Costs and quality of life effects of the first year of renal replacement therapy in one Finnish treatment centre

Abstract

Objective: The main objective of the study was to assess the cost and quality of life (QoL) effects of elective dialysis patients during the first year of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) treatment in one Finnish treatment centre.

Methods: A prospective case-series study was performed involving all elective dialysis patients (n=29) in a Finnish dialysis unit during 2003-2004. Direct costs of ESRD treatment were obtained from the hospital database and the Social Insurance Institution. The QoL effects were measured at the initiation of treatment, at 6 and at 12 months using 15D, a generic QoL instrument.

Results: The average cost of ESRD treatment was 69,085 euro. The improvement in the patients' QoL score was statistically and clinically significant during the first treatment year. The most significant changes were seen in the dimensions of breathing and vitality. The condition of patients commencing haemodialysis (HD) was more severe than that of patients commencing peritoneal dialysis (PD) as indicated by worse residual kidney function and poorer quality of life at the initiation.

Conclusions: In this small patient population, treatment of ESRD during the first year seemed to improve or maintain the QoL of the patients.