Improving Malnutrition Screening among Hemodialysis Patients.

Individuals receiving hemodialysis are at increased risk of malnutrition; however, regular diagnosis of malnutrition using subjective global assessment (SGA) is time-consuming. This study aimed to determine whether the Canadian Nutrition Screening Tool (CNST) or the Geriatric Nutrition Risk Index (GNRI) screening tools could accurately identify hemodialysis patients at risk for malnutrition. A retrospective medical chart review was conducted for in-centre day shift hemodialysis patients (n = 95) to obtain the results of the SGA assessment and the CNST screener and to calculate the GNRI score.

Validation of the SMH Equations for the Estimation of the Total Body Water Volume in Hemodialysis Patients.

Background: Online dialysis clearance monitors typically provide an accurate value for Kt. A value for V (total body water [TBW]) is required to calculate Kt/V, the measure of the adequacy of the delivered dialysis in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Using bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS), we previously developed 2 sex-specific equations for the estimation of the TBW, which we have chosen to name the St Michael's Hospital (SMH) equations.

Volume Estimates in Chronic Hemodialysis Patients by the Watson Equation and Bioimpedance Spectroscopy and the Impact on the Kt/V calculation.

Background: Accurate assessment of total body water (TBW) is essential for the evaluation of dialysis adequacy (Kt/V). The Watson formula, which is recommended for the calculation of TBW, was derived in healthy volunteers thereby leading to potentially inaccurate TBW estimates in maintenance hemodialysis recipients. Bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) may be a robust alternative for the measurement of TBW in hemodialysis recipients.

Sodium-Reduced Meat and Poultry Products Contain a Significant Amount of Potassium from Food Additives.

Background: Sodium-reduced packaged food products are increasingly available to consumers; however, it is not clear whether they are suitable for inclusion in a potassium-reduced diet. For individuals with impaired renal potassium excretion caused by chronic kidney disease and for those taking certain medications that interfere with the rennin-angiotensin aldosterone axis, the need to limit dietary potassium is important in view of the risk for development of hyperkalemia and fatal cardiac arrhythmias.

Objective: The primary objective of this study was to determine the impact of the reduction of sodium in packaged meat and poultry products (MPPs) on the content of potassium and phosphorus from food additives.

Frailty and the Quality of Life in Hemodialysis Patients: The Importance of Waist Circumference.

Objective: Frailty among the end-stage renal disease (ESRD) population is highly prevalent and has been associated with mortality. Little is known about the relation of different aspects of body composition, a modifiable risk factor, with the risk of frailty in ESRD population.

Design And Methods: One hundred and fifty-one patients including 85 men and 66 women, aged ≥18 years with ESRD who had been receiving conventional maintenance hemodialysis (HD) for at least 3 months were included.

The Impact of Additives on the Phosphorus, Potassium, and Sodium Content of Commonly Consumed Meat, Poultry, and Fish Products Among Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease.

Objective: Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are advised to limit their dietary intake of phosphorus and potassium as hyperphosphatemia and hyperkalemia are both associated with an increased risk of mortality. There is uncertainty concerning the actual content of these minerals in the Canadian food supply, as phosphorus and potassium are increasingly being used as food additives. This study aimed to determine the impact of food additives on the chemically analyzed content of phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and protein in commonly consumed meat, poultry, and fish products (MPFs).