Prevalence and risk factors of depressive symptoms among dialysis patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in Khartoum, Sudan: A cross-sectional study.

Background: Depression is the most common prevalent psychiatric condition among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and especially during dialysis. This study aimed to evaluate depression symptoms in Sudanese patients with end-stage renal diseases (ESRD) who undergo hemodialysis.

Methods: This is a case finding, hospital-based study recruited 75 patients on dialysis in Khartoum, Sudan. Data were analyzed by statistical package for social science (SPSS, version 23).

Results: The percentage of depression symptoms that satisfies the criteria for the diagnosis of major depression disorders in patients with ESRD undergoes dialysis was 68%. The new patients who undergo dialysis for less than 1 year had more depression symptoms (66.7%) than those on dialysis for 2-3 years (21.6%) or more than 3 years with a percentage of11.8%. Chi-square test showed significant associations between depression and age, the duration of dialysis, signs of significant weight loss when no dieting, and when the clinical symptoms related to distress or social or functional impairment ( = 0.016, 0.000, 0.004, and 0.000, respectively). Logistic regression test showed that age and duration of dialysis were significantly associated with depression with (odds ratios [OR]: 0.724, 0.211).

Conclusion: More than two-thirds of patients on dialysis have depressive symptoms. Risk factors associated with depression in Sudanese patients on dialysis were age, duration of dialysis, weight loss, and social and functional impairment. Future research is needed in order to assess the benefit of antidepressants in patients on dialysis. Family physicians should be aware of the association between depression and dialysis, in order to provide early treatment and prevent suicide.