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. 2017 Jul 10;18(1):228.
doi: 10.1186/s12882-017-0638-y.

Symptom burden in chronic kidney disease; a population based cross sectional study

Sameera Senanayake  1 , Nalika Gunawardena  2 , Paba Palihawadana  3 , Palitha Bandara  4 , Rashan Haniffa  5 , R Karunarathna  4 , Priyantha Kumara  4
Affiliations

Symptom burden in chronic kidney disease; a population based cross sectional study

Sameera Senanayake et al. BMC Nephrol. .

Abstract

Background: Physical and psychological symptoms are among main manifestations of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). This study aimed to assess the symptom burden and self-perceived severity of symptoms among CKD patients living in a district in Sri Lanka.

Method: A community based cross-sectional study included a sample of randomly selected 1174 CKD patients from all 19 Medical Officer of Health areas in the district of Anuradhapura. Trained para-medical staff visited the households and administered the locally validated questionnaire to assess the presence and severity of symptoms. The inquiry was on 25 symptoms in a 5 point Likert scale indicating the severity during the previous week. Symptom burden score was constructed by summing each symptom severity score which ranged from 0 to 125.

Results: A total of 1118 CKD patients participated with a response rate of 95.2%. The mean age was 58.3 (SD 10.8) years and 62.7% were males. A majority were in CKD stage 4 (58.3%). Bone/joint pain was the most experienced symptom (87.6%; 95%CI 85.6-89.5). Loss of libido was the most severe symptom. The median symptom burden score was 35.0 (IQR 20.0-50.0). Multiple linear regression revealed education up to Advanced Level (β -9.176), CKD stage V (β 3.373), being dialyzed (β 20.944), comorbidities (β 4.241) and being employed (β -9.176) to be significant predictors of symptom burden.

Conclusions: Patients in all stages of CKD experience high symptom burden warranting rigorous measures to relieve symptoms and to improve the well-being of CKD patients.

Keywords: Chronic kidney disease; Chronic kidney disease of unknown aetiology; Sri Lanka; Symptom burden.

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Conflict of interest statement

Ethics approval and consent to participate

The study is in accordance with Helsinki Declaration. The study protocol has been approved by the Ethics Committee of Colombo Medical Faculty. Permission was obtained from the Provincial Director of Health Service, to assess the CKD register available at his office. Participants gave their informed consent.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interest.

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

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