Non-Pharmacological Treatments of Pruritus in Hemodialysis Patients: A Review Study

Context Pruritus in hemodialysis patients is one of the most common disturbing symptoms in patients with chronic renal failure. Non-pharmacological treatments can be useful in reducing patients’ pruritus, however, few reviews have been published in this regard. The aim of this study was to provide non-pharmacological treatments for hemodialysis patients. Evidence Acquisition The review study was conducted by searching electronic databases and search engines since 1990 to October 2017. The articles were included in the study that examined the effects of non-pharmacological treatments on pruritus in hemodialysis patients. Results A total of 13 studies on non-pharmacological treatments affecting pruritus were reviewed. These treatments included phototherapy, aromatherapy, high flux dialyzer, acupressure, and cold dialysis. A review of studies has shown that phototherapy is not effective in treating the hemodialysis patients’ pruritus. High flux dialyzer had the most effect in reducing pruritus. Other non-pharmacological treatments such as aromatherapy, acupressure, and cold dialysis also had an effect on pruritus relief. Conclusion Finally, it can be concluded that high flux dialyzer is an effective non-pharmacological way to control pruritus during hemodialysis. However, little studies have been done on therapies such as acupressure and cold dialysis. A repeat of these studies with a larger sample size are recommended