The Effect of Dietary Supplement Use on Quality of Life and Depression in Patients with Chronic Liver Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objectives: Individuals with chronic liver disease (CLD) often use dietary supplements (DS) to cope with conditions that negatively affect quality of life (QoL), such as depression and fatigue. This study aims to determine the effect of DS use on QoL and depression in patients with CLD. Materials and Methods: The population of this descriptive study consisted of all patients (n=330) diagnosed with CLD who admitted to the gastroenterology outpatient clinic between April 1, and May 30, 2018, and patients aged 18 years or older, without cognitive problems and who agreed to participate in the study. Data were collected using Patient Information Form (17 item), which includes socio-demographic and DS usage characteristics, "Chronic Liver Disease Quality of Life Inventory 2.0" (LDSI 2.0) and Beck Depression Scale (BDI). Results: 48.4% of patients have used DS in the past year. LDSI 2.0 was found to be statistically significant in patients using DS compared to those who did not use a total score. In the patients with better income (p=0.02), who did not drink alcohol (p=0.01), patients without additional chronic illness (p=0.001) and those with 6-10 years of illness (p=0.02) preferred DS more. There was no statistically significant difference between the use of DS and BDI scores (p>0.05). A statistically significant, positive, strong relationship between LDSI 2.0 and BDI scores was also found (r=0.536; p<0.000**). Conclusion: The QoL of those who did not use DS was low. Considering that almost half of the patients with CLD use DS, doctors and nurses should question the DS used by patients when taking anamnesis. Because DS can interact with the drugs used, health professionals should improve their knowledge of the subject with evidence-based information and guide patients properly.