Prevalence and predisposing factors for fatigue in patients with chronic renal disease undergoing hemodialysis: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Patients with chronic renal disease and undergoing hemodialysis are at a high risk for developing several complications. Fatigue is a common, troubling symptom that affects such patients and can contribute to unfavorable outcomes and high mortality. OBJECTIVE: This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of fatigue in Brazilian patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing hemodialysis and determine the predisposing factors for fatigue. DESIGN AND SETTING: An observational, cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted in two renal replacement therapy centers in the Greater ABC region of São Paulo. METHODS: This study included 95 patients undergoing dialysis who were consecutively treated at two Brazilian renal replacement therapy centers between September 2019 and February 2020. The Chalder questionnaire was used to evaluate fatigue. Clinical, sociodemographic, and laboratory data of the patients were recorded, and the Short Form 36 Health Survey, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and Beck Depression Inventory were administered. RESULTS: The prevalence of fatigue in patients undergoing hemodialysis was 51.6%. Fatigue was independently associated with lower quality of life in terms of physical and general health. Patients with fatigue had a higher incidence of depression (65.9% vs. 34.1%, P = 0.001) and worse sleep quality (59.1% vs. 49.9%; P = 0.027) than those without fatigue. CONCLUSION: Prevalence of fatigue is high in patients undergoing hemodialysis and is directly related to physical and general health.

The relationship between fatigue, pruritus, and thirst distress with quality of life among patients receiving hemodialysis: a mediator model to test concept of treatment adherence

“…Increased levels of the metabolites of tryptophan and the precursors of serotonin and melatonin among patients receiving hemodialysis are associated with depression and fatigue 88 . Moreover, sleep disorders among these patients threaten their general health, mental health, and physical capacity, and cause them fatigue.…”

The influence of social support on sleep and fatigue level among patients receiving hemodialysis in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional correlational design

“…According to Bossola et al (2017) , fatigue is one of the most frequent complaints of HD, which considerably lowers patients’ QOL and is linked to both cardiac-related and all-cause deaths ( Bossola et al, 2017 ). Fatigue has been reported to be prevalent among 42–97% of HD patients ( Horigan, 2012 ; Sakkas and Karatzaferi, 2012 ; Burdelis and Cruz, 2023 ). Nevertheless, this serious and life-threatening health condition in the HD population is often ignored and left untreated ( Zyga et al, 2015 ; Debnath et al, 2021 ), being a strong predictor of poor health-related QOL and poor survival ( van der Borg et al, 2021 ).…”