Explore Ways To Improve The Quality Of Life Of Patients With Peritoneal Dialysis

Objective: To analyze the factors influencing quality of life in order to explore the possible ways to improve quality of life in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. Method: 90 patients who had received peritoneal dialysis for at least 3 months were enrolled in this study. Subjective quality of life, quality of sleep, and somatic symptoms were collected. Karnofsky scores reflecting objective quality of life or health status were evaluated by primary nurses. Depression was estimated by Hamilton Depression Rating Scale that includes 17 items. Comorbidity was also measured by Charlson Cormobidity Index (CCI). We also evaluated dialysis adequacy as assessed by Kt/Vurea, and corresponding biochemical parameters. Results: Subjective quality of life was positively correlated with age, somatic symptoms, and quality of sleep, and negatively correlated with depression scores. There was a negative correlation between objective quality of life and duration of dialysis, CCI and depression scores.Multiple linear regressions were also performed separately for subjective and objective quality of life. The results indicated that age, depression, somatic symptoms, and quality of sleep were significant predictors of subjective quality of life. In contrast, the significant predictors of objective quality of life were depression, CCI and somatic symptoms.Conclusion: The results of this study has demonstrated that depression and somatic symptoms are the factors threatening quality of life in dialysis patients. In order to improve quality of life, rehabilitation intervention and medical intervention should be viewed as equally important.