Resumen

CAPOTE LEYVA, Eliseo; CASAMAYOR LAIME, Zuleika  y  CASTANER MORENO, Juan. Laboratories variables as indicators of quality of life in elderly under substitution treatment of renal function. Rev Cub Med Mil [online]. 2010, vol.39, n.3-4, pp. 237-246. ISSN 1561-3046.

INTRODUCTION: In past years there was an increase of elderly under substitution treatment of renal function. The scientific-technical advances offer to these patients a more tolerable treatment than those of pas years. OBJECTIVE: To determine the relation of quality of life with some serum variables present in this group of patients. METHODS: A cross-sectional, descriptive and observational study was conducted in patients aged 60 or more from the hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis Service of the "Carlos J. Finlay" Central and Military Hospital. To assess the quality of life the Karnofsky Index and an average of the last three months of laboratory variables: hematocrit, urea, calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, cholesterol, triglycerides, total proteins and albumin. RESULTS: from the total of patients seen, the 44% was elderly. The 60% had a good quality of life. The low total proteins (X2 + 5,0; p = 0,025, OR = 3,0) and the low albumin (X2 = 9,0; p = 0,003; OR = 3,571) were related to a poor quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the elderly persons under substitution treatment of the renal function have a good quality of life. The total proteins and the low proteins, as a expression of a inappropriate nutrition, were associated with a poor quality of life.

Palabras clave : Quality of life; elderly; serum variables; hemodialysis; peritoneal dialysis.