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During the congress, E-Posters will be accessible to all participants on the congress website 24/7, as well as in the E-poster stations in the congress center.
Preparing your E-Poster
Please review the E-Poster format requirements carefully when preparing your E-Poster. Should your E-Poster not meet the mentioned requirements, it may not be displayed as described above.
E-Poster Submission Deadline
Please prepare and upload your E-Poster no later than March 14, 2026 11.59PM CET. After this date, you will no longer be able to prepare and upload your E-poster and it will not be displayed and accessible on the congress website.
Please follow the instructions below to input your abstract title.
Abstract titles should be brief and reflect the content of the abstract.
Sleep is closely linked to kidney health and has a significant impact on quality of life. Screening and managing poor sleep are highly recommended for people with chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, limited studies have examined how sleep concerns among people living with CKD are assessed and managed in clinical practice. This study aims to examine the experiences and perspectives of sleep assessments and management among people living with CKD.
We obtained ethical approval to conduct a mixed-methods study incorporating a cross-sectional survey and semi-structured interviews to collect data from adults with CKD in four nephrology units across three Australian states between 1 August 2024 and 31 April 2025. We used a convenience sampling strategy, inviting eligible participants to complete the survey either online or on paper and to participate in an online 1:1 interview. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively, and qualitative data were analysed using narrative analysis.
We analysed 214 surveys and 11 interviews, with 68% male respondents and a mean age of 63 years. Most individuals received haemodialysis (61%). Based on self-reported Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores, 72% of participants were classified as “poor sleepers” (PSQI >5) (Table 1). Sleep disturbances were commonly attributed to broken sleep, nocturia, and other symptoms such as restless legs and pain (Fig. 1). Qualitative data revealed that nocturia was prevalent among participants with CKD not requiring kidney replacement therapy, while machine noise and restricted sleep positions were problematic for peritoneal dialysis participants. Haemodialysis participants reported broken sleep, difficulty initiating sleep, itch, and pain. Transplant recipients also reported poor sleep quality.
Over a third of participants indicated that their nephrologists never inquired about sleep, and only 41% of participants reported sleep issues to their nephrologist. A quarter of participants felt they should manage sleep independently, while 11% did not report sleep disturbances due to other competing symptoms. Only 8% used a wearable sleep tracker, while 51% expressed no interest in using one (Table 1).
Sleep concerns were often not managed. When they were managed, medication was the most common management strategy (19%), followed by sleep education and supportive care (Fig. 2). However, qualitative data revealed that medication burden, such as “not wanting to take more medications”, was a reason for not seeking medical help for sleep issues (Fig. 3). Non-pharmacological interventions were preferred, as participants felt empowered by these strategies.
Sleep problems were infrequently screened or reported. Patients reported a preference for non-pharmacological sleep management strategies, despite the common use of medication. Over a third of participants did not report sleep issues due to a perception of expected self-management or the presence of competing symptoms. These insights underscore the need for routine sleep health assessments and the management of other symptoms, such as pain and restless legs, to improve sleep in people with CKD.
