The Benefit and Safety of Vitamin B Combination to Reduce Fatigue and Improve Quality of Life in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients often have a chronic fatigue and lower QoL, thus may increase morbidity and mortality in CKD patients. Objective: The objective was to identify the benefit and safety of administration of intravenous vitamin B combination to reducing fatigue, measure the prevalence of fatigue and QoL in CKD patients. Method: This study was an observational non control study for 4 weeks in CKD patients with routine hemodyalisis 2 times/week. Every subject has a routine administration of intravenous vitamin B combination, consist of 100 mg vitamin B1, 100 mg vitamin B6, and 5000 mcg vitamin B12, after each hemodyalisis. Visual analogue scale (VAS) used to measure the degree of fatigue. QoL measured using SF-8 questionnaire, consist of total, physical (PCS), and mental component (MCS). Results: The prevalence of fatigue is high. The mean VAS score was 3.4±2.1 at baseline and there were 46.7% subjects with VAS score above the mean VAS score. After 4 weeks administration of vitamin B combination intravenously, the mean VAS score was decreasing from 3.4 to 2.7. The prevalence of fatigue was decreasing from 46.7% to 41%. This shifting was statistically significant (p:0.008). There was a score reduction in total component (20.19±4.8 to 19.29±4.9), PCS (13.44±3.1 to 12.99±3.5), and MCS (6.75±2.1 to 6.31±1.9). This score reduction indicated a better QoL. However, the reduction was not statistically significant. Conclusion: The prevalence of fatigue is high. Intravenous vitamin B combination considered to be effective and safe to reducing the degree of fatigue in CKD patients. Keywords: chronic kidney disease, fatigue, hyperhomocysteinemia, vitamin B combination, quality of life