Oral energy supplementation improves nutritional status in hemodialysis patients with protein-energy wasting: A pilot study

Does exercise enhance the benefits of nutritional support on the biochemical markers of nutrition, anthropometry, and body composition in hemodialysis patients? A systematic review

Background

Exercise and nutritional support are effective strategies in hemodialysis patients who often face health issues like protein-energy wasting (PEW). Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate whether combining exercise with nutritional support offers additional benefits for anthropometry, body composition, and biochemical markers of nutrition in hemodialysis patients.

Methods

This systematic review searched databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, until 14 February 2024 to identify relevant randomized controlled trials. Following screening and data extraction, quality assessment was conducted using the revised Cochrane Risk of Bias tool (ROB2). The study was reported following PRISMA guidelines.

Results

Six studies comprising 199 male and female hemodialysis patients were included. These studies did not report any significant differences in anthropometry, body composition, and nutritional status between individuals who received an exercise program along with nutritional support and those who received only nutritional support.

Conclusion

This systematic review suggests that the combination of exercise with nutritional support may not improve the positive effects of nutritional support on anthropometry, body composition, and nutritional status in hemodialysis patients. However, due to the low quality and significant heterogeneity among the existing studies, further research is required to draw definitive conclusions.

Systematic review registration

PROSPERO (www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero; registration no: CRD42024542613).

Determination of nutritional status and protein-energy wasting in patients with diabetic nephropathy

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to evaluate the nutritional status of patients with stage 3 and 4 diabetic nephropathy (DN; DN-3 and DN-4) and to explain the effect of DN stages on the prognosis of protein-energy wasting (PEW).

METHODS

Data from demographic characteristics, anthropometric measurements, biochemical findings, food consumption records, and the Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) screening tool of 49 patients (25 DN-3; 24 DN-4) who were followed at the nephrology department were collected. The criteria of the International Society of Renal Nutrition and Metabolism (ISRNM) were used to determine PEW.

RESULTS

56% of DN-3 and 66.7% of DN-4 have been diagnosed with diabetes for over 15 years. The groups differed in total body weight, body-muscle weight, creatinine, microalbuminuria, and eGFR values (p<0.05). Protein (g/kg) intake was only different between the groups (p<0.05). 18.4% of patients had SGA-B score, and 26.5% had PEW.

CONCLUSION

Our study provides a general impression about the presence of PEW in DN patients not receiving dialysis in Turkiye. In patients with DN-3 and DN-4, daily energy and macronutrient intakes are adequate by recommendation. According to ISRNM criteria, the prevalence of PEW increased with advancing disease stage. PEW was observed to be more effective than SGA in assessing malnutrition.

Effects of oral nutritional supplements on the nutritional status and inflammatory markers in patients on maintenance dialysis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials

Background and aims

Patients on hemodialysis (HD) or peritoneal dialysis (PD) often have insufficient energy and protein intake, resulting in poor nutritional status and adverse outcomes. Oral nutritional supplements (ONSs) are the most commonly used to increase such patients' energy and protein intakes.

Methods

In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we analyzed studies on nutritional status, inflammatory markers, and electrolyte levels in patients on dialysis receiving ONSs. We searched four electronic databases from inception until 31 December 2022, for randomized controlled trials comparing ONS treatment versus placebo or routine care.

Results

22 studies with 1185 patients on dialysis were included in our meta-analysis. Compared with the control group, the ONS group exhibited significantly increased serum albumin levels [1.26 g/l (95%CI, 0.50-2.02, P < 0.0001; I2 = 80.4%)], body mass indexes (BMIs) [0.30 kg/m2 (95%CI, 0.09-0.52, P = 0.005; I2 = 41.4%)], and handgrip strength (HGS) [0.96 kg (95%CI, 0.07-1.84, P = 0.034; I2 = 41.4%)] from baseline to the end of intervention. No significant differences were observed between the groups in lean body mass, phase angle, C-reactive protein, and serum phosphorus and potassium levels. In terms of improving albumin, the subgroup analyses show that ONS use seems to be more inclined to three variations: HD patients, short-term use, and non-intradialytic supplementation.

Conclusion

In conclusion, ONS use can improve the nutritional status of patients on dialysis in terms of their serum albumin, BMI, and HGS without significant effects on serum phosphorus, potassium, and C-reactive protein levels. However, it remains uncertain whether these results translate to improvement in clinically relevant outcomes. Large-scale high-quality studies are still required in this population.