QUALITY OF LIFE IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE AND ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION ON RENAL REPLACEMENT THERAPY

To evaluate the impact of renal replacement therapy (RRT) on erectile function (EF) and quality of life (QoL) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). A prospective observational study included 201 men with CKD who presented to a urology center with complaints of erectile dysfunction (ED). EF was assessed using the IIEF-5 questionnaire, and QoL was measured with the KDQOL-SF questionnaire at three time points: baseline, during severe azotemia, and after 12 months of hemodialysis. Statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA (p<0.05). A progressive deterioration of EF was observed: the baseline IIEF-5 score was 21.9±0.1 (62.7% without ED), during azotemia it dropped to 13.7±0.1 (92.5% with mild-to-moderate ED), and after 12 months of hemodialysis — to 9.7±0.1 (13.9% severe ED, 65.7% moderate ED, p<0.001). QoL declined across all KDQOL-SF domains: “Symptoms/Problems” from 74.3±0.8 to 60.1±1.1, “Sexual Function” from 83.5±1.1 to 69.2±0.8, “Emotional Well-being” from 63.1±1 to 50.1±0.7, and “Physical Functioning” from 64.2±1.5 to 50.3±1.2 (p<0.001). CKD and hemodialysis significantly impair erectile function and quality of life, exacerbating physical, psycho-emotional, and social limitations.