Prevalence and Clinical Correlates of Respiratory Symptoms in Pre-Dialysis Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease in a Tertiary Hospital in Southeastern Nigeria

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major global health concern, often complicated by pulmonary dysfunction. As cardiorespiratory dysfunction progresses, respiratory symptoms in CKD patients may also reflect this. In this study, respiratory symptoms in pre-dialysis CKD patients in southeast Nigeria were evaluated for prevalence and clinical correlations. A total of 240 participants—120 pre-dialysis CKD patients and 120 matched controls—were assessed in this hospital-based cross-sectional investigation. The St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire were used to gather sociodemographic, and clinical data. Respiratory symptoms were compared across stages of chronic kidney disease. Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine relationships between clinical factors and pulmonary function. The results indicated that, there was a substantial increase in respiratory symptoms among CKD patients (60%) compared to controls (11.7%) (OR = 10.5; 95% CI: 5.47-20.17; p < 0.001). The most frequent symptoms were cough (40%) and dyspnea (31.7%). Respiratory symptoms were associated with anemia, edema, and prolonged disease duration. It was concluded that; as CKD progresses, respiratory symptoms and pulmonary dysfunction become more severe. The treatment of CKD prior to dialysis should include routine respiratory evaluations, such as spirometry and symptom monitoring. It takes a multidisciplinary management approach to reduce respiratory morbidity and enhance clinical results.