Does ingestion of regular coffee influence serum lipid profile in dialysis patients?

We checked whether dialysis patients who drink coffee might have a serum lipid profile different from that of nondrinkers of coffee. The study was performed in 30 patients (26 on peritoneal dialysis, 4 on hemodialysis). Group I included patients who drank 1 - 3 cups of coffee daily (140 - 420 mg caffeine) for at least 2 years before the study [n = 11; dialysis vintage: 29.1 months (range: 8.7 - 59.6 months); age: 56.0 +/- 14.6 years]. Group II consisted of patients who said that they were nondrinkers of caffeinated coffee [n = 19; dialysis vintage: 15.2 months (range: 6.3 - 45.4 months); age: 56.3 +/- 19.8 years). Serum lipid profile, anthropometric and bioimpedance measurements, and laboratory indices of nutrition and inflammation status were examined. Compared with group II, group I showed higher serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (45.1 +/- 12.8 mg/dL vs. 37.7 +/- 6.6 mg/dL, p = 0.045) and lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (104.7 +/- 15.7 mg/dL vs. 139.0 +/- 41.8 mg/dL, p = 0.007). Other examined parameters did not differ significantly between the groups, with the exception of serum albumin [4.0 g/dL (range: 3.1 - 4.3 g/dL) in group I vs. 3.3 g/dL (range: 2.9 - 4.4 g/dL) in group II, p = 0.020]. Adjustment for age and sex additionally showed differences in bioimpedance and anthropometric measurements. Compared with group II, group I showed lower waist and hip circumferences, a lower waist/height ratio, a lower fat body mass, and a higher lean body mass as a percentage of total body mass. When adjustments were made for age, sex, and fat body mass, differences in lipid profile were nonsignificant. In the overall group, a correlation was seen between lean body mass and total cholesterol (r = -0.487, p = 0.006). Lower LDL and higher HDL serum cholesterol may occur in dialyzed patients who drink coffee not only because of the direct influence of coffee ingredients on serum lipid profile, but mainly because of a more favorable body composition and better protein nutrition in coffee drinkers.