RESUMO
Twenty-one chronic hemodialysis patients underwent nutritional evaluation and regular dietary counseling to improve the protein and energy intake for 8 weeks. As a result, the mean serum potassium and phosphorus concentrations were increased but were still within the normal ranges. After counseling, the frequency of abnormal TPPE and EGRAC were decreased (9.5 to 4.8 per cent and 19 to 14.3 per cent, respectively) while the frequency of hypervitaminosis A was increased from 67 to 81 per cent. Though the evidence of zinc deficiency was decreased from 81 to 62 per cent after counseling, mean serum zinc levels were low in both periods and inadequate vitamin B status cannot be totally eradicated due to the limitation of food selection. Therefore, regular supplementation of vitamin B complex is required, whereas, vitamin A supplementation must be prohibited in chronic HD patients. Small daily doses of potassium chelator and phosphate binder are mandatory if improvement of nutritional status is aimed to be one of the therapeutic goals.