Health related quality of life among haemodialysis and kidney transplant recipients from Nepal: a cross sectional study using WHOQOL-BREF

Development process, clinical utility, and preliminary psychometric evidence of a new tool for screening psychological distress in renal care settings: the Hemodialysis Distress Thermometer (HD-DT)

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to develop, evaluate the clinical utility, and test the psychometric properties of a new tool - the Hemodialysis Distress Thermometer (HD-DT) - designed to screen self-reported psychological distress and its sources in adults receiving hemodialysis.

METHODS AND MEASURES

Phase 1 focused on the process of developing and evaluating the content validity and clinical utility of the HD-DT using a stepwise mixed-methods approach; in Phase 2, the measurement properties of the European Portuguese version of the HD-DT were tested against reference measures in a cross-sectional study (n = 134 people on hemodialysis); while in Phase 3 the HD-DT was translated and culturally adapted into American English using forward-backward translation and review by a panel of experts.

RESULTS

Qualitative findings suggested that the HD-DT was perceived by feedback panels as practical and useful for rapidly screening psychological distress in nephrology centers. The European Portuguese version of this new tool showed good test-retest reliability and high diagnostic accuracy using a cutoff point of ≥ 6 for total distress. High convergent validity was found with reference measures that assess psychological health, and symptoms of anxiety and depression.

CONCLUSION

This study highlights the potential clinical utility of the HD-DT as an acceptable, reliable, and valid measure that can be used by health psychologists in clinical practice and research in renal care settings. Data collection to validate the American English version of the HD-DT is currently underway.

Brain Death and Organ Transplantation in Nepal: Navigating Cultural, Legal, and Ethical Landscapes

Organ transplantation after brain death is challenging in Nepal due to cultural beliefs, legal frameworks, and ethical considerations. The Human Body Organ Transplantation (Regulation and Prohibition) Act (HBOTA) has not met with substantial success after its amendment. This review critically appraises the current state of brain death and organ transplantation in Nepal. It explores challenges, evaluates progress, and provides recommendations. Literature review of databases was conducted to find articles on brain death, organ donation, and transplantation in Nepal. Analysis of cultural, legal, ethical, and practical factors influencing implementation. Key challenges include limited awareness, religious beliefs, infrastructure gaps, and family consent barriers. HBOTA amendments in 2016 enabled brain death donations, however, donation rates remain low. Strategies are needed to improve public education, resources, personnel training, and collaboration. Cultural sensitivity and stakeholder engagement are crucial. A multifaceted approach addressing cultural, legal, ethical and practical dimensions is essential to improve organ donation rates in Nepal. Despite progress, substantial challenges persist requiring evidence-based strategies focused on awareness, capacity building, policy improvements, and culturally appropriate community engagement.

The association between socioeconomic status and health-related quality of life among young and middle-aged maintenance hemodialysis patients: multiple mediation modeling

Objective

To explore the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES), illness perception, social functioning, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of young and middle-aged maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients and the internal mechanism of action.

Design

A multicenter cross-sectional study.

Methods

An aggregate of 332 young and middle-aged MHD patients were enrolled from hemodialysis centers in four general hospitals in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, from June to December 2022. The questionnaires used included one for general demographic data, the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (BIPQ), Social Dysfunction Screening Scale (SDSS), and the 12-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12).

Results

Both SES and HRQoL were negatively correlated with illness perception and social functioning, respectively. SES was positively correlated with HRQoL. Illness perception was positively correlated with social functioning. The indirect effects of illness perception and social functioning on the relationship between SES and HRQoL were 0.33 and 0.31, making up 41.06% and 38.91% of the sum. The chain indirect effect of illness perception and social functioning was 0.10, making up 12.59% of the total effect, while gender did not play a moderating role.

Conclusion

Illness perception and social functioning may independently and accumulatively mediate the association between SES and HRQoL. Nurses should consider developing individual intervention program for young and middle-aged MHD patients with low SES, focusing on establishing targeted counseling and health education strategies corresponding to illness perception and social functioning to help patients improve their HRQoL.

Mapping Health-Related Quality Of Life After Kidney Transplantation By Group Comparisons: A Systematic Review

Background

Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is becoming an increasingly important outcome in kidney transplantation (KT). To describe HRQOL in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs), this systematic review summarizes literature that compared HRQOL among KTRs and other relevant populations [i.e. patients receiving dialysis, patients on the waiting list (WL) for KT, patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) not receiving renal replacement therapy (RRT), the general population (GP) and healthy controls (HCs)] and themselves before KT.

Methods

The literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library. Eligible studies published between January 2000 and October 2020 were included.

Results

Forty-four studies comprising 6929 KTRs were included in this systematic review. Despite the study heterogeneity, KTRs reported a higher HRQOL after KT compared with pre-transplantation and compared with patients receiving dialysis with or without being on the WL, especially in disease-specific domains (i.e. burden and effects of kidney disease). Additionally, KTRs had similar to marginally higher HRQOL compared with patients with CKD Stages 3–5 not receiving RRT. When compared with HCs or the GP, KTRs reported similar HRQOL in the first 1 or 2 years after KT and lower physical HRQOL and lower to comparable mental HRQOL in studies with longer post-transplant time.

Conclusions

The available evidence suggests that HRQOL improves after KT and can be restored to but not always maintained at pre-CKD HRQOL levels. Future studies investigating intervention targets to improve or maintain post-transplant HRQOL are needed.

A Study on the Correlations of Anxiety and Depression With Self-Management Ability and Endogenous Creatinine Clearance Rate in Renal Transplant Recipients

Objective: To explore the effects of anxiety and depression on the self-management ability and endogenous creatinine clearance rate of renal transplant patients. Method: Eighty-eight renal transplant recipients who were followed up in the outpatient clinic of the Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University were selected using convenient sampling. The self-made general data sheet, Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, Self-Rating Depression Scale, and Self-Management Scale for Kidney Transplant Recipients were used. Correlation analysis was used to find factors related to endogenous creatinine clearance, while multiple linear regression was used to identify factors influencing endogenous creatinine clearance. Patients with or without anxiety and depression were divided into groups, and the indexes of the groups were compared using the independent samples t test, rank-sum test, or chi-squared test. Results: Anxiety was present in 12.5% of patients, depression in 25%, and a moderate level of self-management in 34.1%. Only 9.1% of renal transplant recipients had endogenous creatinine clearance within the normal range, and 34.1% had a body mass index not in the normal range (25% were overweight, and 9.1% were underweight). The endogenous creatinine clearance rate was negatively correlated with age and degree of depression, and positively correlated with body mass index, treatment management score, and psychosocial management score. The main influencing factors of endogenous creatinine clearance rate were age, sex, depression, body mass index, and treatment management score. The endogenous creatinine clearance rate and psychosocial management ability were significantly higher in patients without anxiety and depression than in patients with anxiety and depression (all P < 0.05). Conclusions: Anxiety and depression showed significant negative effects on the psychosocial self-management ability and endogenous creatinine clearance rate of renal transplant recipients and thus should be given more attention.