Background

Haemodialysis is a life-saving but burdensome therapy for patients with end-stage renal disease, which can substantially impair health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and outcomes. The aim of this study was to determine the patterns of HRQOL and to identify the risk factors for reduced HRQOL in Palestinian patients receiving treatment by haemodialysis.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was done between June 15, 2014, and Jan 15, 2015, using the EuroQOL-5 Dimensions instrument (EQ-5D-5L) for the assessment of HRQOL. We approached patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing haemodialysis at inpatient hospitals from ten different settings at a national level. The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of An-Najah National University. Informed verbal consent was obtained from each participant before the start of the interview. Multiple linear regression was used to estimate which variables were significantly associated with reduced HRQOL.

Findings

267 (96%) of 277 eligible patients consented to participate. 139 (52%) participants were men, and the mean age was 53·3 years (SD 16·2). 177 (66%) patients had been treated by haemodialysis for less than 4 years. The reported HRQOL, as measured by mean EQ-5D-5L index value, was 0·37 (SD 0·44). We found a moderate positive correlation between the EuroQol-visual analogue scales and the EQ-5D-5L index value (r=0·44; p<0·0001). The results of a multiple linear regression showed a significant association between HRQOL and age (p=0·0011), female sex (p=0·0167), education level (p=0·0057), number of chronic medications (p=0·0493), and number of comorbid diseases (p=0·0001).

Interpretation

Our results provide insight into a number of associations between patient variables such as demographics, clinical factors, and their HRQOL. These findings should help raise health-care providers' awareness and improve the quality of life for patients receiving treatment by haemodialysis, especially those who have no formal education, are elderly, are female, are from refugee camps, or have multiple comorbid diseases or chronic medications.

العنوان

Lancet

الناشر

Elsevier

بلد الناشر

المملكة المتحدة

Indexing

Thomson Reuters

معامل التأثير

47,831

نوع المنشور

Both (Printed and Online)

المجلد

391

السنة

2018

الصفحات

S32