[A longitudinal study of the nutritional status of chronic dialysis patients]

A longitudinal investigation was undertaken to follow the nutritional status of 30 patients receiving chronic dialysis (19 patients in haemodialysis and 11 patients receiving continuous outpatient peritoneal dialysis) over a period of 14 months. A significant decrease in serum transferrin from 28 mumols/litre to 25 mumols/litre was registered (Pratt's test 0.01 less than p less than 0.05) while three other nutritional parameters (Relative Body Weight (RBW), Triceps Skin Fold (TSF) and Mid-Arm Muscle Circumference (MAMC)) did not alter significantly. Employment of a nutritional scoring system revealed that the incidence and degree of malnutrition were unchanged during the period concerned. It is concluded that conventional dialysis therapy with a relatively liberal diet does not appear to result in improvement in the nutritional status of the dialysis patients and that prevention of malnutrition in patients with chronic renal insufficiency must receive high priority.