https://journals.aboutscience.eu/index.php/gcnd/issue/feed 2026-01-13T13:34:18+00:00 Lucia Steele lucia.steele@aboutscience.eu Open Journal Systems Giornale di Clinica Nefrologica e Dialisi is a quarterly peer-reviewed journal for nephrologists, nephrology specialists, dialysis and transplant nephrology nurses, dialysis technicians and kidney dietitians. The journal publishes editorials, reviews, original articles, short communications and letters, as well as monothematic arguments, debates and nephrology-related investigations. https://journals.aboutscience.eu/index.php/gcnd/article/view/3596 2026-01-13T13:34:18+00:00 Francesco Burrai francescoburrai@libero.it Mauro Sotgia mauro.sotgia@aslsassari.it Giovanna Leonarda Giaconi giovannaleonarda.giaconi@aslsassari.it Massimino Senatore massimino.senatore@aslsassari.it

<p><strong>Introduction:</strong> Patients undergoing hemodialysis can show anxiety, depression, poor sleep and a reduction in the<br />quality of life. Non-pharmacological interventions could be used to combine with conventional treatments to<br />improve these outcomes. Guided imagery is a mind-body technique that uses mental images to promote relaxation<br />and well-being. This is the first international research protocol that studies the effects of guided imagery in<br />hemodialysis patients on various subjective and objective outcomes.<br /><strong>Methods:</strong> The aim is to evaluate the impact of guided imagery on the level of anxiety, depression, sleep, quality<br />of life, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, heart rate and respiratory rate. The study design is<br />a randomized controlled trial, prospective, with two parallel groups (guided imagery vs standard care), with 1:1<br />balanced allocation, pre-posttest, in a calculated sample of 30 patients diagnosed with chronic kidney disease<br />(CKD) undergoing hemodialysis. The intervention requires that each patient be treated with guided imagery for<br />30 minutes, three times a week, for 4 weeks. Expected results. The research hypotheses on the results are that<br />the guided imagery, compared to the control group, reduces anxiety levels, reduces depression levels, improves<br />sleep, improves quality of life, improves systolic blood pressure, improves diastolic blood pressure, improves<br />heart rate and improves respiratory rate.<br /><strong>Conclusion:</strong> If the effects show a statistically significant efficacy, guided imagery could be used during the daily<br />care of hemodialysis patients.</p>

2026-01-13T00:00:00+00:00 Copyright (c) 2026 The authors