Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the Vice-chancellor for Research and Technology of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences for financially supporting the study. They would also like to thank the Center for Development of Clinical Research of Namazi Hospital and Mr. Keshtvarz and Dr. Motazedian who collaborated in study design, statistics, and data analysis. The honorable officials of Namazi and Shahid Faghihi Hospitals who contributed to this study are acknowledged, as well. Thanks also go to Ms. A. Keivanshekouh at the Research Improvement Center of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences for improving the use of English in the manuscript. Finally, the researchers wish to express their gratitude to the patients undergoing hemodialysis who participated in this study.