The Effect of Topical Chia Oil and Coconut Oil on Pruritus and Laboratory Parameters in Hemodialysis Patients

Abstract Background: Chronic pruritus is one of the most common skin manifestations in patients with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD).Omega-3 fatty acids could be used as an efficient drug for treatment of pruritus in uremic patients.  Chia seed oil is one of the richest plant sources of omega-3. Aim: This study aimed to compare the effect of topical chia oil and coconut oil on pruritus and laboratory parameters in ESRD patients. Method: This semi-experimental study with control group was performed on 105 hemodialysis patients in Kerman, Iran in 2021. The participants were randomly assigned into two intervention groups (chia oil and coconut oil) and one control group. The chia and coconut oils were applied topically twice a day for two weeks. Pruritus was measured before, at the end, and two weeks after the intervention. Some laboratory parameters were measured before and at the end of the intervention. Data collection tool was Yosipovitch pruritus questionnaire. P lt;0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The mean pruritus score was significantly different between the three groups of chia oil (2.61±1.17), coconut oil (3.00±1.15), and control (4.48±0.88) at the end of the intervention and two weeks after the intervention (P lt;0.001).  The laboratory parameters were not significantly different between the three groups before and after the intervention (P gt;0.05). Implications for Practice: Chia and coconut oil were effective on reducing pruritus in ESRD patients. Chia oil and coconut oil are cost-effective without any major complications that canbe used to reduce pruritus.