Exploring symptom clusters in Chinese patients with peritoneal dialysis: a network analysis

Area of Science:

• Nephrology
• Symptom Science

Background:

• Research on peritoneal dialysis (PD) symptom management has evolved towards symptom clusters and network analysis.
• Understanding symptom groups is crucial for improving patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and evaluate unpleasant symptoms in PD patients.
• To explore symptom clusters for enhanced symptom management strategies.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the modified Dialysis Symptom Index to measure PD patient symptoms.
• Applied network analysis for symptom network and node assessment.
• Employed factor analysis to explore symptom clusters.

Main Results:

• Analyzed data from 602 PD patients (mean age 47.8 years, 47.34% male).
• Identified five distinct symptom clusters: body, gastrointestinal, mood, sexual disorder, and skin-sleep.
• Highlighted itching and decreased sexual interest as potential sentinel symptoms, and fatigue/anxiety as core symptoms.

Conclusions:

• Recognizing symptom clusters in PD patients is vital for effective management.
• Key symptoms identified include itching, decreased sexual interest, fatigue, and anxiety.
• Targeted interventions for these symptom clusters can significantly alleviate patient burden.