Frequency of Intradialytic Complications among Patients of Maintenance Hemodialysis on Thrice Weekly

Renal replacement therapy for ESRD includes hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, and transplantation, with hemodialysis being the most common. Over two million patients receive it annually. ESRD patients often have comorbidities like heart disease, vascular disease, and COPD, increasing their health risks. Objectives: To determine the frequency of intra-dialytic complications occurring in patients on maintenance hemodialysis. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Nephrology Department of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Lahore. A total of 83 ESRD patients aged 15–70 years, undergoing thrice-weekly hemodialysis, were selected using non-probability consecutive sampling. Patients with acute renal failure, dementia, or unconsciousness were excluded. Dialysis was performed using Fresenius, Surdial, Toray, and Nipro machines, with complications monitored over two months. Data were recorded using a structured proforma and analyzed with SPSS version 25.0, with qualitative variables presented as frequencies and percentages and continuous variables as mean ± SD. Chi-square tests were applied, with statistical significance set at p≤0.05. Results: Among 83 patients (63.9% male, 63.9% >40 years), 60.2% had CKD for <5 years. Diabetes (65) and hypertension (29) were the leading causes. The most common complications were hypotension (28), nausea/vomiting (17), and cramping (11). There was no significant association among complications of CKD with age, gender, duration of disease and type of hemodialysis (p-value>0.05). Conclusions: Dialysis complications are common, with hypotension being the most frequent, followed by nausea, vomiting, hypertension, and muscle cramps. Diabetic patients are more vulnerable, emphasizing the need for better monitoring and preventive strategies to improve outcomes.