Prevalence of Chronic Itch and Associated Factors in Haemodialysis Patients: A Representative Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Chronic itch is a common symptom in haemodialysis (HD) patients, which is often underestimated. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the prevalence and factors associated with chronic itch in HD patients. A total of 860 HD patients from a randomly selected cluster-sample of patients attending dialysis units in Germany were included. The patients’ mean±SD age was 67.2±13.5 years, 57.2% were male. The point prevalence of chronic itch was 25.2% (95% CI 22.4–28.1), 12-month prevalence was 27.2% (95% CI 24.1–30.3) and lifetime prevalence was 35.2% (95% CI 31.9–38.3). Chronic itch was significantly less prevalent in patients with secondary glomerulonephritis as primary renal disease. A history of dry skin, eczema, and age <70 years were significantly associated with chronic itch. General health status and quality of life were significantly more impaired in subjects with chronic itch. This is the first representative cross-sectional study using a precise definition of chronic itch and using different prevalence estimates of chronic itch in HD patients. It demonstrates that chronic itch is a long-lasting burden significantly impairing patients’ health.