Effect of Executive Function on Health-Related Quality of Life in Children with Chronic Kidney Disease

Elrika Anastasia Wijaya; Purboyo Solek; Dedi Rachmadi; Sri Endah Rahayuningsih; Rodman Tarigan; Dany Hilmanto

doi:10.2147/IJNRD.S428657

Effect of Executive Function on Health-Related Quality of Life in Children with Chronic Kidney Disease

Int J Nephrol Renovasc Dis. 2024 Jan 8:17:17-28. doi: 10.2147/IJNRD.S428657. eCollection 2024.

Authors

Elrika Anastasia Wijaya¹, Purboyo Solek¹, Dedi Rachmadi¹, Sri Endah Rahayuningsih¹, Rodman Tarigan¹, Dany Hilmanto¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Child Health, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, Hasan Sadikin General Hospital, Bandung, West Java, Indonesia.

Abstract

Introduction: As the highest function in the brain that regulates our daily activity, executive dysfunction might affect someone's health-related quality of life (HRQoL), especially in those with chronic diseases, including chronic kidney disease (CKD). Neurocognitive functions, including intelligence quotient (IQ) and executive function can be affected through various mechanisms in CKD. However, there was still no specific study regarding how IQ and executive function might affect HRQoL in children with CKD.

Purpose: To assess Executive Function's impact on HRQoL and to find association between treatment modalities and CKD stages with HRQoL in children with CKD.

Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted at Pediatric Nephrology Clinic at Hasan Sadikin General Hospital, Bandung, Indonesia from September 2022 to April 2023. We included 38 children whose age range were 6-16 years 11 months old with CKD stage III - V. Assessment tools used were: BRIEF questionnaire for executive function; WISC III tool for IQ; PedsQL^TM questionnaire generic module for HRQoL. Data was analyzed using SPSS ver. 26.0.

Results: Total number of samples was 38. Complete examinations were done on 30 patients. Eight other patients did not undergo the IQ test. There was a negative correlation between executive function components scores (GEC, BRI, MI) with HRQoL scores on parents' proxy in all domains. We found no correlation between HRQoL and IQ scores, but we found a correlation between IQ and CKD stage. There was a significant difference in HRQoL from the children's perspective among the three modalities; children who underwent conservative treatment were having the best HRQoL scores.

Conclusion: Interventions to improve executive function of children with CKD should be done to improve their HRQoL in the future. Early diagnosis and treatment of CKD should be done at the earliest to improve neurocognitive function and HRQoL.

Keywords: children; chronic kidney disease; executive function; health related quality of life; intelligence quotient; neurocognitive function.

Grants and funding

The authors thank the Indonesian Endowment Fund (LPDP) scholarship and Universitas Padjadjaran for the financial help provided to finish and publish the study.