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Study highlights need to address physical, mood symptoms among patients on hemodialysis
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According to a study published in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, certain physical and mood symptoms were prioritized as top symptoms for patients on in-center hemodialysis.
“In this mixed methods study using focus groups and an online survey, we found that hemodialysis patients prioritized the physical symptoms of insomnia, fatigue and muscle cramps and the mood symptoms of anxiety and depression as the top symptoms for which to develop new therapies,” Jennifer E. Flythe, MD, MPH, principal author of the study from the University of North Carolina Kidney Center, told Healio Nephrology. “Our findings provide guidance to the nephrology community as we seek to foster innovation in symptom management, with the ultimate goal of improving the dialysis experience.”
According to the study, physical symptoms also included nausea/vomiting. Patients reported feeling depressed, worried and frustrated during hemodialysis.
The focus groups included 32 patients from Carrboro, North Carolina, Tucson, Arizona and Seattle. Patients ranged from 25 to 74 years of age and were chosen from these locations to facilitate oversampling of southeastern United States black and Hispanic patients. Investigators also gathered responses from 87 survey respondents from 27 states.
Fatigue, cramping and body aches were the highest ranked physical symptoms for respondents to the survey, while depression, worry and frustration were the most cited mood symptoms.
Disclosures: Flythe reports she received speaking honoraria from Dialysis Clinical, Incorporated, American Renal Associates, the American Society of Nephrology, the National Kidney Foundation, Baxter and multiple universities. Please see the study for all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.
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