Evaluation quality of life and related factors in patients on hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis and renal transplantation

Introduction and aim: Being increasingly a worldwide important health problem, chronic renal failure (CRF) affects the quality of life of individuals negatively. There are two major points in the treatment of end-stage renal failure. While the first one is to extend the life expectancy of patients, the second one is to provide a better quality of life. In this study, the aim is to determine the quality of life levels in patients who are on hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD) therapy and performed renal transplantation (TP), and to reveal the differences in terms of their impact on quality of life and to evaluate the impact of socio-demographic characteristics, clinical and laboratory conditions on the quality of life in those group patients. Materials and Methods: 90 HD, 39 PD and 66 TP patients being followed up and treated in Dicle University Hospital were evaluated. Additionally, 50 healthy individuals were examined in order to create a control group (CG). Data were obtained by using socio-demographic data forms (questions, involving socio-demographic characteristics and disease-specific features) and SF-36 Quality of Life Scale questionnaire. Results: Quality of life questionnaires were found to be in a better level in CG and TP group compared with PD and HD group, and also quality of life questionnaires were found to be in a better level in PD group compared with HD group (p <0.05). In HD patients; female gender, older age, low education level, poor economic status, comorbidity, having health insurance except for low health insurance card, increase of blood potassium (K), phosphor (P), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatine levels, and decrease of blood albumin, hemoglobin levels, in PD patients; female gender, older age, being married, having a profession, disease duration (to be CRF patient for a long time), low Kt / V ratio, decrease of blood albumin levels, increase of parathyroid hormone values, and in transplant patients; female gender, older age, low education level, short transplant period, increase of blood P, K, creatine levels, decrease of blood albumin, hemoglobin, and hematocrit levels were poor prognostic factors. Conclusion: There are many factors affecting the quality of life in the treatment of end-stage renal failure. The studies investigating the different factors and involving large patient models will shed light on the treatments to be applied. Key words: Quality of life, end-stage renal failure, hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, renal transplantation