transplant recipients. An integrative literature review was conducted using the Virtual Health Library (VHL) and PubMed databases. Articles were selected between April and June 2025 using the descriptors "kidney transplantation," "quality of life," and "transplant recipient," combined with the Boolean operator AND. Inclusion criteria were primary studies published in national and international journals within the last five years. Exclusion criteria were review articles, experience reports, editorials, articles requiring a subscription for open access, and studies that did not address the research question. The guiding question of this study was: What are the main impacts of kidney transplantation on the quality of life of patients after the procedure? Kidney transplantation significantly improves the quality of life and physical well-being, such as the ability to resume daily activities, enhanced self-esteem, reduced depressive symptoms, and increased autonomy. However, these benefits are accompanied by challenges, including side effects of immunosuppressive medications, sleep disorders, and physical limitations. Continuous care is essential, emphasizing the need for a multidisciplinary approach. The results highlight the positive influence of transplantation on work capacity and social reintegration, though factors like age, education level, and access to rehabilitation can affect this process. Psychologically, patients show significant improvements in mental well-being post-transplant compared to those on dialysis, with reduced levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. However, the side effects of immunosuppressants may lead to mood swings, insomnia, and fear of graft rejection. While kidney transplantation leads to significant improvements in the patients' quality of life particularly in physical, psychological, and social domains these benefits are not without challenges. Recipients face ongoing issues such as immunosuppressive side effects, sleep disturbances, functional and mental limitations, and the need for continuous multidisciplinary care
Downloads
References
Cordeiro, E. D. de O., Costa, T. C. da, Teixeira, M. F., Toledo, N. das N., & Almeida, G. S. de. (2020). Quality of life of individuals receiving kidney transplantation in Amazonas State. Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem, 28, e3291. https://doi.org/10.1590/1518-8345.3143.3291
Cardoso, C., Bravo, P., Messias, A., Martins, J., & Oliveira, C. (2024). Prophylaxis in renal transplantation. Brazilian Journal of Transplantation, 27, e3324.
Silva, S. B., Caulliraux, H. M., Araújo, C. A. S., & Rocha, E. (2016). A comparison of the costs of kidney transplantation versus dialysis in Brazil. Cadernos de Saúde Pública, 32, e00013515. https://doi.org/10.1590/0102-311X00013515
Oliveira, L. M. de, Okuno, M. F. P., Barbosa, D. A., Sesso, R. de C. C., Scherrer Júnior, G., Pessoa, J. L. E., et al. (2020). Quality of life and spirituality of patients with chronic kidney disease: Pre- and post-transplant analysis. Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem, 73, e20190408. https://doi.org/10.1590/0034-7167-2019-0408
Rocha, F. L. da, Echevarría-Guanilo, M. E., Silva, D. M. G. V. da, Gonçalves, N., Lopes, S. G. R., Boell, J. E. W., et al. (2020). Relationship between quality of life, self-esteem, and depression in people after kidney transplantation. Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem, 73, e20180245. https://doi.org/10.1590/0034-7167-2018-0245
Development of the Kidney Disease Quality of Life (KDQOL™) Instrument. (n.d.). Quality of Life Research. Retrieved May 20, 2025, from https://link.springer.com
Mendes, K. D. S., Silveira, R. C. de C. P., & Galvão, C. M. (2008). Integrative review: Research method for incorporating evidence in health and nursing. Texto & Contexto – Enfermagem, 17(4), 758–764.
Santos, C. M. da C., Pimenta, C. A. de M., & Nobre, M. R. C. (2007). The PICO strategy for the research question construction and evidence search. Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem, 15(3), 508–511.
Moher, D., Liberati, A., Tetzlaff, J., Altman, D. G., & PRISMA Group. (2009). Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: The PRISMA statement. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 62(10), 1006–1012. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2009.06.005
Mukherjee, S. S., & Chaudhury, S. (2024). Comparison of depression, stress, anxiety, cognitive status, and quality of life before and after renal transplantation. Cureus, 16(10), e71983. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.71983
Hermanns, C. L., Young, K., Parks, A., Brooks, W. M., Lepping, R. J., Montgomery, R. N., et al. (2024). A prospective study of depression and quality of life after kidney transplantation. Kidney360, 5(9), 1350–1358. https://doi.org/10.34067/KID.0000002024
De Boer, S. E., Knobbe, T. J., Kremer, D., Van Munster, B. C., Nieuwenhuijs-Moeke, G. J., Pol, R. A., et al. (2024). Kidney transplantation improves health-related quality of life in older recipients. Transplant International, 37, 12071. https://doi.org/10.3389/ti.2024.12071
Knobbe, T. J., Kremer, D., Eisenga, M. F., Van Londen, M., Annema, C., Bültmann, U., et al. (2023). Sleep quality, fatigue, societal participation and health-related quality of life in kidney transplant recipients: A cross-sectional and longitudinal cohort study. Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation, 39(1), 74–83. https://doi.org/10.1093/ndt/gfad112
Knobbe, T. J., Kremer, D., Abma, F. I., Annema, C., Berger, S. P., Navis, G. J., et al. (2022). Employment status and work functioning among kidney transplant recipients. Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, 17(10), 1506–1514. https://doi.org/10.2215/CJN.00000000
Antoun, J., Brown, D. J., Clarkson, B. G., Shepherd, A. I., Sangala, N. C., Lewis, R. J., et al. (2023). Experiences of adults living with a kidney transplant: Effects on physical activity, physical function, and quality of life. Journal of Renal Care, 49(3), 198–205. https://doi.org/10.1111/jorc.12432
Knobbe, T. J., Kremer, D., Eisenga, M. F., Corpeleijn, E., Annema, C., Spikman, J. M., et al. (2022). Hand dexterity, daily functioning and health-related quality of life in kidney transplant recipients. Scientific Reports, 12, 16208. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-20442-3
Sarhan, A. L., Jarareh, R. H., & Shraim, M. (2021). Quality of life for kidney transplant recipients and hemodialysis patients in Palestine: A cross-sectional study. BMC Nephrology, 22, 210. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12882-021-02418-z
El-Agroudy, A. E., Taher, A. A., Alshehabi, K. M., Alalwan, A. A., & Arekat, M. R. (2021). Quality of life among renal transplant recipients in Bahrain: A single-center experience. Saudi Journal of Kidney Diseases and Transplantation, 32(3), 774–785.
Kastelz, A., Fernhall, B., Wang, E., Tzvetanov, I., Spaggiari, M., & Shetty, A. (2021). Personalized physical rehabilitation program and employment in kidney transplant recipients: A randomized trial. Transplant International, 34(6), 1083–1092. https://doi.org/10.1111/tri.13887
Hwang, Y., Kim, M., & Min, K. (2021). Factors associated with health-related quality of life in kidney transplant recipients in Korea. PLOS ONE, 16(3), e0247934. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0247934
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Felipe Kohl Hemsing, Taiane De Oliveira Vieira, Isadora Martins De Pereira, Rejane Silveira Campos, Elisiane de Oliveira Machado, Josiane De Godoy Mallmann, Jefferson DAvila Henrique
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
