【Abstract】 Objective Patients’ life quality is an important indicator reflecting the effectiveness of the medical care they received. Patients with end-stage renal disease are often elder and complicated with various other diseases. The objectives of this study were to evaluate life quality and its related factors in elder patients on peritoneal dialysis and those on hemodialysis. Methods We recruited 52 patients on maintenance hemodialysis (HD) and 46 patients on maintenance peritoneal dialysis (PD) treated in this hospital during the period between 2007～2008. These patients were 60 years of age or older, and survived for more than 3 months after dialysis. The 36-item Short Form Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-36) was used for the life quality assessment. Clinical parameters were examined. Means and deviations for the 8 scales were calculated, and correlation analysis was performed to determine the effect of these variables on life quality in these patients. Results There were no differences in physical component summary score (PCS) and mental component summary score (MCS) between patients on HD and those on PD (P＞0.05). In the first 2 years of dialysis, body pain was less and emotional function was better in patients on PD than those on HD. After the dialysis for more than 2 years, the vital ability was better in patients on HD than those on PD, but body pain was less in patients on PD than those on HD. Dialysis adequacy, residual renal function, and hemoglobin level positively correlated with life quality (P＜0.05). Conclusion There were no differences in life quality between patients on HD and those on PD. Life quality in patients on HD or PD positively correlated with dialysis adequacy, residual renal function and hemoglobin level.