Current Topics in TransplantationRenal transplantationPhysical Symptoms and Associated Factors in Chinese Renal Transplant Recipients

•Physical symptoms were commonly found in renal recipients.•Forgetfulness, fatigue, and tremor were the most frequent physical symptoms.•Self-efficacy enhancement contributes to reduce distress and improve life quality.

ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate physical symptoms in renal transplant recipients as well as the correlation between self-efficacy and symptom distress.MethodsA total of 274 consecutive renal transplant recipients were enrolled using a convenience sampling method. The basic characteristics of renal transplant recipients were collected using a general situation questionnaire. Physical symptom distress and self-efficacy were assessed by the Kidney Transplant Questionnaire and the Perceived Health Competence Scale, respectively. Correlations between self-efficacy and symptom distress were analyzed using Spearman's rank correlation test.ResultsAmong 274 patients, 254 (92.7%) reported physical symptoms. Forgetfulness (29.56%), fatigue (28.1%), and tremor (27.37%) were the most frequent symptoms. The median score for the distress caused by physical symptoms was 5.33 (interquartile range, 4.29-6.33), suggesting that the perceived physical symptoms did not cause serious distress to patients overall. Uncertainty/fear was the most important factor affecting the quality of the life, whereas appearance seemed to be the factor that contributed least to a poor quality of life. The median self-efficacy of the participants was 27.0 (interquartile range, 24.0-30.0), suggesting a relatively high self-efficacy among kidney transplant recipients. There was a positive correlation between self-efficacy and symptom distress scores (rs = 0.33; P < .001).ConclusionsPatients are encouraged to enhance their self-efficacy with help and support from family and communities to reduce the level of distress and improve their quality of life.