Parameters to assess nutritional status in a Moroccan hemodialysis cohort

Malnutrition is common in maintenance hemodialysis (HD) and is associated with increased mortality and morbidity in affected patients. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of malnutrition and correlate the methods of nutritional assessment.

We evaluated the nutritional status of 40 prevalent HD patients by subjective global assessment (SGA) score, anthropometrics [body mass index (BMI), arm circumference (AC), triceps skin-fold thicknesses (TSF), arm muscle circumference (AMC)], biochemical tests [normalized protein equivalent to total nitrogen appearance (nPNA), and pre-dialysis serum albumin and serum prealbumin levels] and bio-electrical impedance (BEI) analysis to estimate body composition [lean tissue index (LTI) and fat tissue index (FTI)].

The study assessed 40 patients (20 males and 20 females) with a mean age of 50.7±16.5 years. The prevalence of malnutrition according to the different methods ranged from 5 % to 65%. There were highly significant gender-specific differences in AMC (p<0.001) and TSF (p<0.001). The BEI revealed a highly significant difference in LTI (p<0.001) but no difference in FTI (p=0.14) according to gender. There was a positive correlation between LTI and both serum albumin (r=0.37; p=0.018) and serum prealbumin (r=0.53; p<0.001). Also, there was a significant positive correlation between FTI and BMI (r=0.59; p<0.001), AC (r=0.44; p=0.004) and TSF (r=0.61; p<0.001).

Our data suggest that BEI analysis provides a useful means of assessing nutritional status and was correlated with anthropometrics and biochemical findings.