Objective:

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the frequency and severity of symptoms experienced in patients undergoing hemodialysis.

Methods:

A cross-sectional and descriptive study including 194 patients was conducted between May and November 2015. Data were collected using a face-to-face interview method with “patient information form” and “dialysis symptom index.” The number, percentage, mean, standard deviation, t-test, Mann–Whitney U test, and one-way analysis of variance test were used to evaluate the data.

Results:

Most patients undergoing hemodialysis experience symptoms such as tiredness/a lack of energy (83.5%; 3.77±1.03), muscle cramps (74.7%; 3.19±0.90), and bone/joint pain (73.7%; 3.27±0.96). Gender, marital status, educational level, working status and occupation, another chronic disease accompanying a chronic kidney disease, hemodialysis access route, additional hemodialysis in the past month, and erythropoietin use negatively affected the dialysis symptom index point average (p<0.05).

Conclusion:

The frequency and severity of the symptoms experienced by hemodialysis patients should be regularly monitored, and there should be an organized training on chronic renal disease and hemodialysis treatment in these patients.

Keywords: Hemodialysis treatment, symptom, symptom evaluation