• Volker Köllner, Franziska Einsle, Ina Schade, Tobias Maulhardt, Vassilios Gulielmos, and Peter Joraschky.
• Klinik und Poliklinik für Psychotherapie und Psychosomatik, Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany. koellner@psychosoma.de
• Z Psychosom Med Psyc. 2003 Jan 1;49(3):262-74.

ObjectivesThis study examines stress factors, resources of coping, psychopathological symptoms and their influence on health-related quality of life (QoL) in patients after heart or lung transplantation.Methods82 Patients were examined with the questionnaires SF-36 (QoL), HADS-D (anxiety and depression), IES-R and PTSS-10 (post traumatic stress disorder, PTSD) 32.3 (4-86) months after transplantation. Stress factors, resources and diagnostic criteria for PTSD were investigated by structured interview.ResultsIn the entire sample, anxiety, depression and QoL were in the range of normal population. A subgroup of 13 patients with a PTSD diagnose had significantly reduced QoL. Anxiety and intrusion explained the 42 % variance of psychosocial score of QOL.ConclusionsThere was a lower influence of depression on the medical score of QoL. Psychological symptoms such as anxiety, depression and PTSD significantly influence QoL after heart or lung transplantation. Patients with a PTSD diagnose had poor QoL. Screening for PTSD should be part of routine evaluation after organ transplantation.

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