Psychosocial factors and quality of life in young hemodialysis patients with low comorbidity.
BACKGROUND
The current predominance of older patients, diabetic patients and high-comorbidity patients among the hemodialysis (HD) population has probably influenced the definition of the effects of renal disease on health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and these effects can be different in the patient subgroup without these characteristics. This multicenter study aimed to assess HRQOL in non-diabetic HD patients, aged < 65 yrs and with low comorbidity, and to study the effects of the demographic, clinical and psychosocial characteristics on their HRQOL.


METHODS
117 patients from 43 Spanish HD centers participated in the study. Patients completed the Kidney Disease Quality of Life Short-Form questionnaire (KDQOL-SF) and screening for depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms and social support. Various sociodemographic and clinical variables were also recorded.


RESULTS
HD patients' HRQOL showed a profile similar to that of the general HD population, with low physical health scores, but normal mental health scores. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that gender, older age, non-working status, low social support and low levels of hemoglobin (Hb), Kt/V or protein catabolic rate (PCR), had a negative effects, but these effects were of relatively small magnitude and appeared only in some scales. The most important independent predictors of HRQOL were anxiety state and depressive symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
In non-diabetic HD patients, aged < or = 65 yrs and with low comorbidity, psychological factors (anxiety state and depressive symptoms) are crucial HRQOL determinants. These variables should be considered when assessing HRQOL in HD patients with these demographic and clinical characteristics.
Vázquez
Isabel
I
Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, Psychology Faculty, Santiago de Compostela, Spain. lbolanosc@senefro.org
Valderrábano
Fernando
F
Jofré
Rosa
R
Fort
Joan
J
López-Gómez
Juan M
JM
Moreno
Fuensanta
F
Sanz-Guajardo
Dámaso
D
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000523:psychology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013030:Spain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires