Quality of life among diabetic and non-diabetic patients on maintenance haemodialysis.

Aims: To compare the quality of life of end stage renal disease (ESRD) diabetic and non-diabetic patients undergoing chronic haemodialysis.
Methods: A case-control study of 54 diabetic and 60 non-diabetic patients undergoing maintenance haemodialysis. All subjects completed the Kidney Disease Quality of Life Short Form (KDQOL-SF) version 1.3 questionnaire as well as the SF-36 Health Survey (SF-36).
Results: When compared to the control non-diabetic group, physical health was significantly impaired in diabetic dialysis patients (P<0.005) and staff encouragement was significantly worse (P<0.05). In both groups, all other compounds of the SF-46 and variables related to kidney disease were similar.
Conclusions: To improve diabetic haemodialysis patients' quality of life, physical activity should be incorporated to the routine dialysis care and health care professionals should support them more intensively.
(J. A. Barth Verlag in Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart * New York.)