The quality of life in diabetic hemodialysis patients
THE AIM: to compare the quality of life (QOL) in hemodialysis (HD) patients with diabetes and without it and to evaluate the impact of diabetes on QOL variables. PATIENTS AND METHODS. 192 prevalent HD patients completed the Kidney Disease Quality of Life Short Form (KDQOL-SF™) questionnaire. Of these, 23 patients had diabetes. RESULTS. Compared with non-diabetic HD patients, HD patients with diabetes scored lower on physical component of QOL: the Physical functioning scale - 30.0 (10.0-45.0) vs 65.0 (40.0-80.0) (Me[IQR]), p<0.0001; Bodily pain - 45.0 (32.5-67.5) vs 57.5 (45.0-90.0), p=0.046; Physical Component Summary (PCS) - 25.4 (20.5-35.3) vs 36.6 (29.8-44.5), p<0.0001. In the presence of diabetes, the Odds Ratio (95% CI) of the Role Physical scale score being below 50 were 6.7 (1.5-29.6) times higher than in the absence of diabetes. The Vitality scale score was also lower in diabetic HD patients: 40.0 (25.0-45.0) vs 45.0 (35.0-60.0), p=0.006. Regarding the dialysis-specific scales, diabetic patients had poorer scores than non-diabetics on Symptoms/problems - 64.6 (58.3-70.8) vs 75.0 (62.5-85.4), p=0.012 and Sleep - 47.5 (35.0-62.5) vs 57.5 (45.0-72.5), p=0.012. In the presence of diabetes, the Odds Ratio (95% CI) of the Work status scale score being below 50 were 7.8 (1.8-34.3) times higher than in the absence of diabetes. CONCLUSION. Diabetic HD patients scored significantly lower than non-diabetic on the scales of self-reported physical health, Vitality, Symptoms/problems, Sleep and Work status.