Abstract

CAPOTE LEYVA, Eliseo; CASAMAYOR LAIME, Zuleika  and  CASTANER MORENO, Juan. Quality of life and depression in elderly patients on renal replacement therapy. Rev Cub Med Mil [online]. 2012, vol.41, n.3, pp.237-247. ISSN 0138-6557.

Introduction: recent years have witnessed an increase in the number of elderly patients on renal replacement therapy. This is due to technical and scientific advances which permit to offer these patients a more tolerable treatment than a few decades before. Objective: evaluate quality of life and depression in this group of patients. Methods: an observational descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 60 patients aged 60 and over cared for at the Haemodialysis and Peritoneal Dialysis Service of Dr. Carlos J. Finlay Central Military Hospital. The Karnofsky index and the Hamilton depression scale were used to evaluate quality of life and depression, respectively. Results: 44 % of all the patients studied were elderly persons. 60 % had good quality of life and 76.6% presented clinical manifestations of depression. Statistically significant results were obtained when relating quality of life and depression (Pearson's X² = 6.087; p = 0.014; OR = 2.091). The intensity of depression also showed a relationship to quality of life (Pearson's X² = 8.750 and p = 0.013). Conclusions: elderly persons constitute a considerable percentage of patients currently on renal replacement therapy, and most perceive their quality of life as good. Depression is very common among these patients, a fact that must be born in mind due to its influence on quality of life.

Keywords : quality of life; elderly person; haemodialysis; peritoneal dialysis; depression.

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