Evaluación del optimismo disposicional en pacientes en hemodiálisis y su relación con las complicaciones

Abstract

Introduction: Optimism seems to have an influence on the resistance to disease and on the improvement of the health in patients with cardiac, respiratory and cancer problems. However, there are few studies in patients with chronic renal disease on haemodialysis; hence the importance in our study.
Objective: The aim of this study was to analyse the relationship between the degree of dispositional optimism with complications and perceived quality of life in a group of haemodialysis patients.
Patients and Methods: 78 patients were studied in HD, Nephrology Unit of Córdoba. An observational study was conducted. Demographic variables, time on dialysis, Charlson comorbidity index, dialysis centre, vascular access, dispositional optimism by LOT-R (higher score, higher optimism), health-related quality of life was evaluated by COOP-WONCA sheets (highest score worse perceived quality of life) and number of admissions in the previous year.
Results: The mean age was 64.8 ± 17.1 years. 38.5% were female and 61.5% male. The median number of admissions in the last year was 1 (range: 0-10). Median comorbidity index was 7 (range 0-12). The mean of the LOT-R was 20.76 ± 4.8 and the median 21 (range 8-29). Median LOT-R was established as a cut-off point to classify patients as optimistic (=21 middle) and pessimistic (<21). When comparing both groups (optimistic vs. pessimistic) significant differences for the COOP-WONCA (19.8 ± 5.6 versus 24.5 ± 6.6, p <0.002) were found. However no differences, between both groups, were found for the number of admissions and for the comorbidity index.
Conclusions: No relationship was found between dispositional optimism and number of admissions, neither comorbidity. However, the optimists had higher perceived health-related quality of life.