Author: G. Stefanov
Title: Quality of life of the patients on periodic haemodialysis - 4, 2004, № 5, 48-53.
Key Words (author's): Periodic haemodialysis; Chronic renal failure; Clinical management; Quality of life; Bulgaria.
Key Words (MEDLINE): Health policy Quality of life; Renal dialysis--economics; Renal dialysis--psychology; Time factors; Treatment outcome; Publications.
Topic: Clinical Management
Abstract
The present study reviewed the scientific literature on the problems of the quality of life as an integral part of the clinical management in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) on periodic haemodialysis. A survey of papers from Bulgarian and foreign authors by searching primary, dissertation and referral databases (MRJ, MEDLINE etc.) was done. The analysis of the literature indicated two main aspects of the clinical management: (1) keeping and prolonging the life with an alternative being the kidney transplantation and (2) maintaining and improving the quality of the prolonged life. The quality of life determines to a great extent the efficacy and effectiveness of the clinical management with its main diagnostic and therapeutic-rehabilitation procedures. A conclusion was made that the quality of the prolonged life represented not only and aspect but also an integral component of the clinical management in the patients on periodic haemodialysis that justified the particular importance of its study, analysis and assessment. In Bulgaria, unfortunately, neither a methods nor criteria for assessment nor pervasive and systematic research of the quality of life of patients with CRF on periodic haemodialysis were found.
Address for correspondence: G. Stefanov, MD; e-mail: gstefanov2003@yahoo.com
