Prospective nutritional surveillance using bioelectrical impedance in chronic kidney disease patients

Malnutrition is a well-known risk factor influencing survival in chronic maintenance dialysis patients. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients are also predisposed to malnutrition because of dietary restrictions and the catabolic effects of uremia. Therefore, a significant degree of malnutrition may be present before the initiation of renal replacement therapy. We consequently initiated a prospective evaluation of subjects attending the CKD clinic, where all patients are seen by a renal dietitian and nutritional, biochemical, and bioimpedance parameters are measured every 3 months. A total of 40 patients have completed 9 months of follow-up and are the subject of this report. Their mean age is 65 +/- 12 years, 48% female, 68% black, and 58% diabetic patients. The glomerular filtration rate did not change during follow-up (36 +/- 12 versus 34 +/- 14 mL/min/1.72 m 2 , at baseline and 9 months, respectively). Similarly, no differences between baseline and 9 months were noted in weight (88.0 +/- 20.3 versus 86.8 +/- 18.7 kg, respectively) or body mass index (30.6 +/- 5.8 versus 30.2 +/- 5.4 kg/m 2 , respectively). In addition, no differences between baseline and 9 months were noted in total body water (44.4 +/- 11.4 versus 44.6 +/- 10.8 L, respectively), body cell mass (25.3 +/- 7.4 versus 25.2 +/- 7.0 kg, respectively), and fat-free mass (59.2 +/- 16.6 versus 59.4 +/- 15.7 kg, respectively). The bioimpedance vector decreased with time in 25 subjects (62%), indicating a state of overhydration. Subjects were further analyzed by vector category. Body cell mass did not change in either group. As expected, total body water increased in the group with a decreasing bioimpedance vector. Because body cell mass did not increase, the greater total body water reflected an increase in extracellular volume (edema). In the group with stable vectors, no changes were noted with time in weight or total body water. These results indicate that CKD patients with stable renal function following a judicious dietary protein intake (0.6 to 0.8 g/kg normalized body weight/day) have no loss of body cell mass or fat-free mass over a 9-month period. Of note, a high proportion of patients (62%) developed clinically unrecognized fluid retention, which is promptly identified by a decreasing bioimpedance vector.