[Comparing quality of life in dialysis patients and patients after kidney transplantation: a questionnaire survey].

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to determine and compare quality of life in patients with chronic kidney failure treated with dialysis and those after kidney transplantation. METHODS AND RESULTS: The group comprised 199 patients with chronic kidney failure (99 dialysis patients and 100 patients after kidney transplantation). Data were collected using the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire for assessing quality of life. Patients after kidney transplantation had statistically significantly higher quality of life scores in all domains than dialysis patients (p < 0.001). When compared with the general population, patients after transplantation showed lower quality of life only in the physical health domain (p < 0.001) and separate item measuring satisfaction with health (p < 0.01). Dialysis patients had lower quality of life than the normal population in all domains and separate items, the only exception being the environment domain(p < 0.001). Dialysis patients quality of life significantly decreased in all domains with time from the initiation of dialysis therapy (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Information about QoL of patients with renal failure treated by different approaches may help both doctors and patients and their families when making decisions about therapy selection.