Assessment of depressive and anxiety symptoms in Children with Chronic Kidney Diseases

Abstract

Background: Although psychological impairment as depression and anxiety are prevalent in adults has chronic kidney disease (CKD), less is known about how common these issues in adolescents and children with CKD and their affection on measurements of health-related quality of life. Aim of the work: Assess the incidence of depression and anxiety symptoms in children with chronic kidney disease either hemodialysis (HD) maintained or not maintained, and to compare them with healthy children. Methods: This study was conducted on 100 children aged 6-12 years, 50 were CKD patients, 30 maintained on HD and 20 not maintained on HD; 50 healthy children (control) from January 2023 to December 2023. The patients were undergone history taking, general examination, laboratory investigations, and subjective assessment of depression and anxiety was done using the Birleson Depression Scale-Questionnaire and Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale-(SCAS) respectively. Results: Height, weight, and BMI were significantly less in CKD patients on dialysis than other two groups. Depression and anxiety symptoms were significantly higher in CKD patients on dialysis than hemodialysis nondependent patients and control. Conclusion: Depression and anxiety disorders are common in children with CKD. Moreover, compared to the children who hemodialysis non- dependent, those on dialysis develop both disorders with higher prevalence rates