Effects of magnetic field therapy (AT-04) on pain reduction during arteriovenous fistula puncture in hemodialysis.

Abstract

Background: Pain from arteriovenous fistula puncture significantly affects the quality of life of patients undergoing hemodialysis. AT-04 was designed to alleviate this pain using magnetic stimulation, which is anticipated to be beneficial for managing pain across different conditions. However, limited research exists on the effectiveness of AT-04 in diminishing the pain related to arteriovenous fistula puncture in hemodialysis patients.

Methods: Between July and August 2024, we enrolled 14 outpatient maintenance hemodialysis patients at Tokyu Hospital who had given informed consent. AT-04 was administered before arteriovenous fistula puncture. We assessed the pain intensity of the puncture using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) before the application of AT-04, as well as at one and four weeks afterward. We observed changes in puncture pain levels before and after the AT-04 application.

Results: The participants had an average age of 80 years (IQR, 74-85) and a mean dialysis duration of 5.8 years (IQR, 1.0-8.9). Lidocaine tape was utilized by 71.4% of participants, painkillers by 7.1%, and 28.6% used sleeping pills, with none taking antidepressants. The median VAS score before starting AT-04 was 40.5 (IQR, 23.5-55.5). One week after starting AT-04, the median VAS score dropped to 27.0 (IQR, 4.5-32.8), and four weeks later, it further decreased to 16.5 (IQR, 5.0-38.8). These decreases were statistically significant compared to the pre-treatment VAS score (one week after p = 0.0057, four weeks after p = 0.0076).

Conclusion: The AT-04 device, which uses alternating magnetic field therapy, significantly alleviated pain from arteriovenous fistula puncture in hemodialysis patients.