The Effect Of Increasing Blood Flow Rate During Hemodialysis On Sleep Disorder Induced By Uremic Pruritus

Background & aim: Pruritus is a complication of coetaneous and internal disease such as chronic renal failure, and has a large impact on quality of life and sleep in Hemodialysis patients. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of sleep disruption caused by increasing blood flow rate during hemodialysis uremic pruritus. Methods: In the present single blind clinical trial study, 50 hemodialysis patients were chosen by consecutive method and were divided into two groups, namely intervention and comparison. Itching and sleep disturbance were measured by a questionnaire before and two and four weeks after the study. Blood flow rate of intervention group was increased in two steps (first 2 weeks 25 mil/min and next 4 weeks 50 mil/min) whilethe comparison group received routine treatment. The collected data was analyzed by Fisher exact test, T-test, and Mann-Whitney test. Results: Pruritus severity decreased 20% between the two sessions of hemodialysis (at home) in intervention group, but no change was observed in the control group. The difference between the two groups regarding the severity of pruritus after two and four weeks was significant (P=0.04, P=0.02). Sleep disturbance associated with uremic pruritus after four weeks indicated the significant difference between both groups (P=0.002). Conclusion: increasing blood flow rate improves sleep disturbance in hemodialysis patients