Health-related Quality of life in Patients on Hemodialysis Compared to Peritoneal Dialysis: A cross-sectional Study

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with chronic renal diseases is an important factor for physicians to select a dialysis modality. The present study aimed to compare the HRQoL in hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients.

In this cross-sectional study, a sample of HD patients and a sample of age- and sex-matched PD patients with at least six months dialysis were recruited. Then, the quality of life was assessed using the Short Form Health survey (SF-36). Demographic and disease-related information was also recorded. Then, data were analyzed using the SPSS software (ver. 21).

Totally, 172 HD patients and 86 age- and sex-matched PD controls were entered into the study. Overall the PD patients had more dialysis per week (P < 0.001). Comparing quality of life between two groups showed significant differences in physical functioning, role-physical, role-emotional and physical component summary observed (P < 0.05). In addition, role physical in HD patients and bodily pain in PD were the worst and best dimensions of quality of life, respectively.

The findings suggest that patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis had a better quality of life in most measures. It seems that we need to educate and encourage patients to choose peritoneal dialysis in order to enjoy a better quality of life.