A study of Psychiatric Morbidity and Quality of Life in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

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 of chronic kidney disease & its impact on their quality of life. Methodology: This is an observational cross sectional study, which included consecutive 100 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 was assessed in study population. Scales used for this purpose included WHO-QOL-BREF SCALE for quality of life, HAM-A SCORE for anxiety and HAM-D SCALE for depression. Results: Psychiatric issue was present in 60% of study patients. Depression was most common and was present in 73% of patients who had psychiatric manifestations. Other common diagnosis being 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 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 chronic debilitating course of chronic kidney disease.