The importance of nutritional intervention by dietitians for hyperphosphatemia in maintained hemodialysis patients

Family-centered empowerment approach to optimize phosphate management among hemodialysis patients: an experimental study

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to investigate the effect of a family-centered empowerment program on hyperphosphatemia management.

METHOD

This experimental study was performed on 80 randomly selected eligible patients with hyperphosphatemia undergoing hemodialysis. Patients were assigned randomly to two groups of family-centered empowerment program (FCEPG) and control group (CG) by coin toss (40 people per group). Data collection tools were the researcher-made Phosphate Control Knowledge Scale, the researcher-made Adherence to Dietary Restriction of Phosphorus Intake Scale, the eight-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale, and serum phosphorus measurements. Data were collected before the intervention, one month, and three months after the intervention. Patients in FCEPG participated in a family-centered empowerment program. The statistical significance level was considered to be 0.05.

RESULTS

Inter-group comparisons showed no significant difference between FCEPG and CG in terms of the mean score of knowledge of phosphate control, adherence to dietary restriction of phosphorus intake, adherence to medication, and the mean serum phosphorus level before the empowerment program, but showed significant differences between them in these respects at one month after the program and three months after the program (p < 0.05). Intra-group comparisons showed a significant difference in FCEPG between the mean and standard deviation of all four variables before the empowerment program and the corresponding values one month and three months after the program (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The findings of this study can be used in various fields of healthcare in the hospital and community.

The Quality of Life Impact of Phosphorus Management Today: Patient Perspectives

Patients with kidney failure and early stages of chronic kidney disease often develop hyperphosphatemia, which is associated with negative outcomes. The reduction of phosphate levels is the established clinical practice. However, achieving and maintaining target phosphate levels is challenging, and the current methods of phosphate management lead to poor quality of life (QoL) in patients receiving dialysis, particularly because patients might not receive adequate education on phosphate control. Patients receiving dialysis are advised to maintain stringent dietary restrictions and might experience anxiety and depression due to the constant burden of dietary self-management. The lack of nutritional information on food labels makes adhering to dietary restrictions even more confusing and difficult. Phosphate binders are the only pharmacologic treatment currently indicated for hyperphosphatemia. However, phosphate binders have a limited binding capacity and are difficult to incorporate into patients’ daily routines. Because of the suboptimal efficacy of phosphate binders and the negative impact of dietary restrictions on patient QoL, novel therapies for more effective phosphate control are needed. New treatment options that control phosphate levels would enable patients to eat a more normal, healthy diet and potentially improve their QoL.

Is malnutrition a determining factor of health-related quality of life in hemodialysis patients? A cross-sectional design examining relationships with a comprehensive assessment of nutritional status

PURPOSE

To identify relationships between health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and nutritional status in hemodialysis (HD) patients.

METHOD

Secondary data from a cross-sectional survey was utilized. HRQOL was assessed for 379 HD patients using the generic Short Form 36 (SF-36) and disease-specific Kidney-Disease Quality of Life-36 (KDQOL-36). Malnutrition was indicated by malnutrition inflammation score (MIS) ≥ 5, and presence of protein-energy wasting (PEW). The individual nutritional parameters included the domains of physical status, serum biomarkers, and dietary intake. Multivariate associations were assessed using the general linear model.

RESULTS

MIS ≥ 5 was negatively associated with SF-36 scores of physical functioning (MIS < 5 = 73.4 ± 8.0 SE vs MIS ≥ 5 = 64.6 ± 7.7 SE, P < 0.001), role-limitation-physical (MIS < 5 = 65.3 ± 14.3 SE vs MIS ≥ 5 = 52.9 ± 14.0 SE, P = 0.006), general health (MIS < 5 = 53.7 ± 7.5 SE vs MIS ≥ 5 = 47.0 ± 7.1 SE, P = 0.003), and PCS-36 (MIS < 5 = 40.5 ± 3.3 SE vs MIS ≥ 5 = 35.9 ± 3.1 SE, P < 0.001); and KDQOL-36 score of symptoms/problems (MIS < 5 = 78.9 ± 5.6 SE vs MIS ≥ 5 = 74.8 ± 5.4 SE, P = 0.022), but not with PEW by any tool. Of individual nutritional parameters, underweight (68.1 ± 5.4 SE, P = 0.031), normal weight (63.8 ± 2.8 SE, P = 0.023), and overweight (64.3 ± 2.9 SE, P = 0.003) patients had significantly higher physical functioning scores compared to obese patients (44.8 ± 5.5 SE). Serum albumin levels were positively associated with physical functioning (P = 0.041) score. HGS was also positively associated with physical functioning (P = 0.036), and vitality (P = 0.041) scores. Greater dietary phosphorus intakes were significantly associated with lower scores for role limitation-physical (P = 0.008), bodily pain (P = 0.043), and PCS-36 (P = 0.024).

CONCLUSION

Malnutrition diagnosis by MIS, but not PEW, indicated associations with HRQOL in HD patients. Individual nutritional parameters that related to higher HRQOL were BMI < 30 kg/m², better dietary phosphorus control, greater muscle strength and higher visceral protein pool.

Effect of Tenapanor on Phosphate Binder Pill Burden in Hemodialysis Patients

Introduction

The current management of hyperphosphatemia with phosphate binders is associated with insufficient phosphorus control and a significant pill burden. Tenapanor, a first-in-class, phosphate absorption inhibitor, is expected to control phosphorus and decrease pill burden because of its small pill size and twice daily dosing regimen. This study evaluated tenapanor effectiveness on reducing the phosphate binder pill burden during a 26-week treatment period in Japanese hemodialysis patients.

Methods

In this multicenter, open-label, single-arm study, hemodialysis patients whose serum phosphorus level was 3.5 to 7.0 mg/dl received tenapanor 30 mg twice daily orally added to their phosphate binder regimen. The phosphate binder dosage was adjusted to achieve a serum phosphorus level within the baseline range of ±0.5 mg/dl. The primary end point was the percentage of patients who achieved a ≥30% decrease in the number of phosphate binders and tenapanor tablets prescribed daily compared with the number of phosphate binder tablets at baseline.

Results

Of the 67 patients enrolled, 43 completed the study. At baseline, the mean total number of phosphate binder tablets per day was 14.7, which decreased to 3.0 tablets per day at week 26. The primary end point was achieved in 71.6% of patients (P < 0.001). The phosphate binder was completely switched to tenapanor in 28.4% of patients (P < 0.001). The mean phosphorus levels were relatively well controlled (5.19 and 4.71 mg/dl at baseline and week 26, respectively). The most frequent drug-related adverse event (AE) was diarrhea (74.6%).

Conclusion

Tenapanor provided effective phosphorus control and decreased the number of phosphate binder tablets. The management of drug-related diarrhea will facilitate more widespread use of tenapanor.