Feet in Peril: Assessment of Feet in Patients Undergoing Haemodialysis

Abstract

Background

Foot problems are common in haemodialysis patients, making treatment and disease management difficult due to their serious complications and creating a significant financial burden on healthcare expenses.

Objective

In this study, we assessed the foot problems in haemodialysis patients.

Design

A retrospective descriptive and single-centre study was conducted.

Participants

The study was conducted with 75 patients undergoing haemodialysis treatment between 1 January and 31 August 2024. The study was granted ethical approval before data were collected.

Measurements

An assessment form that included the introductory characteristics of the patients was used to collect data, and the results of the foot assessment performed by the podiatrist.

Results

We detected at least one foot problem in 70.6% of the participants. The three most common foot problems were dryness/cracks (45.3%), onychomycosis (28.3%), and calluses (15.2%). Foot problems were significantly more common in individuals who were 51 years old or older (p = .019), as well as in those with diabetes (p < .001) and hypertension (p = 0.001).

Conclusion

Different types of foot problems, particularly dryness and cracks, were identified in haemodialysis patients. These findings highlight the importance of routine foot assessments in dialysis units and the need to integrate structured foot care education into clinical practice to prevent potential complications from arising.