OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the association between quality of life and the survival of patients on dialysis in Brazil from 2007 to 2015.

METHODS

prospective observational study with 1162 patients on hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD) in the Unified Health System (SUS). The cohort was built by the aggregation of primary data collected in 2007 (sociodemographic, clinical, and quality of life – QoL - factors) from the National Base on Substitute Kidney Therapies – a result of the probabilistic pairing of the High Complexity Procedures Authorization / Ambulatory Information System and the Mortality Information System by 2015. Descriptive analysis was performed through absolute and relative frequency distributions, measures of central tendency and variability. Cox regression was used to analyze the association of QoL (measured by the SF-36 questionnaire) in the occurrence of death. The variables were adjusted by treatment time prior to 2007, gender and age.

RESULTS

The average age was 49 years. Most patients were: women, married, white / yellow, on HD, literated for more than 1 year and less than 4 , living in the Southeast of Brazil, without private health insurance, diagnosed with hypertension and on the transplantation waiting list. The minority of them reported diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases and depression. Significant differences between modalities were observed in all sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. HD patients had a longer survival. The QoL domains that compromised survival were functional capacity and physical aspects.

CONCLUSIONS

This study made it possible to verify that the worse QoL, specifically on the functional capacity and physical aspects domains can be considered predictors of death for patients on dialysis treatament. QOL is an important aspect to consider when providing care to these patients. The data provide subsidies for the elaboration of public policies, aiming at improving the QOL of patients on dialysis.