ABSTRACT
Introduction: Malnutrition is one of the important causes of mortality and morbidity in chronic renal failure. In this study we assessed the Prevalence of malnutrition in patients with chronic hemodialysis and CAPD
Material and Method: In this study we assessed 22 patients on hemodialysis [11 male, 11 female] and 20 patients on CAPD [11 male and 9 female] and in total 42 patients for clinical evidence of malnutrition. Four Subjective parameters including loss of body weight, Anorexia, loss of muscle mass and loss of subcutaneus fat pad were used. Every parameter was scored from 1 to 7 and then total score from 4 parameters concluded. If the total score were 7 or less than 7 the diagnosis of malnutrition was made
Results: 20% patients on CAPD and 13.2% patients on hemodialysis in Ghaem hospital of Mashhad were suffered from mild malnutrition. We did not have any cases of moderate or severe malnutrition. Prevalence of malnutrition in patients on hemodialysis or CAPD did not have any significant differences [p>0/05], and also six of patients had no effects on prevalence of malnutrition [p>0/05]. All cases of malnutrition in CAPD were seen in patients which dialysed for more than one year where as in patients with hemodialysis all cases of malnutrition were seen in the first year of dialysis [p<0/02]. Patients with recurrent peritonitis in CAPD patients had more malnutrition [p<0/005]
Conclusion: prevalence of malnutrition in our chronic dialysis patients is less than from majority of other studies but because of increasing of mortality and morbidity rate in patients with malnutrition we must sopport these patients with suitable diet. Early referral the patients with CRF to nephrologist and proper initation of dialysis will decrease prevalence of malnutrition. In other hand with prolongation of dialysis treatment in patient with CAPD and decrease of residual renal function and recurrent peritonitis the prevalence of malnutrition will increase