Abstract

Background: There is a growing body of evidence that haemodialysis symptoms was negatively correlated quality of life and increased morbidity and mortality rates, likely through a reduction in treatment adherence. The purpose of this study was to assess symptoms and quality of life in patients with haemodialysis.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 170 randomly selected patients with haemodialysis who presented to the haemodialysis units in two state hospitals and a private hospital in Manisa, Turkey, between December 2017 and December 2018. A single interviewer collected all data using a socio-demographic form, the Dialysis Symptom Index (DSI) and the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP). Data were analysed using arithmetic averages, percentages and Pearson’s correlation.

Results: The mean age of the participants was 52.32±11.69 (23-65), and most (%54.7) were males. Four symptoms were found to be most prevalent across all study samples: feeling tired or lack of energy (75.3%), decreased interest in sex (65.9%), difficulty becoming sexually aroused (65.3%) and feeling nervous (62.4%). It was found that the subscales scores of Nottingham Health Profile were 36.07±40.39 for energy level, 9.4±20.82 for pain, 29.53±30.44 for emotional reaction, 26.06±34.94 for sleep, 22.30±26.84 for social isolation and 30.74±31.67 for physical mobility, respectively. A positive correlation was defined between Dialysis Symptom Index and Nottingham Health Profile.

Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that patients receiving maintenance haemodialysis has been experienced several physical and emotional symptoms, the most prevalence and the most intense symptoms reported by our patients feeling tired or lack of energy, decreased interest in sex, difficulty becoming sexually aroused and feeling nervous and quality of life was lower among those with higher symptom severity.