title: Health-related quality of life, treatment efficacy, and hemodialysis patient outcome.
abstract: The aim of the study was to examine the influence of improved treatment of hemodialysis (HD) patients on their health-related quality of life (HrQoL) and to assess the predictive value of HrQoL dimensions on patient outcome. The prospective cohort study involved 102 HD patients, and their clinical and laboratory parameters and HD adequacy indices were followed from 2001 to 2007. HrQoL was measured using KDQOL-SF Version 1.3 in 2001, 2004, and 2007. During a six-year period, quality of HD and anemia treatment improved and resulted in significant increase of mean Kt/V (1.2-1.56) and hemoglobin levels (86.5-115.6 g/L). All four HrQoL dimensions (i.e., physical, mental health, kidney disease target issues, and patient satisfaction) remained unchanged, but significant improvement in several HrQoL physical health domains and the effects of kidney disease domain was found. Mortality rate decreased from 18.6% to 7.14% per year. Age was associated positively, but kidney disease target issue score negatively, with patient death. Improved HD adequacy and anemia treatment in HD patients were followed with maintenance of all four HrQoL dimensions unchanged over six years. Moreover, an improvement in several physical health domains and the effects of kidney disease domain was found. Age and kidney disease target issue appeared as significant predictors of patients' death.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia. dst@eunet.yu
authors.forename: Sanja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Simic-Ogrizovic
authors.forename: Tamara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jemcov
authors.forename: Svetlana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pejanovic
authors.forename: Milan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stosovic
authors.forename: Milan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Radovic
authors.forename: Ljubica
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Djukanovic
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000401:mortality / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011788:Quality of Life; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult