P0269 SYMPTOM-BURDEN IN PEOPLE LIVING WITH FRAILTY AND CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE

Background and Aims Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) report high symptom-burden that adversely affects health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Frailty is an independent predictor of poor HRQOL in those with CKD. Although there is a clear relationship between frailty and HRQOL in patients with CKD, the associated relationship with symptom experience is not well understood. Understanding how living with both frailty and CKD influences symptom-burden could inform management strategies that improve HRQOL of this vulnerable patient group. This study’s aim was to evaluate the symptom experience of patients living with frailty and CKD. Methods A total of 353 participants were recruited between February 2018 and October 2018 to this cross-sectional observational study. Participants completed physical activity (GP Physical Activity Questionnaire [GPPAQ]), cardiopulmonary fitness (Duke Activity Status Index, providing estimated VO2 peak), symptom-burden (Kidney Symptom Questionnaire [KSQ]) and HRQOL (Short Form 12 [SF-12]) questionnaires. Frailty was assessed using a modified Frailty Phenotype comprising 3 self-report components: 1) weakness/slowness defined as a SF-12 Physical Functioning score Results Two hundred and twenty-five (64%) participants were categorised as frail. Frail participants were significantly older (77.7 vs. 71.5 years, p Conclusion Frailty is an independent predictor of high symptom-burden and poor HRQOL. Furthermore, symptom experience for people living with frailty and CKD is distinct from non-frail individuals, reporting a unique symptom cluster that may be a consequence of the frailty syndrome itself. This group of patients should be offered a holistic assessment so that problematic symptoms can be identified and addressed early before they impact more significantly on HRQOL. Future efforts should be focused on evaluating holistic models of care, such as the comprehensive geriatric assessment, for patients living with frailty and CKD.