Effects of anthropometric changes on hospitalization and mortality among patients on hemodialysis

Low values for anthropometric indicators are risk factors for adverse clinical outcomes among patients on hemodialysis. Nonetheless, little is known about the association between the trajectory of anthropometric indicators and prognosis. We examined the association between a one-year change in anthropometric indicators and hospitalization and mortality in patients undergoing hemodialysis.

This retrospective cohort study collected data on five anthropometric indicators from patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis: body mass index, mid-upper arm circumference, triceps skinfold, mid-arm muscle circumference, and calf circumference. We calculated their trajectories over one year. The outcomes were all-cause death and the number of all-cause hospitalizations. Negative binomial regressions were used to examine these associations.

We included 283 patients (mean age, 67.3 years; 60.4% males). During the follow-up period (median, 2.7 years), 30 deaths and 200 hospitalizations occurred. Body mass index (incident rate ratio [IRR]: 0.87; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.85-0.90), mid-upper arm circumference (IRR: 0.94; 95% CI 0.88-0.99), triceps skinfold (IRR: 0.92; 95% CI 0.84-0.99), and mid-arm muscle circumference (IRR: 0.99; 95% CI 0.98-0.99) increases over one year were associated with a lower risk of all-cause hospitalizations and death regardless of their value at any one point in time. However, the calf circumference trajectory was not associated with clinical events (IRR: 0.94; 95% CI 0.83-1.07).

Body mass index, mid-upper arm circumference, triceps skinfold, and mid-arm muscle circumference trajectories were independently associated with clinical events. Routinely assessing these simple measures in clinical practice may provide additional prognostic information for managing patients undergoing hemodialysis.