Longitudinal study of the body mass index and biochemical nutritional parameters of patients in dialysis

Abstract

Background/Aim: Chronic kidney failure is frequently related to malnutrition. This research aimed to assess the nutritional status of hemodialysis patients by assessing their biochemical and anthropometric parameters and determining whether the disorders suffered stemmed from nutritional deterioration directly related to time on dialysis. Materials and Methods: This research monitored 90 patients of both genders with chronic kidney failure who regularly received hemodialysis at the kidney unit of our Hospital in Granada (Spain) over five years. The patient's blood was tested quarterly for plasma albumin (Alb), total cholesterol (TC), and total proteins (TP) and monthly for transferrin (Tr). Anthropometric measurements were taken of the patient's weight, height, and body mass index (BMI) and, based on the patient's BMI, classified as established by the World Health Organization. Results: During the five years of our study, patients experienced a statistically significant decrease in total protein (0.941g/dl), plasma albumin (0.9382g/dl), total cholesterol (23.77mg/dl), and transferrin (78.17. g/dl) p < 0.0001.

On the contrary, the mean BMI values did not show statistically relevant differences (p < 0.805). However, all patients remained in the WHO category of overweight. The body volume values did not show statistically significant differences either. Conclusions: In conclusion, the nutritional deterioration of these patients was not reflected in their BMI but mainly in their serum chemistry