Understanding patient perspectives of the impact of anaemia in chronic
kidney disease: A United States patient survey
Abstract
Background Anaemia, a common complication of chronic kidney disease
(CKD), is associated with reduced health-related quality of life and
physical functioning. This study investigated the knowledge, perceptions
and awareness of anaemia in patients with CKD in the United States.
Methods Between 29 August and 17 September 2018, an online survey was
administered to consenting patients in the United States aged ≥ 18 years
with self-reported CKD, with or without anaemia; patients with cancer
were excluded. The survey comprised 27 questions, exploring anaemia
knowledge, health-related quality of life, anaemia management,
practitioner–patient relationships, and the information sources
patients used. Results Of 446 patients with CKD, 255 (57.2%) were
diagnosed with anaemia and 191 (42.8%) reported not being diagnosed
with anaemia, or were unsure/could not remember (non-anaemia cohort). In
patients with anaemia, 71.0% were aware of the relationship between CKD
and anaemia versus 52.9% of those in the non-anaemia cohort. In the
anaemia cohort, 46.3% of patients were aware of their haemoglobin
level, compared with 27.2% of patients in the non-anaemia cohort.
Symptoms most commonly reported as being made worse by anaemia included
lack of energy (82.4%), feeling ill (31.4%), and the ability to enjoy
life (30.2%). Despite 67.4% of patients with anaemia in CKD believing
that their condition was well or very well managed, only 50% reported
being informed about different treatments without having to prompt their
healthcare professional, and 43.9% were seeking more information and
support about managing their condition. Conclusions In the United
States, patients with anaemia and CKD perceived that anaemia had a
negative impact on their physical health and emotional wellbeing. Our
findings emphasize the lack of disease awareness regarding anaemia in
patients with CKD, suggesting that patients would benefit from further
education regarding its management, and available treatment options.