Caspian Journal of

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Anemia associated with chronic renal failure disease(CKD) is common and often creates enormous complications that can affect quality of life(QoL) of these patients. The relationship between QoL and anemia has been the subject of recent debates; that the results can be beneficial in access to treatment and care of these patients.

The aim of the current study was to determine the QoL and its relationship with hemoglobin and hematocrit levels of patients referred to the hemodialysis centers of Guilan University of Medical Sciences.

METHODS: This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted on 241 adult patients selected from 12 dialysis centers through systematic random sampling . The inclusion criteria of the study were being literate, having the history of dialysis for at least three months, vascular access through fistula, and not suffering from any physical or mental disorders. Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire including demographic characteristics as well as hemoglobin and hematocrit levels and the Persian version of kidney disease quality of life short form (KDQOL-SF). Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to determine the relationship between the QoL and the variables.

FINDINGS: The results revealed that patients' QoL score was 54.00+13.33, and lower scores of QoL had significant relationship with the gender of female (P<0.0001), high age (P<0.002), low education levels (P<0.0001) and low levels of hemoglobin(P<0.011) and hematocrit (P<0.042).

CONCLUSION: The relationship between the lower QoL of hemodialysis patientsand controllable factors such as hemoglobin and hematocrit levels shows that it is necessary to pay more attention to medical interventions and nursing cares for improving the QoL of these patients.