Pain, Sexual Dysfunction and Depression in Hemodialysis Patients

OBJECTIVES:

There are currently over 500,000 individuals with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in the United States, and more than 100,000 new patients develop this condition annually. Recent estimates suggest that more than 35,000 veterans currently receive chronic hemodialysis. Although life-sustaining, hemodialysis is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Numerous studies have sought to identify interventions that reduce the mortality of patients dependent on hemodialysis, yet recent clinical trials of dialysis dose, dialysis membrane, and lipid lowering therapy have failed to demonstrate survival benefits. With the recognition that providers have limited means beyond renal transplantation to prolong the lives of patients on hemodialysis, investigators are beginning to refocus their research efforts on identifying interventions to improve patients' quality of life, which is substantially impaired in this population. Several major factors that contribute to poor quality of life have been identified, including the large burden of physical and emotional symptoms in this patient population.

Of the many symptoms that affect patients on hemodialysis, pain, sexual dysfunction, and depression are among the most prevalent, severe, and highly correlated with impaired quality of life. These observations are particularly noteworthy with recent data documenting the safety and efficacy of pharmacologic therapy for these symptoms. Nonetheless, preliminary studies suggest that even when severe, these symptoms are untreated or under-treated in patients on hemodialysis. The reasons for the sub-optimal treatment have not been clearly elucidated, but the investigators research demonstrated that renal providers are largely unaware of the presence and severity of pain, sexual dysfunction, and depression in their hemodialysis patients. Although increasing provider awareness of these symptoms would seem to be important for the provision of therapy, it is not clear that simply informing clinicians would be sufficient to improve treatment.

The broad objective of this 3-year project is to determine the most effective strategy for the management of pain, sexual dysfunction, and depression in patients on chronic hemodialysis. The investigators postulate that merely informing renal providers of patients' pain, sexual dysfunction, and depression and providing them with evidence-based treatment algorithms will not significantly improve the management of these symptoms. Rather, optimal symptom management will require assessment and treatment of these symptoms by a dedicated renal symptom management nurse. In a randomized clinical trial of not more than 350 patients receiving hemodialysis at 9 dialysis units, the investigators will compare two symptom management strategies: (a) providing feedback on patients' symptoms to renal providers along with evidence-based algorithms for their treatment and; (b) using a renal symptom management nurse to identify and facilitate treatment of these symptoms. This study involves the nurse and the research assistant bringing treatment plans and algorithms to the attention of the renal providers and does not involve any treatment by the research assistant and nurse themselves. By determining the most effective approach to the management of overall pain, sexual dysfunction, and depression, the investigators hope to introduce a patient-centered management approach to improve the quality of life of patients receiving chronic hemodialysis.

METHODS: Overview of Study Design The investigators have proposed a randomized, clinical trial to compare two strategies for the treatment of pain, sexual dysfunction, and depression in patients on chronic hemodialysis. The investigators have recruited 315 patients from nine local VA and non-VA dialysis units.