Mucocutaneous manifestations of patients with chronic kidney disease under hemodialysis: A cross-sectional study of 49 patients

Abstract

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a common medical problem with well-known dermatologic manifestations, some of which highly disturb the patients' quality of life. This cross-sectional study was designed to identify the prevalence and type of cutaneous involvement in CKD patients. The skin manifestations of 49 patients with CKD undergoing hemodialysis at Akhavan Hospital in Kashan, Iran, were recorded over 2 months. Diabetes (35) was the most common cause of chronic renal failure in the patients, and the most common skin manifestations were xerosis (95.9), uremic pigmentation (89.8), scleral discoloration (87.8), dental discoloration (85.2 among the patients with natural teeth), dry mouth (65.3), varicosity (61.2), pruritus (57.1), skin atrophy (49), lentigo (46.9), subungual hyperkeratosis (42.9), half and half nail dystrophy (34.7), and purpura (26.5). Mucocutaneous involvement has a very high prevalence in CKD patients undergoing hemodialysis, and some of the cases are medically and cosmetically disturbing; therefore, with better knowledge about the type and prevalence of these involvements, the consequences can be better predicted and managed. Further studies are recommended to be conducted on the association between these signs and CKD grade, and clinical trials are also required for establishing the treatment options available for these signs and then assessing the patients' quality of life as a primary outcome measure.