ASSESSMENT OF HEALTH-STATUS IN PERITONEAL-DIALYSIS PATIENTS - A POTENTIAL OUTCOME MEASURE

Objectives: To determine the feasibility and practicality of measuring general health status (GHS) in an outpatient peritoneal dialysis popu lation To determine whether GSH correlated intuitively with biochemica l, socio-demographic and co-morbidity measurements. Design: The Medica l Outcomes Study 20-item short form was administered on a voluntary ba sis in the outpatient setting. Demographic and current biochemical dat a were extracted from the medical record. The effects of the socio-dem ographic, biochemical and physiologic variables on the six subscales o f GHS generated by the questionnaire were estimated using multivariate linear regression analysis resulting in the development of six separa te models. Setting: Peritoneal dialysis program of a University Hospit al. Patients: Sixty stable patients on home peritoneal dialysis comple ted the GHS questionnaire during regularly scheduled outpatient visits . Ages ranged from 13 to 81 years. The study group included 14 diabeti cs (23%). Results: Administering the questionnaire caused no logistica l difficulties in the outpatient setting. Regression models for predic ting GHS were both significant and intuitively correct. The presence o f co-morbidities such as diabetes mellitus (p = 0.002; Social Subscale ) and peripheral vascular disease (p = 0.016: General Health Subscale) had the most significant negative impact on GHS. An increased length of time on dialysis was associated with a higher GHS (p = 0.002; Physi cal Subscale). Conclusion: General Health Status questionnaires can be readily administered to peritoneal dialysis patients in the outpatien t setting. They have face validity as a measurement of wellness and fu nctioning. The longitudinal use of such instruments in conjunction wit h clinical and laboratory findings may identify both medical and non-m edical factors impacting on our peritoneal dialysis population.