Relationship between psychiatric disorders and quality of life in nondialysis patients with chronic kidney disease.

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between psychiatric disorders (anxiety and depression) and quality of life (QOL) in nondialysis patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

METHODS

QOL was evaluated in a sample of 57 nondialysis patients with CKD using the 36-item Short Form Health Survey questionnaire comprising 8 scales, including the physical component summary and mental component summary measures. Depression and anxiety were estimated using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, respectively.

RESULTS

Depression and anxiety scores were negatively correlated with 7 of the 8 scales of the Short Form 36 questionnaire, and with the physical component summary and mental component summary scores, despite 38.6% patients with depression and 54.4% with anxiety, whereas QOL in the depression group, the anxiety group, and the anxiety and depression comorbid group was lower than that for those without the corresponding psychiatric disorders (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates that depression and anxiety, commonly encountered in patients with CKD, could be a risk factor for QOL in these patients.