[Quality of life of recently dialysed patients: the comparison of two pre-dialysis interventions].
BACKGROUND
Educational interventions and information for Acute Renal Failure patients delay dialysis and improve several outcomes (Hb values, blood pressure, complications).


METHODS
The Quality of Life (QoL) of patients referring to 12 North Italian dialysis centres was assessed with the SF-36 and compared between 5 centres that adopted a multidisciplinary educational approach (4-5 individual or multiprofessional group meetings of 45-60 minutes each, with patients and relatives) and 7 routine care. Patients were selected if had started a planned dialysis treatment from 2-6 months.


RESULTS
48 patients were cared with multiprofessional group meetings and with 51 routine care. The two groups were comparable for the main characteristics. On average, patients were on dialysis from 4 months. Mean scores for all dimensions of QoL were higher in multiprofessional group patients except for emotional role, but differences disappeared in multivariate analyses.


CONCLUSIONS
Although differences are not statistically significant, they suggest a favourable impact of multidisciplinary care. Studies on larger sample are necessary to confirm these results.
Beretta
Eleonora
E
Clinica Nefrologica, Dipartimento Medico e Pronto Soccorso, AO San Gerardo, Monza.
Di Mauro
Stefania
S
Galimberti
Stefania
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011788:Quality of Life; D006435:Renal Dialysis