Effect of Acupuncture on Functional Capacity and Health-Related Quality of Life of Hemodialysis Patients: Randomized Controlled Trial.

End-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD) experience multiple physical and emotional problems, undergo a complex and demanding treatment regimen, face a disruptive chronic disease with a significant decrease in functional capacity and a high impact on their HRQoL. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been progressively more accepted as an effective therapeutic approach. The fundamental questions guiding our entire research project were: What is the effect of TCM therapeutic strategies in the improvement of symptoms resulting from renal replacement therapy, in ESRD patients undergoing HD? Does acupuncture have a positive effect on FC and HRQoL of hemodialysis patient? If so, are the results maintained over the long term? And what is the effectiveness of short-term intensive interventions when compared to less frequent and prolonged interventions over time? Is it possible to integrate acupuncture into the dialysis care routine? Based on previous research questions and the complexity of CKD, the objectives of our study were: 1) to assess the effect of acupuncture on FC and HRQoL of ESRD patients undergoing hemodialysis; 2) evaluate the specific effects of acupuncture as compared to sham; 3) evaluate short and long term effects of acupuncture; 4) determine the difference between short-term intensive and ongoing but less-frequent acupuncture treatments; 5) to assess the feasibility of integrating acupuncture on dialysis care.