Quality of life in heart transplant candidates.

Objective: To assess the quality of life of patients with refractory heart failure disease as candidates for heart transplant.

Methods: A transversal, descriptive and prospective study with 18 adult patients, with mean age of 52 years under pre-transplantation outpatient follow-up at educational and public hospital in São Paulo town. The quality of life was assessed by reference to 'The Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short-Form Health Survey' (SF-36) generic questionnaire in order to assess the aspects in relation to the function, dysfunction, physical and emotional uneasiness.

Characterization of the patients' caregivers on the waiting list for heart transplant at UNIFESP.

Objectives: To identify and describe the main caregiver of the patients on the heart transplant waiting list; to compare relevant information provided by patients and caregivers, and to classify the caregivers according to their dedication and efficiency in assisting the patient by correlating them to sociodemographic data.

Methods: Descriptive study performed from October 2004 to October 2005 at UNIFESP outpatient clinics. The study sample consisted of 21 patients and their caregivers.