Evaluation of quality of life in hemodialysis and renal transplant patients

The study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital in Kerala to compare the quality of life between hemodialysis and transplant patients using WHOQOL-BREF scale. The study also focused on the clinical laboratory parameters of both the groups. The various immunosuppressive drug combinations prescribed for the renal transplant patients were also examined.About 50 patients each were included in both the hemodialysis and transplant groups. In the hemodialysis group, 74% were males and 26% females while in the transplant patients, 78% were males and 22% females. The patients in the hemodialysis group had a mean age of 57.32 ± 10.41 years while the transplant patients had a mean age of 36 ± 11.0 years. The mean of the serum creatinine and hemoglobin values of the hemodialysis patients were 9.68 ± 2.31 mg/dL and 9.91 ± 1.42 g/dL respectively while that of the transplant patients were 1.5 ± 0.42 mg/dL and 13.43 ± 2.11 g/dL respectively. The QOL scores in renal transplant patients in all the four domains were significantly higher (P<0.05) than that of the hemodialysis patients. The renal transplant patients were prescribed immunosuppressive drugs which have to be taken lifelong. About 36% of the transplant patients were on azathioprine + prednisolone combination. Quality of life improved after successful kidney transplant compared to dialysis. Although initially expensive, renal transplantation is a cheaper renal replacement therapy on the long run and is associated with reduced mortality.