Nutritional status of patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.

ABSTRACT

The study was conducted to determine the type and prevalence of malnutrition in 14 patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. Height, weight, and anthropometric indicators were measured and venous blood samples were analyzed. A three-day dietary record was made. When ideal body weights were used as cut-off points,14% were underweight and 35.5% were obese. Fourteen percents had a body mass index (BMI) < 20 kg/m2 and 21.4% had BMI > 24.9 kg/m2. Seven and 14% of them had triceps skinfold thickness or mid arm muscle area below the 5th percentile and above the 95th percentile respectively. All of the patients were anemic. Lymphopenia, hypoalbuminemia, hypokalemia, hyperphosphatemia and hyperlipoproteinemia were present in 50%, 14%, 36%, 64% and 71% of the patients respectively. Sixty-two percent of them received >80% of their energy requirement. Protein intake was 0.97 + 0.39 gm/kg/day while protein loss was 6.5 + 1.4 gm/day into the dialysate and 0.3+ 0.04 gm/day in the urine. There were large variations in nutritional status in patients undergoing continuous peritoneal dialysis. The patients should have appropriate energy intake, taking into account the energy from glucose absorbed from the dialysate, and protein intake should be increased to cover the losses. Nutritional counseling should be made individually.