Anxiety Levels in Living Liver Donors

May 21, 2026 updated by: Zekine Begec, Inonu University

Evaluation of Preoperative and Postoperative Anxiety in Living Liver Donors

Anxiety is a state of worry and apprehension caused by internal and external threats. High preoperative anxiety levels have been associated with increased anesthetic requirements, higher morbidity, and mortality rates. In adult patients undergoing various surgical procedures, preoperative anxiety rates have been reported to range from 11% to 80%. Most studies show that postoperative anxiety levels are related to preoperative anxiety levels. In patients undergoing general anesthesia, anxiety levels increase a few days after surgery as issues related to recovery and pain become apparent. Patients with high postoperative anxiety levels have also been reported to have a higher rate of medical complications.

Study Overview

Status

Enrolling by invitation

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Liver transplantation is the only treatment for end-stage liver disease. The shortage of organ donations is leading clinicians to increasingly perform transplants from living donors. The biggest concern in living-donor liver transplantation is donor safety.

Liver donors undergo a major surgical operation that offers no medical benefit to them. The procedure can involve not only a physical but also a psychological burden. Given this situation, protecting both the physical and psychological health of liver donors is essential.

Anxiety studies primarily focus on organ transplant recipients However, the quality of life of donors and psychological conditions such as anxiety and depression are attracting increasing attention in the field of organ transplantation today. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment 2018:14 1999-2005 A literature review revealed that there are limited studies investigating how donors are affected during the transplantation process in living-donor liver transplantation.

The aim of our study is to determine the preoperative and postoperative anxiety levels of donors in living donor liver transplantation and to identify possible conditions that may be associated with anxiety.

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

100

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sampling Method

Probability Sample

Study Population

Living liver donors

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • ASA 1-2 group patients aged 18-65 years who are liver transplant donors

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients with communication problems, those who are illiterate,
  • Patients do not have sufficient time for the tests,
  • Patients using sedatives, antidepressants, or antiepileptic drugs,
  • Patients with cerebrovascular or psychiatric diseases,
  • Patients with alcohol or substance addiction,
  • Patients who do not want or cannot undergo the second test

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Intervention / Treatment
Living liver donors
Liver transplant donors who will undergo surgery between May and July 2026
Behavioral: Anxiety scores
Anxiety scores will evaluated STAI test. The STAI test consists of two sections of 20 questions each. The first section of the test includes questions about how the person feels at that moment. Answers are given on a scale of 4 points. For example: I am calm right now: not at all=1, a little=2, a lot=3, completely=4. The second section of the test includes questions about how the person feels in general and is also answered on a scale of 4 points.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Anxiety Scores
Time Frame: From 24 hours prior to the operation to postoperative 3. day and 7. day
The STAI test is a questionnaire comprising two, 20-item scales used to measure state and trait anxiety. The anxiety levels of LLDs will be evaluated by using the STAI. The STAI-State (STAI-S) form will be use to measure the current anxiety level. The test includes questions about how the person feels at that moment. Answers are given on a scale of 4 points. For example: I am calm right now: not at all=1, a little=2, a lot=3, completely=4. The STAI-Trait (STAI-T) form will be use to measure the underlying (ongoing/personality) anxiety level of the patient. The test includes questions about how the person feels in general and is also answered on a scale of 4 points. Each patient will complete these forms preoperatively and postoperatively. The mean (total) score on the STAI has a minimum of 20 and a maximum of 80. The STAI scores are generally classified as no anxiety or low anxiety (score of 20-37), moderate anxiety (score of 38-44), and high anxiety (score of 45-80).
From 24 hours prior to the operation to postoperative 3. day and 7. day

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Presence of an alternative donor
Time Frame: Prior to the operation
The relationship between the presence or absence of an alternative donor and donors anxiety scores will be evaluated. This will be defined as "alternative donor available" or "alternative donor not available."
Prior to the operation
Recipient Prognosis
Time Frame: at the postoperative 3. day and 7. day
The relationship between the recipients prognosis and donors anxiety scores will be evaluated. This will be defined as the recipient living or not living
at the postoperative 3. day and 7. day

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Inonu University

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Zekine Begeç, professor, Inonu University Department of Anesthesia

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

May 4, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

July 15, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

July 30, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

April 29, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 4, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

May 8, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

May 22, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 21, 2026

Last Verified

May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • Anxiety

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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