Prevalence and associated variables of post-dialysis fatigue: Results of a prospective multicentre study.

Aim: The study aims to determine prevalence and severity of PDF and to define its associated variables.

Methods: In five haemodialysis units of northern-centre Italy, patients were regarded to suffer from PDF if they spontaneously offered this complaint when asked the open-ended question: Do you feel better or worse after dialysis? If worse, please specify in which way. A complaint of fatigue would be probed further with questions directed at its duration, frequency and intensity, allowing creation of a fatigue index of severity (one third of the sum of these three parameters, each rated from 1 to 5).