Anxiety, depression, and quality of life in patients with familial glomerulonephritis or autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease.

INTRODUCTION

Psychological aspects and quality of life are often evaluated in patients under renal replacement therapy, but studies about anxiety, depression, and quality of life in familial renal diseases are lacking.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the frequency of anxiety, depression, and quality of life (QOL) and their eventual associations with the main laboratory, clinical, socioeconomic, and cultural parameters in familial glomerulonephritis (GN) or autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD).

METHODS

Ninety adult patients (52 familial GN and 38 ADPKD) completed the questionnaires of State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and QOL-Short-Form SF-36, and were also submitted to a short interview.

RESULTS

Moderate anxiety was detected in both groups. Depression was found in 34.6% of familial GN and 60.5% of ADPKD patients. Anxiety and depression were more associated with female gender in familial GN, and with poorer schooling in ADPKD. Patients of both groups presented two quality of life unfavorable dimensions: emotional role function and general health perception. In addition, quality of life was worse among females, unmarried, and Caucasian subjects, and those individuals with a poorer educational level.

CONCLUSION

The use of these instruments allows one to appreciate the frequency and levels of anxiety, depression, and quality of life in patients with familial renal diseases that could affect their compliance to treatment. These findings can contribute to planning a better multidisciplinary assistance to such groups of patients.