The effect of aromatherapy on haemodialysis patients' pruritus

Aims and objectives. To determine the effect of aromatherapy on pruritus

observed in haemodialysis patients.

Background. Although the prevalence of pruritus in kidney failure has decreased

in the recent years, pruritus is a difficult and serious problem which concerns the

majority of haemodialysis patents and is hard to cure.

Design. A prospective, pretest–post-test quasi-experimental design was used.

Methods. The research is quasi-experimental clinical trial conducted as pretest

and post-test with control groups between January 2011–April 2012, in haemodialysis units of hospitals in Erzurum. The collection of the data is achieved using a

questionnaire to detect the patients’ individual and pruritus score scale and to

clarify certain laboratory parameters regarding the pruritus. Chi-square analysis

and t-test are used for the analysis of data.

Results. The experimental group’s mean post-test pruritus scores were found to be lower than that of control group patients , and a

highly significant difference was found between the groups (p < 0001). In the

between-groups comparisons of experimental and control group’s laboratory

parameters, the experimental group’s post-test blood urea nitrogen levels

(11826  3676) were found to be lower than that of control group patients , and the between-groups difference was found to be statistically

significant (p < 005).

Conclusions. The results demonstrate that aromatherapy was found to decrease

the pruritus problem of haemodialyses patients and led to positive changes in

some laboratory parameters related to pruritus.

Relevance to clinical practice. One of the roles of health professionals is to advise

individuals, who are living on this problem, using the nonpharmacological methods in checking the itching. By preventing or reducing uraemic pruritus, aromatherapy may also improve quality of life in this patient group