Quality of life may be a more valuable prognostic factor than depression in older hemodialysis patients

PURPOSE

Depression and impairment of quality of life (QoL) reduce the survival of individual on hemodialysis (HD). However, few studies evaluated the impact of these conditions on the survival of older patients undergoing HD.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study was performed including patients aged ≥ 60 years on HD in Recife, Brazil, assessed in 2013 and monitored until 2017. Depression was evaluated with the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview and QoL with the Control, Autonomy, Self-realization, and Pleasure Questionnaire (CASP-16). Survival differences according to the depression and QoL status were measured by Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression. Death Certificates were analyzed to assess the cause of death.

RESULTS

A total of 171 patients were included (mean age 68.7 ± 6.9 years). The mean follow-up time was 3 years (maximum 4.5 years) and there were 98 deaths (57.3% of the sample). In a multivariate model that included depression and QoL, only QoL impairment was associated with a higher risk of death (HR 1.62, p = 0.035). Among CASP domains, only "Control" was associated with survival (HR 0.90, p = 0.014). Depression was unrelated to the cause of death, but there was a trend for death by endocrine diseases if QoL was impaired (p = 0.057).

CONCLUSION

QoL impairment is a key predictor of prognosis in older patients on HD and may be more important than depression. It is important that teams dealing with this population include in protocols an assessment of QoL, in order to offer a range of care according to the needs of these patients.

[Topographic modifications of the urethrovesical junction and proximal urethra after combined Marshall-Marchetti-Krantz and Burch surgery]

PURPOSE

To study the changes in the urethrovesical junction (UVJ) and in the proximal urethra (PU) caused by the Marshall-Marchetti-Krantz-Burch (MMK-B) combined surgery through perineal ultrasonography.

METHODS

An interventional, longitudinal and prospective study has been conducted. Thirty-two women with stress urinary incontinence were submitted to perineal ultrasonography before and 30 days after surgery to evaluate the pubo-urethral distance (PUD), the proximal urethra length, the UVJ horizontal distance (UVJHD) and the UVJ vertical distance (UVJVD), the patient being at rest, and in effort during the Valsava manoeuvre. Results have been expressed in mean and standard deviation. The Student's t-test has been used to compare pre and postoperative results whenever the variables fulfilled the normality test criterion; otherwise, the Wilcoxon's paired test has been used.

RESULTS

As compared with the preoperative measures, the Marshall-Marchetti-Krantz-Burch surgery has reduced the PUD at rest (14 mm x 4.3 mm) and during effort (20.8 mm x 6.4 mm); has reduced the UVJHD at rest (14 mm x 4.3 mm) and during effort (20.8 mm x 6.4 mm); has increased the PU length at rest (16.7 mm x 19.7 mm) and during effort (1.6 mm x 15.4 mm); and has increased UVJVD during effort (-5.4 mm x 14.8 mm), but has not changed it at rest (16.2 mm x 18.7 mm, p = 0.085).

CONCLUSIONS

The Marshall-Marchetti-Krantz-Burch surgery has significantly reduced the urethrovesical junction vertical and horizontal mobility without raising the urethrovesical junction.