Abstract: Objective To evaluate the effects of different non-pharmacological interventions on thirst in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) via a network meta-analysis, and to provide evidence for clinical nursing.  Methods  Randomized controlled trials about the impact of non-pharmacological interventions on thirst in MHD patients were searched across eight databases: PubMed, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, Embase, CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, and CBM. The search period was from database inception to July 25, 2025. Two researchers independently conducted literature screening, quality assessment, and data extraction. Network meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4 and Stata 14.0 software.  Results  A total of 14 studies were included, involving 937 MHD patients and 10 non-pharmacological interventions. There was a statistically significant difference between routine care and the following interventions: chewing sugar-free gum (SMD=-3.69, 95% CI: -4.51～-2.86, P＜0.001), rinsing mouth with compound mouthwash (SMD=  -1.48, 95% CI: -2.77～-0.20, P=0.024), comprehensive sodium management (SMD=-3.3, 95% CI: -6.56～     -0.04, P=0.047), and sucking lemon ice cubes (SMD=-1.69, 95% CI: -3.21～-0.17, P=0.029).  Conclusion Chewing sugar-free gum is the most effective intervention for alleviating thirst symptoms. Clinical healthcare providers can develop relevant interventions following patients’ preferences.

Key words: Non-pharmacological intervention, Maintenance hemodialysis, Thirst