Malnutrition: A risk factor for vascular access problems

Vascular access problems are leading causes of morbidity, hospitalization, and impaired quality of life in chronic hemodialysis patients. Native arteriovenous fistula is the gold standard of vascular access. Geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI), has recently been shown to be an easy and objective instrument for assessing nutritional status in these patient groups. Considering the association between arteria-venous fistula patency and inflammation, as well as the fact that inflammation is a component of malnutrition, the objective of this study was to determine the relation of malnutrition identified by GNRI with fistula patency.

This is a single-center, retrospective, observational study. Hemodialysis patients with AVF were included in the research. Preoperative and postoperative GNRI values were computed and laboratory data were recorded. The patients were analyzed in two groups as the ones without thrombosis history (Group 1) and with thrombosis history (Group 2). According to GNRI, patients were investigated in four groups: G0 (non-risk group, >98), G1 (low risk, 92-98), G2 (moderate risk, 82-91), and G3 (high risk, 82).

Of the 331 patients, 60.1% (199) were male and the average age was 55 ± 15 years. Preoperative GNRI levels were significantly higher in group 1. In correlation analysis, patency time was positively correlated with preoperative GNRI values. Among the preoperative GNRI groups, the G3 group had a patency duration of 6 months (4.9-7.04), whereas the G0 group had a patency length of 37.59 (35.5-39.65) months. By linear regression analysis, preoperative GNRI and postoperative albumin level were determined to be the significant indicators of patency time.

GNRI a new tool for detecting malnutrition was strongly associated with fistula patency in hemodialysis patients. Detection of malnutrition before fistula operation may be helpful for the future follow up of the patients in terms of fistula patency.