An Assessment of the Prevalence of Malnutri-tion in Individuals with End- Stage Chronic kidney Disease; Descriptive Study

Abstract

Background: Given the medical conditions of hemodialysis patients, nutritional problems in these patients can impact their quality of life and mortality. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of malnutrition in hemodialysis patients in Birjand. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in 2022 using a descriptive-analytical approach. A total of 115 hemodialysis patients from Birjand were recruited via purposive sampling. A demographic characteristics form, as well as the Subjective Global Assessment-Dialysis Malnutrition Score (SGA-DMS), were used to collect data in this study. Additionally, the patients’ anthropometric and biochemical measurements were made, and their connection to nutritional status was established. Results: Overall, 80 (69.6%) of the patients had normal nutritional status, while 35 (30.4%) had mild to moderate malnutrition. Patients with normal nutrition had higher levels of BUN, albumin, and CRP prior to hemodialysis than those with mild to moderate malnutrition. Moreover, in the patients with normal nutrition, the cholesterol level was lower. Patients with mild to moderate malnutrition exhibited lower levels of creatinine before and after hemodialysis and lower BUN after hemodialysis compared to the patients with normal nutrition. Conclusion: The study indicates a lower prevalence of malnutrition compared to some other studies. However, the high prevalence of malnutrition underscores the importance of routine assessments and nutritional interventions by nutritionists for these patients.

Keywords

• hemodialysis
• malnutrition
• chronic kidney disease
• end-stage renal disease
• subjective global assessment
• nutrition assessment