Background:

Chronic kidney disease is a growing disease and a challenge for developed countries, generating an important impact on the patients’ quality of life, altering daily activities and causing changes in physical, emotional and social aspects.

Objectives:

To evaluate the quality of life perceived by patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing renal replacement therapy with hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis, and the influence of analytical and socio-clinical parameters.

Material and Method:

A cross-sectional study in a group of patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing treatment with peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis was carried out. Participants completed a Quality of Life Questionnaire on Kidney Disease (KDQOL-SF 36). In addition, several socio-clinical variables and laboratory parameters were studied to analyze their possible influence on quality of life. The statistical analysis was carried out with the statistical package SPSS v.22.0.

Results:

In our sample, it was observed that the worst domains of quality of life, valued by the patients, were general health, stress due to illness and physical role; on the other hand, the best valued ones were body pain and mental health. We also found greater repercussion in some domains of quality of life when the patient is in hemodialysis treatment, when the patient has arteriovenous fistula as venous access, and the longer the time of renal replacement therapy; and even if certain analytical parameters such as Kt/V, urea, potassium or hemoglobin are altered.

Conclusions:

Renal replacement therapy using hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis generates a huge impact on the patient’s perceived quality of life. Special attention must be paid to the suitability of the technique chosen for each moment, to the adequacy of the dialysis access, without ignoring the “veteran” patients because they have been in treatment for a long time.