title: Relationships between appetite and quality of life in hemodialysis patients.
abstract: The aim of this paper was to investigate the association between appetite and kidney-disease specific quality of life in maintenance hemodialysis patients. Quality of life (QoL) was measured using the kidney disease quality of life survey. Appetite was measured using self-reported categories and a visual analog scale. Other nutritional parameters included Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PGSGA), dietary intake, body mass index and biochemical markers C-reactive protein and albumin. Even in this well nourished sample (n=62) of hemodialysis patients, PGSGA score (r=-0.629), subjective hunger sensations (r=0.420) and body mass index (r=-0.409) were all significantly associated with the physical health domain of QoL. As self-reported appetite declined, QoL was significantly lower in nine domains which were mostly in the SF36 component and covered social functioning and physical domains. Appetite and other nutritional parameters were not as strongly associated with the Mental Health domain and Kidney Disease Component Summary Domains. Nutritional parameters, especially PGSGA score and appetite, appear to be important components of the physical health domain of QoL. As even small reductions in nutritional status were associated with significantly lower QoL scores, monitoring appetite and nutritional status is an important component of care for hemodialysis patients.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation/School of Public Health, Victoria Park Road, Kelvin Grove 4059, Australia. rachelzabel50@gmail.com
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zabel
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ash
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Juffs
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bauer
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001066:Appetite; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000523:psychology*; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D012709:Serum Albumin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein