Aim: The depressive symptoms are common in patients with end-stage kidney disease but they are often undiagnosed and can complicate the renal replacement therapy. The aim of this study was to identify significant differences in frequency and severity of depressive symptoms among patients with end-stage renal disease depending on what form of treatment they are undergoing--hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis and patients after kidney transplantation.
Methods: 323 patients with end-stage renal failure were examined. Among them 206 patients were hemodialysed, 64--undergoing the peritoneal dialysis and 53 patients were the recipients of kidney transplants. We used a self-constructed questionnaire and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI).
Results: Beck Depression Inventory reflects mild and moderate intensification of symptoms. The results obtained by the use of BDI show the mild and moderate intensification of the depressive symptoms in the study group. The majority of patients suffering from depression were found in the group of patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis, to a lesser degree in the hemodialysis subgroup and among these, depression had moderate intensity. Patients after kidney transplantation were found to be at a smaller risk of depression comparing to dialysed patients.
Conclusions: End-stage renal disease may affect the occurrence of depressive symptoms, the treatment may also play a role in the formation and intensity. We formulated the conclusions of our study carefully, taking into account a multitude of other existing causal factors.