Hemodialysis patients' symptom experiences: effects on physical and mental functioning

Area of Science:

• Nephrology
• Patient-Reported Outcomes
• Quality of Life

Background:

• Dialysis patients frequently experience numerous symptoms.
• These symptoms can significantly reduce patient functioning and well-being.
• The impact of common, non-acute symptoms on health outcomes requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To catalogue symptoms experienced by hemodialysis patients.
• To investigate the relationship between frequently experienced symptoms and patient functioning/well-being.
• To identify specific symptom clusters affecting physical and mental health.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study utilizing self-reported data from 307 hemodialysis patients across 14 facilities.
• Symptoms were catalogued using a scale of 0-4 for experience frequency.
• Statistical analyses included correlation and linear multiple regression using SF-36 scales.

Main Results:

• 22 out of 47 queried symptoms were experienced by patients at least 'a little of the time'.
• 17 of these symptoms significantly correlated with Physical Component Summary (PCS) or Mental Component Summary (MCS) scores.
• Fatigue/sleep and mobility symptom clusters, along with itchy skin, were negatively associated with PCS; fatigue/sleep also negatively associated with MCS.

Conclusions:

• Frequently experienced symptoms, particularly those related to fatigue/sleep and mobility, negatively affect hemodialysis patients' functioning and well-being.
• Management of common, non-acute symptoms may improve physical and mental health.
• Given the link between PCS/MCS and morbidity/mortality, symptom management is crucial for long-term patient benefits.