A study of psychiatric morbidity and quality of life in patients with chronic kidney disease

ABSTRACT

Background:
Chronic kidney disease is an important health issue all over the world. These patients have increased morbidity and mortality. The study was conducted to study the psychiatric morbidity of patients with chronic kidney disease and its impact on their quality of life.


Methodology:
This is an observational cross-sectional study, which included 100 consecutive patients with chronic kidney disease. The study population includes CKD patients from stage 3 to end-stage renal disease. Quality of life and psychiatric morbidity were assessed in the study population. Scales used for this purpose included the World Health Organization Quality of Life - BREF scale for quality of life, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale score for anxiety, and Hamilton Depression Rating scale for depression.


Results:

Psychiatric issues were present in 60% of the study patients. Depression was the most common and was present in 73% of patients who had psychiatric manifestations. Other common diagnoses were adjustment disorder (24%) and anxiety (14%). All domains of quality of life were significantly lower in patients with depression, anxiety, as well as psychiatric illness (
P
< 0.01).



Conclusion:
Chronic kidney disease has a negative impact on quality of life across all domains, including physical, psychological, social, and environmental. Though depression and anxiety have long been associated with chronic kidney disease, adjustment disorder is also an important psychiatric illnesses observed in our study. The psychiatric illness further compromises the quality of life in chronic kidney disease patients on maintenance hemodialysis, which has been attributed to the chronic debilitating course of chronic kidney disease.