Fatigue in Chronic Dialysis Patients

Abstract

Fatigue is common in chronic hemodialysis (HD) patients and impacts on daily living, impairs significantly the quality of life, increases the risk of cardiovascular events and negatively influences survival. Although numerous social, demographic, clinical, and laboratory variables have been associated with fatigue, the causes of this symptom are often unclear. In the absence of an underlying, treatable disorder, the results of therapeutic intervention are typically frustrating. So far, none of the drugs tested can be recommended for preventing and treating fatigue in chronic HD patients. There is some evidence that exercise may significantly improve fatigue in dialysis patients; however, this requires confirmation through large, prospective, randomized studies.

Fatigue Is Associated with Increased Risk of Mortality in Patients on Chronic Hemodialysis

“…Fatigue is common in end-stage renal disease patients receiving hemodialysis [1,2,3], reduces significantly their quality of life and heavily impacts daily activity [4,5,6]. Fatigue is a predictor of mortality in the general population and in other diseases [7,8,9,10,11,12] and this is a strong rationale to identify fatigue early in the course of such diseases and makes fatigue a potential target of therapeutic strategies.…”

Self-Reported Physical Activity in Patients on Chronic Hemodialysis: Correlates and Barriers

“…With regard to fatigue, it is well known that is one of the most frequent and most debilitating symptoms reported by patients on chronic hemodialysis [13,14,15,16] and that the causes and pathogenic mechanisms of this symptom remain unknown in most cases [17]. Cross-sectional studies have shown that fatigue is associated with comorbidities, sleep disorders, symptoms of depression, anemia, chronic inflammation and physical inactivity [17].…”

Determining the Correlation Between Hemoglobin Levels and the Quality of Life of Adolecents and Young Adults on Hemodialysis: A Descriptive Correlational Study

“…al., 2009, p. 355). Fatigue impacts the daily activity of dialysis patients (Bossola Vulpio & Tazza, 2011). Bossola, Vulpio and Tazza (2011) found fatigue to be is one of four symptoms which can deteriorate the quality of life, the others being pain, lack of well-being and depression.…”

“…Fatigue impacts the daily activity of dialysis patients (Bossola Vulpio & Tazza, 2011). Bossola, Vulpio and Tazza (2011) found fatigue to be is one of four symptoms which can deteriorate the quality of life, the others being pain, lack of well-being and depression. End stage renal disease and its treatment may have a significant impact on the quality of life affecting a patient's social and psychological well-being (Anees, Hameed, Mumtaz, Ibrahim, & Khan, 2011).…”