Increased psychosocial risk, depression and reduced quality of life living with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease.
The psychosocial impact of living with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is poorly understood. In this study, we assessed the overall quality of life (QOL), mood, perceived social support and psychosocial risk of having a diagnosis of ADPKD in a patient cohort from a major UK nephrology centre serving a large catchment population.



A postal questionnaire was sent to 349 patients registered at the Sheffield Kidney Institute with chronic kidney disease but not on renal replacement therapy (RRT). The questionnaire incorporated three validated forms: kidney disease quality-of-life short form (KDQOL SF1.3) to assess QOL; nine-item patient health questionnaire (PHQ9) to screen for depression; multidimensional scale of perceived social support (MSPSS) to evaluate perceived social support; as well as a novel genetic psychosocial risk instrument (GPRI-ADPKD) designed to study the specific psychosocial impact of coping with a diagnosis of ADPKD.



The overall response rate was 53%. Patients with a lower estimated glomerular filtration rate (<30 mL/min) or larger kidneys (mean length on ultrasound ≥17 cm) reported reduced QOL and increased psychosocial risk. Clinically significant depression was reported in 22% and 62% felt guilty about passing ADPKD on to their children. In multivariate analysis, female gender was associated with overall poorer psychosocial well-being, whereas increasing age, lower kidney function, larger kidneys and loss of a first degree relative from ADPKD were additional risk factors for QOL, depression or psychosocial risk, respectively.



Our results reveal a significantly poorer QOL and increasing psychosocial risk with markers of disease progression in patients, particularly women, with ADPKD prior to starting RRT. The future management strategy of ADPKD should address these issues and provide for better individual and family support throughout the patient journey.
Kidney Genetics Group, Academic Unit of Nephrology, Department of Infection and Immunity, University of Sheffield Medical School, Sheffield, UK Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield Kidney Institute, Sheffield, UK.
Roslyn J
RJ
Simms
Kidney Genetics Group, Academic Unit of Nephrology, Department of Infection and Immunity, University of Sheffield Medical School, Sheffield, UK Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield Kidney Institute, Sheffield, UK Present address: Medical Department, Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun, Ipoh, Malaysia.
Kah Mean
KM
Thong
Kidney Genetics Group, Academic Unit of Nephrology, Department of Infection and Immunity, University of Sheffield Medical School, Sheffield, UK Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield Kidney Institute, Sheffield, UK Present address: Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
Gabriel C
GC
Dworschak
Kidney Genetics Group, Academic Unit of Nephrology, Department of Infection and Immunity, University of Sheffield Medical School, Sheffield, UK Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield Kidney Institute, Sheffield, UK.
Albert C M
AC
Ong
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016891:Polycystic Kidney, Autosomal Dominant / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
ADPKD; depression; eGFR; psychosocial risk; quality of life; social support