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 x 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 pruritus in pruritic patients