ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Pruritus is a common cutaneous manifestation of chronic kidney disease (CKD). It is associated with poor sleep quality, anxiety and depression which may contribute to reduction in quality of life (QoL). Paying more attention to pruritus in CKD patients may improve their QoL, reduce kidney disease burden and mortality. This study determined the prevalence, pattern and association of pruritus with QoL in CKD patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study carried out in a Kidney Care Centre, Ondo City, Southwest Nigeria. The severity and intensity of pruritus and health-related
QoL were assessed using validated instruments. P-value of < 0.05 was taken as significant.

RESULTS: There were 91 CKD subjects with a male:female ratio of 2.1:1. Sixty-nine (75.8%) of the CKD patients were not on dialysis while the remaining twenty-two (24.2%) were on maintenance
hemodialysis (MHD). Thirty-nine (42.9%) of the CKD subjects had pruritus which was mild in 25(64.1%), moderate in 8(20.5%) and severe in 6(15.4%). Pruritus was more common in MHD patients
compared to predialysis CKD patients(50%vs40.6%) p = 0.47. The median pruritus intensity score was also higher in MHD patients compared to predialysis CKD patients (40vs30) p = 0.51. There was no
significant association between gender, age, aetiology of CKD, stage of CKD and pruritus. There was a significant correlation between QoL score and pruritus intensity. (p = < 0.001, r = 0.56).

CONCLUSION: Pruritus was common among our CKD subjects and it was not significantly associated with age, gender, stage or etiology of CKD. There was a significant association between impaired QoL
and pruritus intensity.

KEYWORDS: Pruritus, quality of life, chronic kidney disease
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ejhs.v26i6.7