title: Comparison of the psychosocial quality of life in hemodialysis patients between the elderly and non-elderly using a visual analogue scale: the importance of appetite and depressive mood.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The number of hemodialysis (HD) patients is increasing along with their mean age in Japan. The assessment of their psychosocial status and quality of life (QOL) is therefore becoming more and more important along with laboratory data or comorbidities.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined the psychosocial status of 211 HD patients (72 elderly and 139 non-elderly) and compared the difference between elderly and non-elderly patients using a visual analogue scale (VAS). We then examined how QOL affected mortality rate in 3-year prospective follow up. We assessed 10 items of QOL: health condition, appetite, sleep, mood, memory, family relationships, friendship, economical status, life satisfaction in daily life, and happiness with qualified self-evaluating questionnaires along with laboratory data and comorbidities. Furthermore, we investigated the correlation between the scores of mood and geriatric depression scale (GDS)-15.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no difference in VAS scores between elderly and non-elderly patients. Lower VAS scores for appetite and mood correlated with higher mortality in HD patients, especially in the non-elderly. VAS scores for mood correlated with GDS-15 in HD patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  More attention should be paid to appetite and the diagnosis and therapy of depressive mood to improve the prognosis of HD patients, especially for the non-elderly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Kyoto University Hospital, Kyoto, Japan. h-kanamori@live.jp
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kanamori
authors.forename: Kojiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nagai
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsubara
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mima
authors.forename: Motoko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yanagita
authors.forename: Noriyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Iehara
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takechi
authors.forename: Keiichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujimaki
authors.forename: Kazumasa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Usami
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fukatsu
authors.forename: Toru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kita
authors.forename: Kozo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsubayashi
authors.forename: Hidenori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Arai
mesh_terms: D000339:Affect; D000368:Aged; D001066:Appetite; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires