There is a growing body of literature on the symptom management of patients with ESKD. Patients need clear information about the potential effects dialysis and non-dialysis pathways on symptom burden and how this can change BVD-523 manufacturer with time. Standardization of tools used to collate information about symptoms can assist in the provision of information to patients. We recommend the Patient Outcome Scale symptom module (Renal Version) tool (accessible via the kcl.ac.uk website) for assessing symptom burden. Patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD)
whether or not on renal replacement therapy (RRT) have considerable prevalence of symptoms. Indeed this group is among the most heavily burdened of any disease group.[1-3] A large, systematic review of prevalence studies of symptoms,[4] experienced by dialysis patients showed a significant burden of symptoms.
A subsequent study by the same group found a similar prevalence of symptoms in patients being managed conservatively.[5] A summary of the results of those studies appears below in Table 1. In addition to individual symptoms, it is important to note that patients may experience multiple symptoms simultaneously. These may be from multiple sources, some from the renal failure (e.g. pruritus and restless legs), from comorbidities (e.g. diabetic peripheral neuropathy, RXDX-106 datasheet diabetes-related gastroparesis, angina) or be related to dialysis therapies (intradialytic hypotension, cramping, sleep disturbance from automated peritoneal dialysis alarms). Also, the interaction
of individual symptoms may exacerbate other problems. For example, the simultaneous presence of nocturnal Thalidomide uraemic pruritus, restless legs syndrome and pain secondary to arthritis, may result in significantly disturbed sleeping, in turn leading to daytime somnolence and enhanced fatigue. Symptoms experienced by patients with ESKD are consistently underassessed and inadequately managed. In addition to the experience of the individual symptom itself, some symptoms (e.g. uraemic pruritus) have been shown to be associated with reduced quality of life and a shortened life expectancy.[6] Symptom burden is likely to alter and increase over time for patients choosing either a dialysis or non-dialysis pathway and therefore needs to be regularly reassessed. In the experience of the St George’s Hospital Renal Unit, New South Wales, in approximately one-fifth patients, symptoms are not improved by initiation of dialysis. In the Renal Supportive Care clinic at this unit, two-thirds of the patients who attend are on dialysis and one-third are following the Renal Supportive Care pathway, showing also the symptom burden of those dialysing. Anecdotally, some patients may have very few symptoms, regardless of management choice and stage of disease.