Mohammad Sodavi - Department of Diseases and Transplantation, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
Shahrzad Shahidi - Department of Internal Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
Donya Sheibani-Tehrani - Department of IT Management, School of Management, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

Background: Chronic kidney disease is a health problem in today’s world and hemodialysis is an alternative method for patients with chronic renal failure. Preparing provincial and national information on the situation of patients can play a significant role in improving the quality of services provided to patients undergoing hemodialysis. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of patients on dialysis in hemodialysis centers in Isfahan and some other centers (up to ۳۰ km distant). Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on ۱,۰۲۴ patients on dialysis in ۱۳ dialysis centers in the early part of ۲۰۱۳. Studied variables were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire with Cronbach's alpha coefficient of ۰.۸۶. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square test by SPSS version ۲۲ software. Results: The results of ۱۰۲۴ patients undergoing hemodialysis includes the following: ۶۰% (۶۱۰ people) were male with a mean age of ۵۴±۱۷.۶۷ years, and ۹۲% (۸۶۷ patients) had a private house. The family history of hemodialysis was positive in ۲۴% (۲۲۹ patients). In this study, ۳۸% of patients (۳۶۵ patients) were illiterate and the most common cause of kidney disease was diabetes in ۴۲% (۴۳۶) of the patients. Vascular access was venous-arterial fistula in ۵۲% (۵۱۹ people) with a mean hemodialysis of ۵۲ months. Chronic renal failure was estimated at ۳۰۰ per one million inhabitants in Isfahan Province (based on the last census in ۲۰۱۱ with the population estimated at ۴,۸۱۵,۸۶۳ persons). Conclusion: Majority of the studied population variables was somewhat similar to the studies conducted in other provinces; the only major difference was the most common cause of chronic renal failure leading to dialysis.

Demography, Chronic renal failure, Hemodialysis