ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Emotional distress is common in dialysis patients, but its role on clinical outcomes for patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD) is uncertain. PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of depression and anxiety on 1-year prognosis in PD patients. METHODS: A total of N = 201 PD patients (58.9 ± 12.59 years) completed the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale and measures of social support at baseline and were followed up for CC technique and actuarial patient survival. RESULTS: Mortality and technique failure rates were 9.9 and 5.97 %, respectively. Carer-assisted PD, anxiety, comorbid burden and albumin were significant univariate predictors. Multivariate proportional hazard model to adjust for confounders indicated that anxiety remained significant with HR of 2.145 [95 % CI 1.03, 4.49, p = 0.043] for death/technique failure. CONCLUSION: Anxiety is an important predictor of actuarial and technique survival in PD. Effective treatment for symptoms of anxiety may represent an easily achievable means of improving the clinical outcome of PD patients.
