Abstract
AIMS: To explore the latent classification of symptom distress and functional impairments in Chinese patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and analyse the influencing factors of different latent classes. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey study. METHODS: Data were collected from a public tertiary hospital in Shanghai, China, between December 2023 and January 2024. Data collection was performed with the use of the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System -29 Profile V2.1. Latent Profile Analysis and a multinomial logistic regression model were employed to identify subgroups among patients. RESULTS: The results indicated three distinct subgroups of symptom distress and functional impairments among patients: Profile 1-'moderate to severe symptom distress and moderate to severe functional impairments' (29, 13.9%), Profile 2-'low symptom distress and no functional impairments' (134, 64.1%) and Profile 3-'no symptom distress and no functional impairments' (46, 22.0%). Various socio-demographic factors, such as age, payment methods, daily care by myself, anaemia, diabetes and disturbance of phosphorus metabolism, demonstrated significant associations of these factors with membership in the latent profiles (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study identified three symptoms and functional impairment profiles in patients with CKD and the predictors of the profile membership. These findings highlight the need for personalised interventions for patients with CKD. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND/OR PATIENT CARE: Early identification of high-risk patients with CKD who experience moderate to severe symptom distress and functional impairments is crucial. Providing targeted interventions, including financial and daily care support, as well as managing comorbidities such as diabetes, anaemia and disturbances in phosphorus metabolism, is essential for achieving effective outcomes. REPORTING METHOD: This study followed the STROBE statement of cross-sectional studies. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: The study was conducted by patients, healthcare professionals, and the research team.