Correlation Between Duration of Illness and Quality of Life in Pediatric Patients with Nephrotic Syndrome at Dr. Soetomo General Hospital, Surabaya, Indonesia – A Cross-Sectional Study

INTRODUCTION: Nephrotic syndrome (NS) is a chronic kidney disease where treatment involves using steroids. Steroids impact behavioral and emotional disorders and can negatively affect the quality of life (QoL).
This study's aim was to analyze the correlation between the duration of illness and the quality of life on physical, emotional, social and school aspects using PedsQL in NS pediatric patients.
METHODS: An observational study was conducted by evaluating medical records and interviews of nephrotic syndrome pediatric patients and their parents using PedsQL in the inpatient unit and outpatient clinic of the Child Health Department at Dr. Soetomo General Hospital from September to November 2018.
RESULTS: 31 nephrotic syndrome pediatric patients met our study's inclusion criteria. The subjects were dominated by males (90%) and 39% were 13-18-years of age. Most of the patients came from outside Surabaya (61.3%). The most frequent illness duration was more than 6 months (87.1%) and the majority of subjects were steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome patients (58.1%). There was minimal difference between the quality of life regarding physical, emotional, social and school aspects. There was a negative correlation between the quality of life on physical, emotional, social, and school aspects (R = -0.423, -.0371, -0.092, and -0.290, respectively).
CONCLUSION: According to the parents of NS pediatric patients with duration of illness, there was a negative correlation between the quality of life on physical, emotional, social, and school aspects.