PICK Study

Chronic kidney disease-associated pruritus (CKD-aP) is a distressing condition that affects a significant proportion of patients with end-stage kidney disease on hemodialysis (HD). This patient preference study will provide insight into the significance of itching in CKD-aP compared to other more well-recognised severe chronic conditions in patients on HD for CKD. This is a non-interventional patient preference study (no treatment involvement) in which a discrete choice experiment (DCE) will be pre-tested in cognitive pilot interviews (Phase 1) and then fielded in the full sample (Phase 2). The study population consists of adults aged 18+ residing in Spain with CKD-aP on HD who have self-reported as at least ‘moderately bothered’ by itchy skin in the past 24 hours (score of ≥ 4 on the WI-NRS). Recruitment will take place through Fresenius Medical Care-España dialysis clinics (48 sites in total). Staff will be trained and given access to recruitment flyers (see Appendix 2) to support them in approaching suitable patients and, for the main survey phase, handing out a flyer with the survey link to potential participants. The cognitive interviews will be conducted in person by a researcher from Kielo who will provide respondents with a digital device for the purpose of completing the cognitive interview. Electronic consent will be collected at the start of each interview (see Appendix 6). For the main survey phase, participants will access the survey using a personal digital (tablet/computer/mobile) in their own homes, the dialysis site, or elsewhere. Alternatively, tablets will be provided onsite in the dialysis clinics to enable completion on-site. Electronic consent will be collected at the start of each survey (see Appendix 6).