The role of psychological factors in fatigue among end-stage kidney disease patients: a critical review

The status and influencing factors of fatigue in kidney transplant recipients based on the theory of unpleasant symptoms: A cross-sectional study in China

AIMS

This study describes the incidence of fatigue in kidney transplant recipients and analyses the relationship between physiological factors, psychological factors, situational factors and fatigue in kidney transplant recipients.

BACKGROUND

Fatigue, as a common symptom after kidney transplantation, is affected by many factors, but the influence of some factors on the fatigue of kidney transplant recipients is still controversial.

DESIGN

This cross-sectional study was designed based on the theory of unpleasant symptoms.

METHODS

Our survey involved 307 participants attending the kidney transplant outpatient clinic of a tertiary Class A hospital (Changsha, Hunan, China). Data were collected between February and April 2021 using a structured questionnaire and electronic medical records. Data were analysed using IBM SPSS 25.0 (SPSS Inc.) RESULTS: It was found that the incidence of fatigue in kidney transplant recipients was 53.1%. According to the binary logistic regression analysis, sleep quality, hypokalemia, anxiety, depression and education level were independent risk factors for fatigue in kidney transplant recipients.

CONCLUSION

The incidence of fatigue in kidney transplant recipients was high and was influenced by physical, psychological and situational factors. Clinical nurses should assess fatigue levels in a timely and multidimensional manner in clinical practice and provide effective and scientific guidance about fatigue self-coping and symptom management for kidney transplant recipients.

Alexithymia, Suicidal Ideation, and Self-Esteem As Psychological Factors Affecting Chronic Kidney Disease Patients Under Haemodialysis: A Contextual Review

Chronic kidney disease is a universal topic gravitating towards various aspects of widespread illness, impacting the overall well-being of human beings. Patients with longstanding renal complaints under dialysis encounter challenges correlated with physical, intuitive, and socio-economic conditions to a greater extent in their daily existence. These portions may include changes in the appearance of a person, restricted physique movements, curbed diet, duration of surgical protocols, travelling time during the period of prevention, financial load, role reversal in the family followed by ruining their livelihood, deprived social rank, difficulty in relational, cordial relationships, and so on. Excluding these details, the sick may be profoundly influenced by sorrow, health anxiety, despair, itching, the impoverished essence of vitality, dysfunction in sexual intimacy, impaired cognition, disturbances in disposition, sleeping fluctuations, frequent panic attacks, delirium, brain-afflicted degeneration disabilities, etcetera. Our analysis focuses on exploring a few unidentified intrinsic factors that distinguish these views over combined elements due to the existing disorder.

Effects of using a stress ball on anxiety and depression in patients undergoing hemodialysis: A prospective, balanced, single-blind, crossover study

INTRODUCTION

Use of a stress ball is a known t non-pharmacological method to distract attention and to relieve stress and anxiety. The goal of our study was to evaluate the effect of stress ball use on anxiety and depression in hemodialysis patients.

METHODS

The study utilized a single-blind, balanced crossover design. There were two sequential 4-week intervention periods separated by a 4-day washout period. During one intervention period stress ball use at home was encouraged while the other 4-week "intervention" period served as a control. The order in which the two evaluation periods were applied was randomized for a given patient. Anxiety and depression were assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale before and after each 4-week intervention period.

FINDINGS

A total of 65 patients participated in this study. There were statistically significant reductions in both anxiety (p < 0.001) and depression (p < 0.001) during the stress ball intervention periods vs. no change during the control interventions. A delayed follow-up evaluation showed that the anxiety level of patients remained reduced after 1 month of no longer using a stress ball.

DISCUSSION

The use of a stress ball at home for 4 weeks significantly decreased anxiety and depression levels in our group of hemodialysis patients.

Prevalence and predisposing factors of depressive symptoms in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients: a cross-sectional single center study

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to identify the prevalence of the depressive symptoms and the factors associated with the depressive symptoms in peritoneal dialysis patients.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was carried out to evaluate the prevalence and associated factors of depression in 132 continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients. Depression was evaluated using Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristic were also investigated. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed to select factors associated with depressive symptoms.

RESULTS

Their median age was 57.5 years, and 58.3% were male. The rate of depressive symptoms in peritoneal dialysis patients was 78.0%. The rate of moderate/severe depressive symptoms was 64.4%. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that lower serum hemoglobin was significantly associated with increased risks of depression (OR = 0.989, 95CI%=0.979-0.998, p = 0.023).

CONCLUSION

Depression was highly prevalent in the peritoneal dialysis patients. Serum hemoglobin was independent risk factor for depressive symptoms in peritoneal dialysis patients.

Sickness Symptoms in Kidney Transplant Recipients: A Scoping Review

Sickness symptoms (depressive symptoms, anxiety, and fatigue) are common among people with chronic illness, often presenting as a symptom cluster. Sickness symptoms persist in many patients with chronic kidney disease, even after kidney transplantation (KT); however, little is known about sickness symptom-induced burden in KT recipients. This scoping review synthesizes available evidence for sickness symptoms in KT recipients, including findings on symptom prevalence, predictors, outcomes, interrelationships, and clustering. Among 38 reviewed studies, none identified sickness symptoms as a cluster, but we observed interrelationships among the symptoms examined. Fatigue was the most prevalent sickness symptom, followed by anxiety and depressive symptoms. Predictors of these symptoms included demographic, clinical, and psychosocial factors, and health-related quality of life was the most researched outcome. Future research should use common data elements to phenotype sickness symptoms, include biological markers, and employ sophisticated statistical methods to identify potential clustering of sickness symptoms in KT recipients.

Addressing Cognitive Function and Psychological Well-Being in Chronic Kidney Disease: A Systematic Review on the Use of Technology-Based Interventions

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at risk of both a gradual decline in cognitive function and an increase in psychological distress. This includes symptoms of anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances, all of which are factors that have been associated with increased morbidity and mortality. In response, we are now seeing that interventions based on new digital technologies are increasingly used in order to optimize patients' quality of life. Systematic research of the literature on electronic databases (MEDLINE/PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and PsycInfo/ProQuest) covering the period from 2012 to 2022 was conducted in order to methodically review the existing evidence regarding the implementation and effectiveness of technology-based interventions in the management of cognitive and psychological well-being symptoms in patients with CKD. A total of 739 articles were retrieved, 13 of which are included in the present review. All the studies focused on the usability, acceptability, and feasibility of technology-based interventions aimed at psychological symptoms, with no studies targeting cognitive functioning. Technology-based interventions offer feelings of safety, fun, and satisfaction, and they also have the potential to improve CKD patients' health outcomes regarding their psychological well-being. The diverseness of technologies allows an approximation towards the identification of those types of technologies most frequently used, as well as the symptoms targeted. There was considerable heterogeneity in the types of technologies used for interventions in so few studies, making it difficult to draw conclusive findings with regard to their efficiency. In order to adequately assess the technology-based health interventions effect, future lines of research should consider designing non-pharmacological treatments for the improvement of cognitive and psychological symptoms in this type of patient.

Effect of Acupressure on Fatigue in Hemodialysis Patients: A Single-Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial

Objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of acupressure on fatigue severity, sleep quality, and psychological status in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) receiving hemodialysis (HD) treatment. Design: A single-blinded parallel-group randomized controlled trial. Settings/Location: A medical center in central Java, Indonesia. Subjects: One hundred and six patients who had been receiving HD for at least 3 months were enrolled in this study and randomly assigned to two groups. Interventions: The experimental group received acupressure at K1, ST36, and SP6 acupoints. In contrast, the control group received sham acupressure at 1 cun from these three acupoints. Subjects received acupressure thrice per week for 4 weeks, and pressure on each acupoint was applied for 3 min bilaterally. Outcome measures: The primary outcome was fatigue severity, while sleep quality and psychological status (depression/anxiety) were evaluated as secondary outcomes. Outcomes were assessed using the Brief Fatigue Inventory, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Results: Acupressure induced a significant medium to large effect on improvement in fatigue (b = -1.71, confidence interval [95% CI]: -1.90 to -1.51, ΔR² = 0.744), sleep quality (b = -5.81, 95% CI: -6.80 to -4.81, ΔR² = 0.525), and anxiety (Estimate = -3.213, 95% CI: -4.238 to -2.188, pseudo R² = 0.292)/depression (Estimate = -3.378, 95% CI: -4.432 to -2.325, pseudo R² = 0.268) in experimental group patients compared to controls. No adverse events of acupressure were reported during the study process. Conclusions: Acupressure significantly and independently improved fatigue, depression/anxiety, and sleep quality in ESRD patients receiving HD. Clinical Trial Registration: NCT05571007.

Amino Acid Homeostasis and Fatigue in Chronic Hemodialysis Patients

Patients dependent on chronic hemodialysis treatment are prone to malnutrition, at least in part due to insufficient nutrient intake, metabolic derangements, and chronic inflammation. Losses of amino acids during hemodialysis may be an important additional contributor. In this study, we assessed changes in plasma amino acid concentrations during hemodialysis, quantified intradialytic amino acid losses, and investigated whether plasma amino acid concentrations and amino acid losses by hemodialysis and urinary excretion are associated with fatigue. The study included a total of 59 hemodialysis patients (65 ± 15 years, 63% male) and 33 healthy kidney donors as controls (54 ± 10 years, 45% male). Total plasma essential amino acid concentration before hemodialysis was lower in hemodialysis patients compared with controls (p = 0.006), while total non-essential amino acid concentration did not differ. Daily amino acid losses were 4.0 ± 1.3 g/24 h for hemodialysis patients and 0.6 ± 0.3 g/24 h for controls. Expressed as proportion of protein intake, daily amino acid losses of hemodialysis patients were 6.7 ± 2.4% of the total protein intake, compared to 0.7 ± 0.3% for controls (p < 0.001). Multivariable regression analyses demonstrated that hemodialysis efficacy (Kt/V) was the primary determinant of amino acid losses (Std. β = 0.51; p < 0.001). In logistic regression analyses, higher plasma proline concentrations were associated with higher odds of severe fatigue (OR (95% CI) per SD increment: 3.0 (1.3; 9.3); p = 0.03), while higher taurine concentrations were associated with lower odds of severe fatigue (OR (95% CI) per log2 increment: 0.3 (0.1; 0.7); p = 0.01). Similarly, higher daily taurine losses were also associated with lower odds of severe fatigue (OR (95% CI) per log2 increment: 0.64 (0.42; 0.93); p = 0.03). Lastly, a higher protein intake was associated with lower odds of severe fatigue (OR (95% CI) per SD increment: 0.2 (0.04; 0.5); p = 0.007). Future studies are warranted to investigate the mechanisms underlying these associations and investigate the potential of taurine supplementation.

Contribution of anxiety and dialysis factors to the event of fatigue in hemodialysis patient

Introduction: Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms felt by chronic renal failure patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD). The prevalence ranges from 42-97% with levels varying from low to severe. Fatigue is not only detrimental to physical and social functioning but is also associated with poor quality of life for HD patients and is associated with death in patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis. For this reason, it is necessary to know the factors associated with the incidence of fatigue so that appropriate interventions can be carried out, both pharmacologically and non-pharmacologically.Objective: To evaluate the influence of anxiety and dialysis factors on the incidence of fatigue in patients undergoing hemodialysis at Ciamis Hospital.Material and Method: A cross sectional approach with a total sample of 88 people was used.Results: The results showed that 78 respondents (88.6%) who experienced fatigue complaints and anxiety had a relationship with the incidence of fatigue (OR: 9.0; p=0.019).Conclusions: Psychological factors, such as anxiety, are associated with the fatigue experienced by patients on hemodialysis.

The mediating effect of sleep quality and fatigue between depression and renal function in nondialysis chronic kidney disease: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Depressive symptoms, fatigue, and poor sleep quality are associated with renal function deterioration in patients with nondialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD-ND). This study was designed to examine whether fatigue and sleep quality are mediators of the association between depression and renal function.

METHODS

This study adopted a cross-sectional study design. Patients with CKD-ND aged 20 years or older were recruited by purposive sampling at a medical center in Central Taiwan from December 2020 to July 2021. Data were collected using the Emotional and Social Support Scale, Fatigue Scale, Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Medical records were reviewed to obtain the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) for the next month. The relationships among variables were analyzed using structural equation modeling to assess the goodness-of-fit of the model. Then, the bootstrapping method was used to analyze the mediated effect.

RESULTS

Two hundred forty-two participants (mean age 70.5 years and 53% males) were included in the analysis. About 39% of the participants met the criteria for depressive symptoms in BDI-II, and 91% reported having sleep disturbances. Participants' degree of fatigue was not high (20.4 ± 13.3). The average eGFR was 25.45 mL/min/1.73 m ² (± 13.36). The results showed that fatigue, sleep quality, and eGFR were significantly correlated with depression. The total effect size was - 0.8304 (95% confidence interval [CI], - 0.9602 to - 0.7006), and the indirect effect size was - 0.1738 (95% CI, - 0.2812 to - 0.0651), which was a statistically significant difference, indicating that the model has a mediating effect. According to mediation analysis, fatigue and sleep quality had a significant indirect effect on the relationship between depression and renal function (95% CI, - 0.0587 to - 0.0039).

CONCLUSIONS

The findings suggest that fatigue and poor sleep quality may mediate the association between depression and renal function.

Factors Associated With Fatigue in Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis

Background and objective

Fatigue is frequently experienced by patients undergoing hemodialysis and it has a negative effect on their quality of life. The aim of this study was to investigate the factors associated with fatigue in patients undergoing hemodialysis.

Methods

In this quantitative cross-sectional study, 100 patients on hemodialysis participated. Fatigue was evaluated via the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS). Participants also completed a questionnaire about demographics and clinical characteristics. The Kruskal-Wallis test, the Mann-Whitney U test, and Spearman's rho criterion were used to assess the association between fatigue score and patient characteristics. Multiple linear regression was performed to assess the effect of the characteristics on patients' fatigue.

Results

Statistically significant high levels of physical or mental fatigue were found in older patients (p=0.001 and p=0.001), divorced/widowed patients (p=0.001 and p=0.014), those who had children (p=0.019), those who had primary education (p=0.015), those who were not informed about their health problems (p=0.003 and p=0.006), those who had comorbid diseases (p=0.001 and p=0.001), those who believed that regular information did not help to reduce stress (p=0.005 and p=0.004), patients who had insomnia (p=0.001 and p=0.001), patients who felt tired after hemodialysis (p=0.001 and p=0.001), those who thought they had a change in body image (p=0.001 and p=0.001), those who often felt stiffness (p=0.001 and p=0.001), those who sometimes felt nausea (p=0.015 and p=0.038), and those who had limitations in the clothes they could wear (p=0.001 and p=0.001).

Conclusions

The findings of this study showed that physical or mental fatigue had a strong association with advanced age, comorbidities, marital status, level of education, inadequate information about the disease, insomnia, and change in body appearance. Hence, renal professionals need to properly educate dialysis patients on the complicated nature of fatigue in order to manage it effectively and improve their physical, cognitive, and social wellbeing.

A Biopsychosocial Approach to HIV Fatigue: A Cross-Sectional and Prospective Analysis to Identify Key Modifiable Factors

This study aimed to identify the prevalence and predictors of current fatigue and fatigue at 1-year follow-up, in people with HIV. Participants were recruited from HIV outpatient clinics in London, England. We explored a range of bio-psychosocial factors associated with current fatigue severity, identifying the most salient factors in a multifactorial model. A prospective study explored the predictive value of specific psychological and behavioral factors in predicting fatigue severity at one year. Sixty-four of 131 (49%) participants met the criteria for clinically significant fatigue at baseline. Psychological and behavioral variables, but not immune-virologic markers or antiretroviral treatment, were associated with current fatigue severity. In the multifactorial model, catastrophizing and distress independently predicted current fatigue severity. Higher levels of fatigue at 1 year was predicted by baseline catastrophizing, symptom focusing, distress and sleep quality, when controlling for baseline fatigue, clinical and demographic variables. These findings suggest psychological and behavioral factors are important in the maintenance of fatigue in people with HIV and identify potential opportunities for treatment. Future interventions for fatigue in HIV should not only address anxiety, depression and distress but could be optimized by targeting psychological processes such as catastrophic thinking styles and symptom focusing.

Fatigue characteristics on dialysis and non-dialysis days in patients with chronic kidney failure on maintenance hemodialysis

BACKGROUND

Fatigue is prevalent in hemodialysis patients who for survival follow a strict dialysis treatment regimen - dialysis and non-dialysis days. As a result, the daily activities, symptom burden, and clinical outcomes of hemodialysis patients vary significantly between dialysis and non-dialysis days. Fatigue is one of the most reported debilitating symptoms by hemodialysis patients with profound negative impact on their quality of life. Prior studies assessed fatigue during the preceding 7 or 30 days and did not discriminate fatigue characteristics between dialysis and non-dialysis days. We aimed to characterize and compare fatigue severity and fatigue interference with daily activities between dialysis and non-dialysis days.

METHODS

Hemodialysis patients self-reported fatigue on consecutive dialysis and non-dialysis days using the 9-item Brief Fatigue Inventory. The differences in fatigue characteristics between dialysis and non-dialysis days were analyzed using one-way ANCOVA.

RESULTS

Global fatigue burden was worse on a dialysis day compared to a non-dialysis day (P for all < 0.001). Age and education were associated with fatigue, but hemodialysis-related variables were not. A significant inverse association of physical activity with fatigue severity observed on non-dialysis day; there was also a negative association between the normalized protein catabolic rate and fatigue severity on both dialysis and non-dialysis days. The positive association of depression with fatigue severity and fatigue interference were consistent on both dialysis and non-dialysis days. None of these factors, however, explained differences in fatigue characteristics between dialysis and non-dialysis days.

CONCLUSIONS

Fatigue, measured in severity and interference, was more pronounced on a dialysis day relative to a non-dialysis day. These differences were not explained by age, sex, education, hemodialysis-related variables, habitual exercise, nutritional status, and or depression. The quantitative measures of fatigue characteristics may facilitate future interventional trials design and better fatigue management for hemodialysis patients.

The impact of transvenous cardioverter-defibrillator implantation on quality of life, depression and optimism in dialysis patients: report on the secondary outcome of QOL in the randomized controlled ICD2 trial

RATIONALE

The impact of prophylactic implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) implantation on the psychological well-being of patients on dialysis is unknown.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to identify the effect of primary ICD implantation on quality of life (QoL), mood and dispositional optimism in patients undergoing dialysis.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We performed a prespecified subanalysis of the randomized controlled ICD2 trial. In total, 177 patients on chronic dialysis, with an age of 55-81 years, and a left ventricular ejection fraction of ≥ 35%, were included in the per-protocol analysis. Eighty patients received an ICD for primary prevention, and 91 patients received standard care. The Short Form-36 (SF-36), Geriatric Depression Scale-15 (GDS-15), Revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R) questionnaires were administered prior to ICD implantation (T0), and at 1-year follow-up (T1) to assess QoL, depression and optimism, respectively. The patients were predominantly male (76.0%), with a median age of 67 years. Hemodialysis was the predominant mode of dialysis (70.2%). The GDS-15 score difference (T1 - T0) was 0.5 (2.1) in the ICD group compared with 0.3 (2.2) in the control group (mean difference - 0.3; 95% CI - 1.1 to 0.6; P = 0.58). The LOT-R score difference was - 0.2 (4.1) in the ICD group compared with - 1.5 (4.0) in the control group (mean difference - 1.1 (0.8); 95% CI - 2.6 to 0.4; P = 0.17). The mean difference scores of all subscales of the SF-36 were not significantly different between randomization groups.

CONCLUSIONS

In our population of patients on dialysis, ICD implantation did not affect QoL, mood or dispositional optimism significantly during 1-year follow-up.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

Unique identifier: ISRCTN20479861. http://www.controlled-trials.com .

Impaired kidney function is associated with lower quality of life among community-dwelling older adults : The screening for CKD among older people across Europe (SCOPE) study

Background

Quality of life (QoL) refers to the physical, psychological, social and medical aspects of life that are influenced by health status and function. The purpose of this study was to measure the self-perceived health status among the elderly population across Europe in different stages of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD).

Methods

Our series consisted of 2255 community-dwelling older adults enrolled in the Screening for Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) among Older People across Europe (SCOPE) study. All patients underwent a comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA), including included demographics, clinical and physical assessment, number of medications taken, family arrangement, Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), Cumulative Illness Rating Scale, History of falls, Lower urinary tract symptoms, and Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was calculated by Berlin Initiative Study (BIS) equation. Quality of life was assessed by Euro Qol questionnaire (Euro-Qol 5D) and EQ-Visual Analogue Scale (EQ-VAS). The association between CKD (eGFR < 60, < 45 ml or < 30 ml/min/1.73m²) and low EQoL-VAS was investigated by multivariable logistic regression models.

Results

CKD was found to be significantly associated with low EQoL-VAS in crude analysis (OR = 1.47, 95%CI = 1.16–1.85 for eGFR< 60; OR = 1.38, 95%CI = 1.08–1.77 for eGFR< 45; OR = 1.57, 95%CI = 1.01–2.44). Such association was no longer significant only when adjusting for SPPB (OR = 1.20, 95%CI = 0.93–1.56 for eGFR< 60; OR = 0.87, 95%CI = 0.64–1.18 for eGFR< 45; OR = 0.84, 95%CI = 0.50–1.42), CIRS and polypharmacy (OR = 1.16, 95%CI = 0.90–1.50 for eGFR< 60; OR = 0.86, 95%CI = 0.64–1.16 for eGFR< 45; OR = 1.11, 95%CI = 0.69–1.80) or diabetes, hypertension and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (OR = 1.28, 95%CI = 0.99–1.64 for eGFR< 60; OR = 1.16, 95%CI = 0.88–1.52 for eGFR< 45; OR = 1.47, 95%CI = 0.92–2.34). The association between CKD and low EQoL-VAS was confirmed in all remaining multivariable models.

Conclusions

CKD may significantly affect QoL in community-dwelling older adults. Physical performance, polypharmacy, diabetes, hypertension and COPD may affect such association, which suggests that the impact of CKD on QoL is likely multifactorial and partly mediated by co-occurrent conditions/risk factors.

mHealth-based experience sampling method to identify fatigue in the context of daily life in haemodialysis patients

Background

Fatigue in haemodialysis (HD) patients is a prevalent but complex symptom impacted by biological, behavioural, psychological and social variables. Conventional retrospective fatigue questionnaires cannot provide detailed insights into symptom variability in daily life and related factors. The experience sampling methodology (ESM) overcomes these limitations through repeated momentary assessments in patients’ natural environments using digital questionnaires. This study aimed to gain in-depth understanding of HD patients’ diurnal fatigue patterns and related variables using a mobile Health (mHealth) ESM application and sought to better understand the nature of their interrelationships.

Methods

Forty HD patients used the mHealth ESM application for 7 days to assess momentary fatigue and potentially related variables, including daily activities, self-reported physical activity, social company, location and mood.

Results

Multilevel regression analyses of momentary observations (n = 1777) revealed that fatigue varied between and within individuals. Fatigue was significantly related to HD treatment days, type of daily activity, mood and sleep quality. Time-lagged analyses showed that HD predicted higher fatigue scores at a later time point (β = 0.22, P = 0.013). Interestingly, higher momentary fatigue also significantly predicted more depressed feelings at a later time point (β = 0.05, P = 0.019) but not the other way around.

Conclusions

ESM offers novel insights into fatigue in chronic HD patients by capturing informative symptom variability in the flow of daily life. Electronic ESM as a clinical application may help us better understand fatigue in HD patients by providing personalized information about its course and relationship with other variables in daily life, paving the way towards personalized interventions.

A prospective study of fatigue trajectories among in-centre haemodialysis patients

Objectives

Fatigue is common and debilitating among dialysis patients. The aim of this study was to understand the longitudinal trajectory of fatigue and consider sociodemographic, clinical, and psychological factors that are related to variation in fatigue levels over time.

Design

A prospective study of fatigue with yearly assessments over 3 years among prevalent in‐centre haemodialysis (HD) patients.

Methods

Fatigue severity was measured using the Chalder Fatigue Questionnaire and fatigue‐related functional impairment using the Work and Social Adjustment Scale. The trajectories of fatigue outcomes were examined using piecewise growth models, using length of time on dialysis as time. Sociodemographic, clinical, and psychological predictors of fatigue were assessed using linear growth models, using follow‐up time.

Results

One hundred and seventy‐four prevalent HD patients completed baseline measures, 118 at 12 months, 84 at 24 months, and 66 at 36 months. Fatigue severity scores decreased by 0.15 each year. Fatigue‐related functional impairment increased by 1.17 each year. In adjusted linear growth models, non‐white ethnicity was a significant predictor of lower initial fatigue severity (B = −2.95, 95% CI −5.51 to −0.40) and a greater reduction in fatigue severity of 1.60 each year (95% CI 0.35–2.36). A one‐point increase in damage beliefs was associated with a 0.36 increase in fatigue‐related functional impairment each year (95% CI −0.61 to −0.01).

Conclusion

Damage beliefs predicted an increase in fatigue‐related functional impairment over time. However, the data strongly suggested that fatigue outcomes vary by length of time on dialysis.

Fatigue in Individuals with End Stage Renal Disease

Fatigue is a subjective overwhelming feeling of tiredness at rest, exhaustion with activity, lack of energy that impedes daily tasks, lack of endurance, or a loss of vigor. Individuals with end stage renal disease (ESRD) experience a high rate and severity of fatigue. Symptom management of fatigue in this population is critical, since fatigue has been linked with lower quality of life and higher mortality rates. In this article, we present a definition and overview of fatigue, a review of factors contributing to fatigue, and ways to manage fatigue in individuals with ESRD.

Frailty, Quality of Life, Anxiety, and Other Factors Affecting Adherence to Physical Activity Recommendations by Hemodialysis Patients

Hemodialysis patients perform little physical activity. We formulated a hypothesis that some factors, i.e., frailty, medical and functional factors, psychological factors, quality of life, awareness of recommendations, and sociodemographic factors influence the decisions of taking up physical activity. This prospective study comprised 72 dialysis patients aged 57.8 ± 16.0 ( x ¯ ± SD; in the range of 19-87 years of age). The following research tools were used: an interview about awareness of the physical activity recommendations, the Canadian Study of Health and Aging Scale (CSHA-CFS), scales for the assessment of functional status, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS), and the questionnaire of Kidney Disease Quality of Life (KDQOL-SF 1.3). The majority of patients diagnosed with frailty did not follow the physical activity recommendations (79.3%). Quality of life was better in active patients compared to inactive patients, especially in the domains of sleep and physical performance. The severity of trait anxiety was significantly higher in patients who did not follow the recommendations compared to patients who adhered to physical activity recommendations (46.0 ± 10.5 vs. 40.0 ± 8.2; p = 0.021 ). The likelihood of adherence decreased by 1% after each subsequent month of dialysis (odds ratio = 0.99; 95% confidence interval = 0.972-0.999; p = 0.047 ). Adherence was most limited by frailty. Adherence to recommendations on physical activity was affected by: motivation, lower levels of trait anxiety, and better quality of life. Age modified the effect of awareness and acceptance of the disease on adherence to physical activity recommendations.

Associated factors for depressive disorder in patients with end-stage renal disease treated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis

Background

The aim of this study was to primarily determine factors associated with the depressive disorders in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD).

Methods

CAPD patients were recruited from the chronic kidney disease and CAPD Clinic of University Hospital. The stable CAPD patients for at least 3 months were included in the study. Sociodemographic data, renal conditions, and depressive disorder were evaluated. In addition to determining prevalence rate of depressive disorders, identification of factors associated with depressive disorders in CAPD patients were analyzed by using the multivariable logistic regression analysis with backward elimination procedure.

Results

The eligible participants were 108 patients. The study found that 11% of CAPD patients were diagnosed with depressive disorders including, minor depressive, dysthymic, and major depressive disorders. Additionally, the depressive disorders were associated with the duration between the diagnosis date of the end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and the initial treatment date (P=0.043). Accordingly, the ESRD patients diagnosed in <12 months had 3.57-fold higher risk of depressive disorders than the patients diagnosed after a long time.

Conclusion

The rate of prevalence for depressive disorder is high in the CAPD patients. Additionally, the results of this study have shown the relationship between depressive disorder and time for diagnosis of ESRD. Specifically, the risk of depressive disorder increases when patients have a shorter duration between the dates of ESRD diagnosis and initial treatment. In addition to closed monitoring for those patients, the psychiatrists should be consulted for evaluation and treatment of depressive disorders for the suspected high risk patients.

The new Clinical Kidney Journal, 4 years later

The February 2015 issue of ckj started a new era with renewed efforts to be useful to the training and practicing nephrologists and a new focus on Clinical and Translational Nephrology. Four years later, it has become a truly global journal with contributors and readers from all over the world. The increase in quality of the published material has resulted in a nearly exponential growth of citations. Since 2016, ckj is listed in the new Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI) database from Clarivate Analytics and from January 2019 it will be listed in the full Science Citation Index. ckj will therefore receive its first official impact factor based upon 2018 citation to 2016 and 2017 articles. While no official impact factor was awarded for 2017, the estimated impact factors calculated from data available in Clarivate's Web of Science database rose to 2.987 in 2017, which would correspond to an estimated journal impact factor percentile of 72.4% in the Urology and Nephrology field.

Psychological problems as the major cause of fatigue in clients undergoing hemodialysis: A qualitative study

Background

It is obvious that hemodialysis is a stressful process, leading to numerous social and psychological problems, and may cause fatigue and helplessness.

Objective

This study aimed to explain the experiences of hemodialysis clients regarding the effect of psychological problems on fatigue.

Methods

This article was extracted from a qualitative study conducted on clients undergoing hemodialysis in Khorramabad. To this end, a total of 15 participants were purposefully selected using the snowball sampling method and the required data was collected using individual, face to face, detailed and semi-structured interviews. There were 12 client interviewees and one doctor, one nurse and one hemodialysis client's spouse. Content analysis was used to analyze the data.

Results

Continuous analysis of data and documents obtained from the interviews on the hemodialysis clients' experiences and comments regarding the main causes of fatigue revealed two main categories: 1) Psychological effects with subcategories of psychological stress and exhaustion; 2) Needs and constraints with subcategories of individual and social needs and constraints.

Conclusion

According to the clients' speech and expression analysis, psychological impacts and disease-induced needs and constraints were the most important cause of fatigue and its continuation among these clients.

Phosphate binders as a cause of hypothyroidism in dialysis patients: practical indications from a review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Although fatigue is common in dialysis patients, polypharmacy is seldom listed among its causes. In this report, we describe a dialysis patient who developed severe fatigue due to pharmacological interaction between two commonly prescribed drugs, phosphate binders and levothyroxine.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 65-year old woman, on dialysis for 17 years, complained of fatigue (weight 54 Kg, height 1.55 m, BMI: 23 Kg/m2; malnutrition inflammation index: 10; Charlson index 9). She had been treated with lithium for about 20 years. A heavy smoker, she was obese and diabetic when young, but stopped treatment after weight loss. She had undergone thyroidectomy for papillary carcinoma, left hemicolectomy for colon adenocarcinoma, left quadrantectomy followed by radiotherapy for ductal mammary adenocarcinoma, subtotal parathyroidectomy for tertiary hyperparathyroidism. At the time of this report, she was on thrice-weekly hemodiafiltration (Daugirdas 2 Kt/V: 1.6-1.8). Her recent treatment included spironolactone, amlodipine, perindopril, valproate, lamotrigine, levothyroxine, vitamin D, calcium carbonate, sodium polystyrene and sevelamer. After she questioned her doctor about whether her fatigue might be the result of a drug interaction, levothyroxine interference was identified (TSH, previously normal, increased to 13.07 mU/L, after increasing sevelamer dose, and normalized after change of drug schedule).

LITERATURE REVIEW

only 5 relevant papers on levothyroxine and phosphate binders on dialysis were found on Pubmed and EMBASE (out of 351 titles retrieved). Information was therefore inferred from studies in normal volunteers or in other diseases.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

Our case differs from other reports on lower TSH at diagnosis, underlining the need for awareness of the importance of early diagnosis. Integrating the scant literature on dialysis patients with data available in the general population, some working conclusions can be reached: while all phosphate binders potentially interfere with levothyroxine absorption, interference seems to be highest for sevelamer; interference is limited but not excluded by increasing the intervals between drugs; morning fast is usually indicated but, when clashing with the timing of other drugs, a bedtime dose and liquid preparations may be indicated. In the absence of an agreed control schedule, our case supports close monitoring of TSH (1-3 months if unstable, twice-yearly in stable patients).

'It's when you're not doing too much you feel tired': A qualitative exploration of fatigue in end-stage kidney disease

BACKGROUND

Fatigue is commonly experienced in end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients. In order to develop patient-centred psychosocial interventions to help patients manage fatigue symptoms, a more in-depth understanding regarding the experience of fatigue is needed.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to explore renal patients' experiences of fatigue, across renal replacement therapy (RRT) modalities.

METHODS

Twenty-five in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted. Interviews were audio-taped, transcribed, and analysed using inductive thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Main themes included the strong role of the illness and treatment in the aetiology of fatigue. Two contrasting streams of illness-fatigue interpretations emerged: catastrophizing versus normalizing. Participants emphasized the importance of having a sense of purpose in facilitating active management of fatigue. Many participants described the consequences of fatigue on their functioning. Low mood, frustration, and anger were common emotional consequences of fatigue. Three dominant fatigue management strategies emerged: one related to accommodation of activities around fatigue, another on increasing activities to counteract fatigue, and the third one revolved around self-compassion. Social support emerged as an important aspect of the fatigue experience, serving as a source of motivation, yet participants were wary of becoming a burden to others.

CONCLUSION

Findings identify casual attributions, behavioural and emotional reactions, management strategies, and facilitators of active management of fatigue in ESKD. Untying fatigue from the illness and treatment may help patients to develop alternative less catastrophic perceptions of fatigue, increase their perception of control over fatigue, and facilitate active fatigue management. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Fatigue is persistent and debilitating in end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), with no consistent treatment model. Promising evidence is available for psychological fatigue interventions in other chronic conditions. There is a gap in studies looking at the fatigue experiences of patients with ESKD across renal replacement therapies. What does this study add? Fatigue is not inherently negative, but shaped by patients' beliefs and behaviours. Findings provide novel insights, for example, on the important role social support seems to play in fatigue. An in-depth understanding of fatigue may help to inform a future patient-centred intervention in ESKD.

Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) for renal fatigue (BReF): a feasibility randomised-controlled trial of CBT for the management of fatigue in haemodialysis (HD) patients

INTRODUCTION

Fatigue is one of the most common and disabling symptoms in end-stage kidney disease, particularly among in-centre haemodialysis patients. This two-arm parallel group feasibility randomised controlled trial will determine whether a fully powered efficacy trial is achievable by examining the feasibility of recruitment, acceptability and potential benefits of a cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT)-based intervention for fatigue among in-centre haemodialysis patients.

METHODS

We aim to recruit 40 adult patients undergoing in-centre haemodialysis at secondary care outpatient dialysis units, who meet clinical levels of fatigue. Patients will be randomised individually (using a 1:1 ratio) to either a 4-6 weeks' CBT-based intervention (intervention arm) or to a waiting-list control (control arm). The primary feasibility outcomes include descriptive data on numbers within each recruiting centre meeting eligibility criteria, rates of recruitment, numbers retained postrandomisation and treatment adherence. To assess the potential benefits of the cognitive-behavioural therapy for renal fatigue intervention, secondary self-report outcomes include measures of fatigue severity (Chalder Fatigue Questionnaire), fatigue-related functional impairment (Work and Social Adjustment Scale), sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9) and anxiety (Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7). Changes in fatigue perceptions (Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire), cognitive and behavioural responses to fatigue (Cognitive and Behavioural Responses to Symptoms Questionnaire), sleep hygiene behaviours (Sleep Hygiene Index) and physical activity (International Physical Activity Questionnaire-short form) will also be explored. These self-report measures will be collected at baseline and 3 months postrandomisation. Nested qualitative interviews will be conducted postintervention to explore the acceptability of the intervention and identify any areas in need of improvement. The statistician and assessor will be blinded to treatment allocation.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

A National Health Service (NHS) Research Ethics Committee approved the study. Any amendments to the protocol will be submitted to the NHS Committee and study sponsor.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ISRCTN91238019;Pre-results.