Abstract
Background and Objective: Although uremic pruritus (UP) is one of the most common disabling problems in hemodialysis (HD) patients, its associated factors have remained unknown. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and severity of UP in a group of Iranian hemodialysis patients and its associated clinical and laboratory factors.
Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was done on sixty-seven patients on HD at Tehran Shahid Mostafa Khomeini hospital dialysis unit. The patients answered Yosipovitch pruritus questionnaire. The UP prevalence and severity (mild, moderate and severe) and their relationships with clinical and laboratory parameters (age, sex, underlying renal disease, HD duration, HD sessions, time of every session, xerosis, neuropathy, dialysis adequacy, serum levels of urea, creatinine, calcium, phosphorus, albumin, alkaline phosphatase, ferritin, hematocrit, C-reactive protein, thyroid hormone, parathormone and hemoglobin A1C) were assessed.
Results: Fifty-four (80.6%) patients had pruritus that was mild in 31.4%, moderate in 51.9% and severe in 16.7%. UP prevalence was associated with xerosis (p=0.025). UP severity was significantly correlated with serum level of albumin (p=0.015, C=-0.329). No significant correlation was seen between UP prevalence and severity with age, sex, underlying renal disease, HD duration, HD sessions, time of every session, xerosis, neuropathy, dialysis adequacy, serum levels of urea, creatinine, calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, ferritin, hematocrit, C-reactive protein, thyroid hormone, parathormone and hemoglobin A1C.
Conclusion: Pruritus is still a common problem in HD patients. Improving xerosis may reduce the UP prevalence and higher level of serum albumin can reduce UP severity in HD patients.
Keywords
)