Quality of life of chronic renal patients in peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis

INTRODUCTION: There are controversies regarding differences in quality of life (QOL) of chronic renal disease patients treated with different dialytic methods. OBJECTIVE: To compare QOL among chronic renal disease patients in peritoneal dialysis (PD) and in hemodialysis (HD). METHODS: Cross-sectional study in all the three centers of dialysis in Pelotas/Brazil. Patients in PD were interviewed after the monthly-routine-consultation and those in HD between the 1st-2nd hours of the dialysis session by employing structured questionnaires. QOL was assessed with Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). Means in the eight SF-36 domains were compared between groups. RESULTS: Among 345 eligible patients (63 in PD and 282 in HD) 317 were interviewed (8% losses/refusals). About half of patients in both groups were in dialysis treatment for 3 years at most. There were more women in PD and more men in HD. Patients in PD reported less "pain" than those in HD (mean scores 76.5 and 64.3, respectively; p = 0.0040). There was no difference for the remaining SF-36 domains. DISCUSSION: Utilization of HD in Pelotas is a bit lower than detected at the Brazilian Dialysis Census (2011), whereas the frequency of PD is similar to frequency observed in some European countries. The higher score on "pain" among patients in PD is consistent with findings from other studies although no difference and even additional advantages of PD over HD have already been reported. CONCLUSION: QOL is similar among patients in DP or in HD, except in terms of pain, that was less severe in PD patients.