Effect of aromatherapy on quality of life in maintenance hemodialysis patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective: Aromatherapy has been used for patients on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD), but the outcomes are still controversial. Thus, we conducted this study to systematically evaluate the effect of aromatherapy on the quality of life of patients on MHD. Methods: We searched the PubMed, Embays, Scopus, Web of Science, and CNKI databases for randomized controlled trials that evaluated the use of aromatherapy in dialysis patients and reported at least one outcome of interest. Results: Twenty-two relevant studies were included in the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis revealed that aromatherapy significantly increased subjective sleep quality (a lower score indicates better sleep quality) [standardized mean difference (SMD) = −1.52, 95% CI (−2.38, −0.67), p < 0.01] and reduced fatigue [SMD = −1.14, 95% CI (−1.95, −0.33), p = 0.01], anxiety [SMD = −1.38, 95% CI (−2.09, −0.67), p < 0.01], symptoms of restless legs syndrome [RLS; SMD = −1.71, 95% CI (−2.09, −1.33), p < 0.01], and arteriovenous fistula puncture pain [SMD= −1.56, 95% CI (−2.60, −0.52), p < 0.01]. Conclusions: Aromatherapy may be used as a novel complementary and alternative therapy to improve sleep quality and reduce fatigue, anxiety, symptoms of RLS, and arteriovenous fistula puncture pain in patients on MHD.