Uma M.A.1, Nagakiran K.V.2, Ashwin K.3, R. Lakshmi Visruja4
BACKGROUND
Anaemia is common among chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Quality of life
(QOL) is a broad multidimensional concept and many factors affect QOL in CKD
patients. This study attempted to measure QOL with varying levels of haemoglobin
in CKD patients.
METHODS
The present study was a descriptive cross-sectional study done on CKD patients
on maintenance haemodialysis (MHD) after ethical committee approval. All
patients aged more than 18 years on MHD for at least 3 months were enrolled in
the study. Patients were categorised into 4 separate groups as Hb 4 to < 6 g/dl,
6 to < 8 g/dl, 8 to < 10 g/dl and 10 - 12 g/dl. After obtaining informed consent,
participants were given the study questionnaire - kidney disease quality of life
(KDQOL) short form (SF - 36) TM V1 .2.
RESULTS
At different Hb levels, there were significant differences in the kidney symptom/
problem scores (P = 0.000), the burden of kidney disease scores (P = 0.000), the work
satisfaction scores (P = 0.014) and the cognitive function scores (P = 0.000). About
SF - 36, all of the physical domains were significantly different: physical function
scores (P = 0.000), role physical scores (P = 0.045), pain scores (P = 0.000) and
general health component scores (P = 0.004) at different Hb levels. For mental
domain components, the differences between four groups of Hb levels were
significant in the variety of quality of life domains: emotional wellbeing score (P
= 0.006), role emotion scores (0.000), social function scores (P = 0.000) and
energy/fatigue scores (0.026).
CONCLUSIONS
KDQOL, SF - 36 showed that the QOL scores are strongly related to Hb
concentrations. The higher scores in various quality of life domains were mostly
associated with higher Hb levels in the KDQOL - SF scores. Efforts to optimize
haemoglobin in CKD patients may show QOL improvement.
