Abstract: Objective To investigate the status of anorexia and its influencing factors in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients.  Methods  A total of 168 MHD patients were recruited from the Blood Purification Center, Gansu Provincial Hospital from November 2021 to January 2022. The self-designed general condition questionnaire, visual analog score of appetite (VAS), self-rating sleep status scale (SPSS), self-rating anxiety scale (SAS), self-rating depression scale (SDS), and international physical activity questionnaire (short volume in Chinese version, IPAQ) were used for the investigation. Univariate analysis and binary logistic regression were performed to analyze the influencing factors.  Results  The incidence of anorexia was 32.1% in the 168 MHD patients. Binary logistics regression showed that gender (OR=0.323, 95% CI 0.119~0.879, P=0.027), constipation (OR=2.929, 95% CI 1.204~7.125, P=0.018), urea clearance index (OR=0.027, 95% CI 0.002~0.435, P=0.011), SPSS score (OR=1.081, 95% CI 1.01~1.156, P=0.024), and physical activity level (OR=0.134, 95% CI 0.049~0.0.364, P＜0.001) were the influencing factors for the diminished appetite in MHD patients.  Conclusion   Anorexia was found in about one third of the MHD patients. Patients’ constipation, urea clearance index, physical activity level and SPSS score were the influencing factors for anorexia.

Key words: Maintenance hemodialysis, Anorexia, Influencing factors