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We know that pain has far-reaching detrimental effects across various life-domains and also affects health related quality of life after solid organ transplantation. However, the extent to which heart recipients experience chronic bodily pain in the years after heart transplantation is a neglected field. Pain is reported to be a major problem after other types of solid organ transplantation. Neither the prevalence nor consequences of chronic pain after heart transplantation have been fully explored or understood. Therefore, the aim was to present a multidimensional assessment of self-reported pain one to five years after heart transplantation and its relationship with transplant specific well-being. This nationwide, cross-sectional cohort study is part of the Self-management after thoracic transplantation study. A total of 79 heart recipients, who were due for their annual follow-up at one (n=28), two (n=17), three (n=11), four (n=17) and five years (n=5) after heart transplantation were included. We used three instruments; the Pain-O-Meter (POM), which provides information about pain intensity, sensation, location and duration and the Organ Transplant Symptom and Wellbeing Instrument (OTSWI) and the Psychological General Wellbeing Instrument. The overall prevalence of pain was 57% after 1 year, 76 % after 2 years, 73 % after 3 years, 35 % after 4 years and 50 % after 5 years. Women experienced higher pain intensity than men. The three most common pain locations were feet, back and legs. Heart recipients with pain reported lower transplant specific and psychological well-being as well as higher symptom distress from other symptoms than pain. Those who was back to work reported less pain than those not working. Heart recipients with high general fatigue reported more pain than those less fatigued and there was a relationship between general fatigue, physical fatigue, reduced activity and total pain intensity score. The more fatigue the more pain. Chronic bodily pain up to 5 years after heart transplantation reduces perceived well-being. Heart recipients with pain report higher symptom distress than those without pain. Screening for pain, especially among female heart recipients should be mandatory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perceived Threat of the Risk of Graft Rejection (PTRGR) is prominent in organ transplant recipients' lives. When asked about what they fear most, the commonest response is graft rejection. A reasonable assumption is that this perceived threat is also relevant for heart recipients and involves various psychological reactions, such as efforts to cope with the perceived threat. There are no published data on heart recipients' PTRGR. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to explore the perceived threat of the risk of graft rejection and its relationship to psychological general well-being and self-efficacy one to five years after heart transplantation. A total of 79 heart recipients due for their yearly follow-up one to fiveyears after heart transplantation were included. The key instrument used was the Perceived Threat of the Risk of Graft Rejection (PTGR) covering three factors. The meaning of the first factor, graft-related threat (GRT), is a perception that the primary disease will return, leaving one as ill as before the transplantation and facing re-transplantation. The second factor, intrusive anxiety (IA), means being constantly aware of the risk of graft rejection and thinking about it all the time. It also means experiencing great anxiety, which is elevated when taking immunosuppressive medication or undergoing a biopsy. Finally, the third factor, lack of control (LOC), involves perceptions that the threat of the risk of graft rejection is beyond one's control, revealing the degree of belief that one can control and protect oneself from the threat. Additional instruments used were the Psychological General Well-being (PGWB) and Self-efficacy in chronic illness. Heart recipients younger than 50 years reported more graft related threat than those older than 50 years. Further, those who had experienced one or more graft rejection reported less graft related threat. Patients with good psychological well-being reported both less intrusive anxiety and higher control than those with poor psychological well-being. Fear of graft rejection, especially intrusive anxiety seems related to psychological general well-being after heart transplantation. Successful experience from graft rejection might reduce the graft related threat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]