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Aim: To determine the prevalence of depression in patients with varying degrees of severity of renal failure. To examine the demographic, clinical and biochemical characteristics associated with patients with depression in chronic kidney disease. Materials and Methods: A total of 360 patients attending our out patient clinics and dialysis center were enrolled. Of these 48 were excluded due to various reasons. The remaining 312 patients were categorized as stage 3 and 4 CKD (group 1), stage 5 CKD not on dialysis (group 2) and stage 5 CKD on dialysis (group 3) according to NKF. Group 3 patients were further divided into patients receiving dialysis at our center (3a) and those getting dialyzed outside at a private set up (3b). All patients were administered BDI (Becks depression inventory) and rated on quality of life (1-5) likert scale. Clinical, biochemical, and demographic characteristics were noted. Summary: There were 130 patients (85 male/45 female) in group 1, 88 (54 male/ 34 female) in group 2, and 94 (56 male/ 38 female) patients in group 3. There was no difference in the mean age, marital status, level of education and socioeconomic status between the 3 groups. Overall 162 patients were depressed (51.9%). More patients in group 2 (63.8%) were depressed compared to group 1(52.3%) and group 3 (43.1%). (P- 0.009) The mean BDI scores and CDI scores were not different between the groups, BDI - (20.5±5.6 vs 23.4±7.1 vs 22.5±10), and CDI- (13.5±4.2 vs 14.7±5.2 vs 14.3±6.9). In univariate analysis BDI scores (depression) were associated with poor socioeconomic status (knppuswamy index), low serum albumin, poor level of education, type of occupation and poor quality of life but not marital status. In multivariate analysis, BDI scores were significantly associated with level of education and socio-economic status and occupation but not serum albumin. Further BDI scores negatively correlated with education (Pearsons coefficient = -.196, P= <0.01), socioeconomic status (Pearsons coefficient= -.121, P=0.03) and positively with CDI (correlation coefficient- 0.959, P= < 0.001) Severe depression was noted in 23 patients (7.1%) Of these 16 were males (69.5%). Severe depression was associated with poor quality of life, level of education, occupation and serum albumin levels but not socio-economic status. Group of patients on hemodialysis outside our institute were found to be more depressed (P= < 0.05) Conclusion: Depression is a common problem in patients with CKD. It is associated with poor quality of life. It is more prevalent in patients belonging to lower socio-economic class with poor level of education. Depression in patients of CKD may lead to malnutrition and lower serum albumin levels which itself is a poor marker of long -term outcome in these patients. Patients with no long-term prospects of renal transplantation tend to be more depressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]