Use of Proton Pump Inhibitors Is Not Associated with Post-Dialysis Fatigue and Time of Recovery after Dialysis in Patients on Maintenance Hemodialysis

Objectives: To define if the use of proton pump inhibitors (PPI) is associated with PDF prevalence and characteristics and with time of recovery after dialysis in patients on maintenance hemodialysis. Methods: Patients were defined as experiencing PDF if they spontaneously offered this complaint when asked the open-ended question: “Do you feel fatigued after dialysis?”. Time of recovery after dialysis (TIRD) was also assessed for each patient. Each patient was invited to rate the intensity, duration and frequency of PDF from 1 to 5. We defined if patients used PPI (no PPI use or PPI use), the type of used PPI, the dose of used PPI, and the duration of the use of PPI (<1 year or ≥1 year). Results: A total of 346 patients were studied: 259 used PPI (55 used omeprazole, 63 esomeprazole, 54 pantoprazole, 87 lansoprazole, and 7 rabeprazole) and 87 did not. Two hundred and thirty-two patients declared PDF and 114 did not. The median [min–max] TIRD was 210 min [0–1440]. The prevalence of PDF in PPI users and PPI non-users was 67% and 68%, respectively (p = 0.878). The median [min–max] TIRD did not differ significantly between PPI users and PPI non-users (180 [0–1440] and 240 [0–1440], respectively; p = 0.871). Median PDF intensity, duration, frequency, and severity did not differ significantly between PPI use and no use. The prevalence of PDF was similar among the different types of PPI use and did not differ with respect to PPI non-users. Duration of PPI exposure was <1 year in 40 patients and ≥1 year in 219 patients. The prevalence of PDF did not differ between the two exposures. The correlation matrix between PPI equivalent dose, PPI treatment duration and PDF frequency, PDF characteristics, and TIRD showed whether there was statistical significance. Conclusions: The use of PPI is not associated with PDF and time of recovery after dialysis in patients on maintenance hemodialysis.