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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.
Pain is a frequent and often under-recognized symptom among patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis. Despite advancements in dialysis techniques and supportive care, a significant proportion of HD patients continue to experience varying degrees of pain, which may occur because of many causes including musculoskeletal disorders, neuropathies, vascular access-related issues, and underlying comorbidities. Persistent pain in this population not only contributes to physical discomfort but also has a profound impact on psychological well-being, sleep quality, treatment adherence, and overall quality of life. However, pain in HD patients is frequently underestimated by healthcare providers and remains inadequately assessed and managed in routine clinical practice.
In our study, we aimed to determine the prevalence of pain in hemodialysis patients in hub and spoke model and to evaluate risk factors
Patients over the age of 18 who are undergoing hemodialysis at spoke centres were included in our study. The Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) was administered in a structured interview format to assess pain intensity (worst, least, average, and current pain) and pain interference (general activity, mood, walking ability, work, relationships, sleep, and enjoyment of life). Demographic data, dialysis duration and comorbidities were recorded
542 patients undergoing dialysis at our spoke centres who gave consent to participate in our study were included. The mean age of the patients was 52+/- 11 years old with a predominant age group between 41 and 60 years old. Among them, 298 (55%) were male and 244 (45%) were female. The average BPI scores were stratified into mild to moderate pain (score 0–5) and moderate to severe pain (score 5–10). 398 (73.4%) experienced moderate to severe pain (BPI 5–10), while 144 (26.6%) had mild pain (BPI 0–5). A significantly higher proportion of females (79.9%) reported moderate to severe pain compared to males (68.1%). Pain severity increased with age. Patients aged >60 years had the highest prevalence of severe pain (86.4%), while only 63.6% of those aged <20 years reported moderate to severe pain. Among 262 diabetic patients, 203 (77.5%) had BPI scores ≥5, which was significantly higher compared to non-diabetics. Pain severity was significantly associated with dialysis vintage. Patients on hemodialysis for more than 3 years had the highest prevalence of severe pain (85.3%).
Laboratory parameters revealed that patients with moderate to severe pain had significantly lower mean hemoglobin levels and serum albumin levels. Other parameters, including serum creatinine, sodium, potassium, and calcium, did not differ significantly between the two groups (p > 0.05).
Out of 542 patients, 398 (73.4%) reported significant pain. The pain was reported more in age group > 60 years, 86.4% of the patients of that group. Female patients reported significantly more pain compared to males. Pain was more prevalent with longer duration of dialysis.
Laboratory analysis revealed that patients with higher pain scores had significantly lower hemoglobin and albumin levels, indicating a potential association between pain, anemia, and nutritional status. However, other lab parameters including serum creatinine, electrolytes, and calcium levels did not differ significantly between pain severity groups.
Despite the high burden of pain, a significant proportion of patients were undertreated, with limited use of appropriate analgesic or neuropathic pain medications. Routine use of tools like the BPI in dialysis centers can help in early identification and holistic management of pain, emphasizing the need for integrated pain management protocols in nephrology care.
