title: Health related quality of life in Iranian hemodialysis patients with viral hepatitis: changing epidemiology.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There are surprisingly a few studies that evaluate the impact of chronic viral hepatitis, which is common in HD (hemodialysis) patients, on HRQOL (health related quality of life).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We conducted a study to evaluate the impact of chronic viral hepatitis on HRQOL and to compare their HRQOL with non-infected HD patients via a HRQOL questionnaire.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Iranian adapted version of the Kidney Disease Quality of Life Short Form (KDQOL-SF) version 1.3 questionnaires were filled out by the HD patients. In all HD patients, serum HBsAg, HBS Abs, and HCV Abs [enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA)] were routinely checked every six months. Patients were considered to have chronic HBV infection if HBsAg was positive for more than six months. In all HD patients, third generation assay was used to detect HCV infection. Furthermore, serum HCV-RNA (PCR) was examined in anti-HCV-positive patients for confirmation of HCV infection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  in this cross sectional study 4101 patients from 103 dialysis units in Iran between October 2010 and August 2011 were included. Prevalence of hepatitis B and hepatitis C infection was 2.1% and 1.3% respectively. Almost all KDQOL items for viral hepatitis patients had equivalent or better scores than those without viral hepatitis. In the logistic regression after adjustment for age, sex, educational level, marital status, dialysis vintage, HBs Ag positivity and HCV Ab positivity, only age (P < 0.001) and educational level (P = 0.015) had negative impact on quality of life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data show that not only general health and physical activity were preserved but also health perception may be better among HD patients with viral hepatitis.
authors.affiliation: Nephrology and Urology Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Zohreh
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Rostami
authors.forename: Mahboob
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lessan Pezeshki
authors.forename: Azam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Soleimani Najaf Abadi
authors.forename: Behzad
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Einollahi
keywords: Hemodialysis; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis C; Viral Hepatitis
references.citation: J Nephrol. 2008 Mar-Apr;21 Suppl 13:S54-8
references.pmid: 18446733
references.citation: Int J Artif Organs. 2009 Aug;32(8):473-81
references.pmid: 19844890
references.citation: Hepatology. 2008 Apr;47(4):1108-17
references.pmid: 18318043
references.citation: J Am Soc Nephrol. 2008 Dec;19(12):2288-92
references.pmid: 18684893
references.citation: J Clin Nurs. 2006 Apr;15(4):498-504
references.pmid: 16553764
references.citation: Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2008 Nov;3(6):1759-68
references.pmid: 18832106
references.citation: Hepat Mon. 2012 May;12(5):315-9
references.pmid: 22783342
references.citation: Iran J Kidney Dis. 2010 Oct;4(4):345
references.pmid: 20852380
references.citation: Turk J Gastroenterol. 2009 Dec;20(4):243-6
references.pmid: 20084566
references.citation: Indian J Nephrol. 2012 Jul;22(4):319-20
references.pmid: 23162283
references.citation: Nephrol Dial Transplant. 2010 Sep;25(9):3050-62
references.pmid: 20392706
references.citation: Qual Life Res. 2005 Apr;14(3):875-82
references.pmid: 16022079
references.citation: Qual Life Res. 2005 Feb;14(1):179-90
references.pmid: 15789952
references.citation: Curr Med Res Opin. 2007 Dec;23(12):2997-3008
references.pmid: 17958944
references.citation: Hepat Mon. 2012 Jul;12(7):463-4
references.pmid: 23008728
references.citation: Hepat Mon. 2012 May;12(5):339-43
references.pmid: 22783346
references.citation: J Viral Hepat. 2009 Sep;16(9):605-11
references.pmid: 19674284
references.citation: Nat Rev Nephrol. 2010 Jul;6(7):395-403
references.pmid: 20386560
references.citation: J Am Soc Nephrol. 2008 Dec;19(12):2248-50
references.pmid: 19020002
references.citation: Hemodial Int. 2008 Jul;12(3):378-82
references.pmid: 18638096
references.citation: Hemodial Int. 2009 Jan;13(1):62-71
references.pmid: 19210280
references.citation: Hepat Mon. 2011 Mar;11(3):178-81
references.pmid: 22087139
references.citation: J Med Virol. 2008 May;80(5):808-15
references.pmid: 18360894
references.citation: Int Urol Nephrol. 2009 Dec;41(4):1011-9
references.pmid: 19430922