Quality of life in hemodialysis patients: hepatitis C virus infection makes sense.
OBJECTIVE
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection impairs quality of life (QOL) in patients who are not on dialysis therapy. In dialysis patients, how HCV infection affects QOL is unknown. In our study, we investigated the independent relationship between HCV infection and QOL.


METHODS
Sociodemographic and laboratory variables were recorded. Severity of depressive symptoms and QOL were assessed by Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Short Form-36 (SF-36), respectively.


RESULTS
Among 165 patients, 83 were anti-HCV antibody positive and 82 were anti-HCV antibody negative. Anti-HCV antibody positive patients had higher BDI scores than anti-HCV antibody negative patients (P = 0.011). Other than the social functioning subscale, all SF-36 subscales were lower in anti-HCV antibody positive patients when compared with anti-HCV negative patients. Anti-HCV antibody positive patients had lower physical (P = 0.003) and mental component summary scores (P = 0.018) than negative patients. Physical component summary score was independently associated with hemodialysis duration (P = 0.003), sleep disturbance (P = 0.046), BDI score (P = 0.027), albumin (P = 0.002), and serum hemoglobin (P < 0.0001). Physical component summary score was not associated with anti-HCV antibody positivity. Mental component summary score was independently associated with BDI score (P = 0.001), anti-HCV antibody positivity (P = 0.016), and serum hemoglobin (P < 0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
HCV infection impairs QOL, especially in mental aspects, in hemodialysis patients.
Afsar
Baris
B
Department of Nephrology, Baskent University Hospital, 3. Cadde 50. Sokak 9/8, 06500, Bahcelievler, Ankara, Turkey. afsarbrs@yahoo.com
Elsurer
Rengin
R
Sezer
Siren
S
Ozdemir
Nurhan F
NF
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D007677:Kidney Function Tests; D016014:Linear Models; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011336:Probability; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016019:Survival Analysis
D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies