Psychosomatic aspects of end-stage renal failure

End-stage renal failure (ESRD) is more than a typical chronic disease. Its treatment includes features which arguably make this condition unique. Selected psychosomatic aspects of ESRD are reviewed, including psychiatric morbidity, patients' adherence to their treatments, quality of life and the emotional impact on staff involved in treating patients with ESRD. Rather than presenting a comprehensive review of the results of published research, particular emphasis is laid on the critical appraisal of the methodology of published studies, to examine the extent to which these have provided answers to clinically important questions.