Introduction: The ageing population with chronic kidney disease (CKD) has been increasing in developing countries and many of them are receiving Hemodialysis (HD) [1]. The prevalence of depression and other geriatric syndromes as well as the quality of life (QoL) in this population remains unknown since patients undergoing HD seldom receive a Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) [2].

Objectives: To investigate the prevalence of depression and other geriatric syndromes as well as QoL in older patients with ESKD receiving HD.

Methods: In patients 50 years and older, receiving HD in a private tertiary hospital in northern Mexico, we applied a CGA consisting of functionality (Barthel and Lawton & Brody), comorbidity (Charlson Index), cognition (MoCA), depression (GDS), frailty (CFS), nutrition (MNA- SF), sarcopenia (EWSOP2), falls, and quality of life (OPQOL-Brief). Of 52 patients in the HD unit, 35 were eligible for the study. 9 patients did not give consent to participate in the study, resulting in a population of 26 patients.

Results: The mean age of the population was 68.85 years and 61% were women. Using a cut-off point of 5 points in the 15-item GDS to define the presence of depressive symptoms, 42.3% of the studied population presented depressive symptoms. Wefurther stratified the severity of this symptoms into mild, moderate and severe (Table1). Most patients presented mild depressive symptoms (72.81%).

Additionally, by OPQOL-Brief, the majority of patients (34%) reported having a very bad quality of life (Table 2). Of note, we also found that the median number of geriatric syndromes presented by each patient was 6, which is higher than what has been reported internationally in similar populations [2]. Of these, the most common geriatric syndromes were: dependence in Instrumented Activities of Daily Living (IADL) (92.3%), followed by cognitive impairment (84.6%) and inadequate nutritional status (80.8%).

Conclusions: Our findings revealed that 4 out 10 older patients with ESKD receiving HD presented depressive symptoms, however most of them presented only mild depressive symptoms. Additionally, the majority of patients reported having a very bad quality of life.