Are both psychological and physical dimensions in health-related quality of life associated with mortality in hemodialysis patients: a 7-year Taiwan cohort study.
BACKGROUND
Psychological depression and physical disability are closely correlated in hemodialysis patients. A retrospective cohort study was conducted to examine the independent association of physical and psychological functioning with mortality in a hemodialysis cohort in Taiwan.


METHODS
A total of 888 stable hemodialysis patients were included. Patients completed two questionnaires: the 36-item Short Form Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-36, Taiwan Standard Version 1.0) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI, Chinese Version). Mortality outcomes were recorded for a seven-year follow-up period.


RESULTS
There were 303 deaths recorded. BDI scores were inversely related to all health-related quality of life (HRQoL) domains (p < 0.001). In the Cox-proportional hazard model, only poor physical dimension of HRQoL was independently associated with higher mortality.


CONCLUSIONS
Poor physical dimension in HRQoL is a strong predictor of mortality among hemodialysis patients in Taiwan. Psychological depression is closely correlated with poor HRQoL but does not predict mortality.
Peng
Yu-Sen
YS
Department of Internal Medicine, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, Taiwan, ROC.
Chiang
Chih-Kang
CK
Hung
Kung-Yu
KY
Chang
Chung-Hsin
CH
Lin
Chien-Yu
CY
Yang
Chwei-Shiun
CS
Chen
Tzen-Wen
TW
Hsia
Ching-Chih
CC
Chen
Da-Lung
DL
Hsu
Wen-Ding
WD
Chang
Chao-Fu
CF
Wu
Kwan-Dun
KD
Lin
Ru-Ping
RP
Tsai
Tun-Jun
TJ
Chen
Wang-Yu
WY
D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010809:Physical Fitness; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000401:mortality* / Q000523:psychology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires