title: Comparison of quality of life in hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients.
abstract: This study was designed to compare severity of illness and quality of life variables in chronic peritoneal dialysis (PD) and hemodialysis (HD) patients. The patient sample consisted of 63 PD patients (38 male, 25 female; mean age 54.5 years) and 35 HD patients (23 male, 12 female; mean age 54.9 years). Disease severity was greater in in-center HD patients than in PD patients (p < 0.008), although there were no significant differences in functional status as measured by the Karnofsky Index between HD patients (68.6 +/- 2.3) and PD patients (71.9 +/- 1.7). While both patient groups reported the same number of overall physical symptoms. HD patients reported significantly greater overall discomfort from symptoms than PD patients (p < 0.008). In terms of psychological adjustment, analyses revealed that 22 PD patients (36.7%) and 9 HD patients (25.7%) were classified as clinically depressed. PD patients reported higher anxiety scores than HD patients (p < 0.02) and lower positive mood scores (p < 0.021). HD patients were more severely ill and appeared to suffer from physical symptomatology to a greater degree than PD patients, although they were not more impaired in terms of functional status. Moreover, HD patients showed better psychological adjustment along several dimensions when compared to PD patients. One reason for this finding may be that PD patients experience greater distress, and isolation due to a lack of social support from similar others and medical staff in comparison to in-center HD patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, State University of New York, Stony Brook.
authors.forename: K W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Griffin
authors.forename: N K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Wadhwa
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Friend
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Howell
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cabralda
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jao
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hatchett
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Eitel
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017567:Karnofsky Performance Status; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010530:Peritoneal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects; D011788:Quality of Life; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects; D012720:Severity of Illness Index