| [ Summary ] |
Recently, there has been growing recognition that quality of life (QOL) measurement is critical for the evaluation of the influence of disease and the outcome of treatment. Compared with the national standard, both physical components and mental components of QOL are significantly lower among ESRD patients. The QOL scores of ESRD patients are remarkably lower in association with various chronic diseases. Anemia, frequently associated with ESRD, lowers QOL. The correction of anemia, treated with rHuEPO, significantly improves QOL for patients with dialysis as well as pre-dialysis patients. The most appropriate level of hemoglobin concentration, providing the best QOL, remains to be elucidated. The correlation between anemia and QOL, is critical in determining chances for survival. |