Initiation of renal replacement therapy impacts HRQoL

(HealthDay)—The initiation of renal replacement therapy (RRT) impacts health-related quality of life (HRQL) among patients with end-stage kidney disease, according to a study published online Feb. 27 in the Journal of Renal Care.

Ana Rebollo Rubio, from the Carlos Haya Regional University Hospital in Málaga, Spain, and colleagues examined HRQL and psychological status at the start of RRT in an observational descriptive study. Data were included for 152 patients starting RRT.

The researchers found that initiation of RRT significantly affected HRQL in patients with end-stage kidney disease in all respects. Overall, 26.6 and 27 percent of patients experienced states of anxiety and depression, respectively. There was a significant association for these states with the emotional component of quality of life.

"The initiation of RRT has a strong impact on HRQL in comparison with a reference population and with other stages of chronic kidney disease," the authors write. "The early detection of an altered psychological state is important, as this condition should be treated from the first stages of the disease, as it can significantly affect the subsequent development of RRT and the patient's quality of life."