Abstract

ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND:
Uremic pruritus is a common distressing complication of end stage renal disease and it is a common problem in dialysis patients. It causes serious discomfort and skin damage, negatively affects the quality of life.
OBJECTIVE:
To determine the prevalence, severity of pruritus and possible association with the laboratory parameters in patients with chronic renal disease on haemodialysis.
METHODS:
One hundred and three patients on chronic haemodialysis were included in this study. Fasting blood sugar, urea, creatinine, albumin, alkaline phosphatase, parathyroid hormone, sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, phosphorus, calcium × phosphorus product, were determined.
RESULTS:
Of the 103 patients included in the study the, 79 patients (76.7%) had pruritus of whom, 27 (34.1%) had mild pruritus, 30 (37.9%) had moderate and 22 (27.8%) had severe pruritus. No significant association (p ˃ 0.05) was found between pruritus and each of sex, age, frequency and duration of haemodialysis. There was a significant association (p ˂ 0.05) between duration of haemodialysis and pruritus onset. No significant difference (p ˃ 0.05) in the FBS, urea, creatinine, albumin, parathyroid hormone, alkaline phosphatase, sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, phosphorus, calcium phosphorus product, average among patients who had no pruritus, mild, moderate and severe pruritus. A significant positive correlation (p ˂ 0.05) was found between severity of pruritus in pruritic patients and age.
CONCLUSION:
WE CONCLUDED THAT there was a significant association between duration of haemodialysis and pruritus onset more over the age had a significant positive correlation with the severity of pruritus in pruritic patients.
.