Kunal Malhotra, Tejas Desai, Linda Ficociello, Hans-Juergen Arens, Rachel Lasky, Michael S. Anger
Rationale & Objective: Chronic kidney disease-associated pruritus is commonly related to reduced health-related quality of life, decreased adherence to dialysis, and increased mortality, yet it remains underrecognized and underdiagnosed. We conducted an analysis to characterize the relationship between pruritus and a recognized symptom cluster among hemodialysis patients. Study Design: This retrospective study of adults receiving hemodialysis in a large US dialysis organization analyzed pruritus and the individual symptoms of sleep disturbance, depression, pain, anxiety, and low energy/fatigue. Data from the Kidney Disease Quality of Life 36-Item Short Form Survey (KDQOL-36) and the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 were extracted from electronic medical records. Results: < 0.001) greater burden with increased pruritus severity. Similar results were observed for KDQOL-36 summary scores. Extreme pruritus was associated with greater than 5-fold and 3-fold increased risk of depressive symptoms and sleep disturbance, respectively. Pruritus was also independently associated with Patient Health Questionnaire-2-defined depressive symptoms. The association of pruritus with co-occurring symptoms was demonstrated across all serum phosphorus concentration subgroups. Patients reporting higher degrees of bother from pruritus were significantly more likely to miss multiple hemodialysis sessions or have shortened treatment sessions. Limitations: The cross-sectional nature of the study limits exploration of temporal relationships between the symptoms. Conclusions: Among hemodialysis patients, pruritus is commonly reported and associated with reduced health-related quality of life. It should be considered alongside the following symptoms commonly observed: sleep disturbance, depression, pain, anxiety, and low energy/fatigue. The presence of one symptom should prompt further investigation, allowing for appropriate diagnosis and management.