title: Influence of frailty on health-related quality of life in pre-dialysis patients with chronic kidney disease in Korea: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a progressive and lifelong condition with multiple medical comorbidities. Patients with CKD experience frailty more frequently and have lower health-related quality of life than do those with other chronic diseases. The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of frailty and investigate the contribution of frailty to quality of life in pre-dialysis CKD patients in Korea.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a cross-sectional survey design, data were collected at an outpatient CKD clinic in a general hospital in Korea. The frailty criterion was modified from previous studies. The Short Form-36 Health Survey version 2 was used to measure physical and mental component summary scores. Data were analyzed using chi-square, t-tests, and hierarchical linear regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 168 CKD patients, 63 (37.5 %) were frail. Frail patients were significantly older and had lower physical and mental quality of life than those who were non-frail. In hierarchical regression evaluating the influence of frailty on physical and mental quality of life, the initial model was significantly improved when frailty was included. Frail patients had lower physical and mental quality of life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Frailty affected both physical and mental quality of life in pre-dialysis patients with CKD. More attention should be paid to the potential role of early detection and prevention of frailty to improve patients' quality of life.
authors.affiliation: Red Cross College of Nursing, Chung-Ang University, 84 Heukseok-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, South Korea. lsj1109@cau.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Suk Jeong
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Red Cross College of Nursing, Chung-Ang University, 84 Heukseok-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, South Korea. hson@cau.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Heesook
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Son
authors.affiliation: National Health Insurance Cooperation Ilsan Hospital Clinical Professor, Yonsei University Medical College, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Sug Kyun
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Shin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011788:Quality of Life; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D051436:Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D056910:Republic of Korea; D055815:Young Adult