The development of malnutrition is not dependent on its traditional contributing factors in patients on maintenance hemodialysis in developing countries

Malnutrition in dialysis population is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Nutritional assessment is a neglected area in hemodialysis (HD) patients in developing countries. The aim of the study was to find out whether any traditional parameters have statistically significant correlation with malnutrition. All 58 end-stage renal disease patients on maintenance HD in our dialysis unit were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. The nutritional status was assessed by a predesigned questionnaire including subjective global assessment (SGA). Anthropometric measurements, peripheral neuropathy, and pertinent laboratory parameters were checked. The duration of HD ranged between three months to 10 years (mean 4 ± 1.5 years). Of these 49 patients, 26 (53%) were males with a median age 45 (25-76) years. Fifteen patients (31%) were well nourished and 34 (69%) were undernourished including nine (19%) patients classified as severely malnourished according to SGA. Malnutrition appeared more prevalent in males, however, statistically not significant (P = 0.063). On univariate and multivariate analysis, no significance was found across well-nourished and malnourished patients in terms of age, body mass index, calorie count, duration and frequency of dialysis, dry weight, interdialytic weight loss or gain in the past six months, body fat percentage, serum albumin, blood pressure, intradialytic hypotension, urea reduction ration, Kt/V urea , peripheral neuropathy, and comorbidities. Psychosocial factors were identified in 24 (49%) patients with 19 (79%) having some degrees of malnutrition, but the finding did not reach the statistical significance. Surprisingly, the traditional factors studied in previous trials have not shown any significant association to malnutrition in our study based on the statistical analysis.