Quality of life in children with end-stage renal disease based on a PedsQL ESRD module

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Nephrology
• Quality of Life Research
• Chronic Kidney Disease

Background:

• Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is crucial for pediatric patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and their families.
• ESRD significantly impacts the daily lives and well-being of affected children.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and compare HRQOL in children with ESRD undergoing different renal replacement therapies.
• To evaluate the utility of the PedsQL 3.0 ESRD module for assessing HRQOL in this population.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 92 children (aged 2-18) with ESRD from four Korean university hospitals.
• Utilized the 34-item Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 3.0 End-Stage Renal Disease (PedsQL 3.0 ESRD) module for assessment.
• Compared HRQOL scores between children on dialysis (hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis) and those who received renal transplantation.

Main Results:

• Renal transplant recipients reported better HRQOL than dialysis patients in specific domains, including 'About my kidney disease' and 'Worry' (parent proxy), and 'Treatment problems' (child self-report).
• Children on peritoneal dialysis (PD) reported significantly higher quality of life than those on hemodialysis (HD).
• Children's self-reports generally indicated higher HRQOL than parent proxy reports, particularly in domains like 'General fatigue,' 'Family & peer interaction,' and 'Worry.'

Conclusions:

• The PedsQL 3.0 ESRD module demonstrates potential as a valuable, disease-specific tool for evaluating HRQOL in pediatric ESRD patients.
• Further research with larger sample sizes and longitudinal designs is recommended to confirm these findings and understand long-term HRQOL trajectories.