Effect of intravenous vitamin C supplementation on the quality of sleep, itching and restless leg syndrome in patients undergoing hemodialysis; A double-blind randomized clinical trial

Abstract

Introduction: Poor sleep quality is common among hemodialysis patients and can potentially predict morbidity, mortality and quality of life in these patients. On the other hand, hemodialysis patients are encountered with vitamin C deficiency. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of intravenous vitamin C on sleep quality, itching and restless leg syndrome in hemodialysis patients. Patients and Methods: In this double-blind randomized clinical trial, 90 qualified hemodialysis patients were gone under investigation in Sanandaj in 2016. Patients randomly allocated in two equal intervention and control groups. The main measured outcome was the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) which consists of seven components. At the end of each hemodialysis session, the intervention group received vitamin C vial (500 mg/5 cc) intravenously, three times a week for 8 weeks and the control group received normal saline as placebo in the same way. Data were collected at pretreatment and after 2 months of treatment. Additionally raises questions related to restless leg syndrome and was assessed by VAS scale for determining the incidence of pruritus. Data were analyzed by independent t test, paired t test, Wilcoxon and chi-square tests. Results: Around 52.2% of subjects were female and 47.8% were male and most of them were in the age group above 50 years old. Results showed a notable difference in the value of itching and restless leg syndrome between the two groups as these values decreased significantly in the intervention group (P=0.0001). There was also a great difference in the quality of sleep disorder in subjective sleep quality, sleep latency and daily function between the two groups and those disorders was significantly lower in the intervention group (P=0.0001). Conclusion: This study showed that intravenous vitamin C can effectively improve sleep quality, itching and restless legs syndrome in hemodialysis patients.