Mental health and quality of life in alcoholic liver disease patients after liver transplantation: a prospective controlled study.

OBJECTIVE Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is one of the most important indications for liver transplantation. Discordant conclusions have been found concerning quality of life and mental health after transplantation in this particular group. The aim of this work was to investigate improvements in mental health and quality of life among transplanted patients for ALD. METHODS We studied 45 consecutive transplant candidates with ALD, attending the outpatient clinics. Among these patients we transplanted 24 with the control candidates remaining in wait for transplantation. RESULTS There was a significant improvement in all mental health and quality of life dimensions among the transplanted ALD group. We also observed a favorable evolution of coping mechanisms (CM) in this group. CONCLUSION There is a favorable adjustment of ALD patients after transplantation as shown in CM evolution, which might explain the improved mental health and quality-of-life dimensions.