Quality of life and depression in haemodialysis patients

Chronic kidney disease is associated with a high prevalence of depression, which increases inversely with the glomerular filtration rate. This paper aims to evaluate the factors associated with a low quality of life and depression in patients on haemodialysis. Two hundred patients undergoing haemodialysis answered the Medical Outcomes Study 36 – Item Short – Form Health Survey (SF-36) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Clinical and laboratory variables were analysed and correlated with these two tools. The prevalence of depression was 29%. Anaemia and hypoalbuminemia were independent risk factors for depression. All SF-36 domains showed worse results in patients with depression, and the pain domain presented the highest correlation. Our findings provide evidence that patients on haemodialysis have a low quality of life and a high prevalence of depression. A greater number of comorbidities, an excessive number of medications, diabetes mellitus, anaemia and hypoalbuminemia were associated with a reduced quality of life.