Pruritus in hemodialysis patients: association with phosphorus intake and serum calcium level.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the association between the occurrence of pruritus and adherence to the prescribed diet, biochemical indicators of renal function and the quality of hemodialysis in chronic renal patients.

METHOD: A cross-sectional study performed at a dialysis clinic in the Northeast of Brazil, with 200 patients undergoing hemodialysis in the first half of 2015.To analyze the data, inferential statistics were used, using Chi-Square and Fisher's Exact tests; and Mann Whitney U test.

RESULTS: The pruritus was present in 51% of the sample, being associated statistically with phosphorus consumption (P = 0.024) and elevation of serum calcium (P = 0.009).

CONCLUSION: Pruritus in chronic renal patients undergoing hemodialysis is influenced by adequate nonadherence to the prescribed diet, in addition to the elevation of biochemical indicators of renal function.