Nutritional Status and Quality of Life of Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease Submitted to Hemodialysis

Introduction: hemodialysis (HD) cause changes in the nutritional status of patients that lead to increased morbidity and limitations in daily life capable of interfering with the quality of life (QoL). This study aimed to evaluate the nutritional status and quality of life of patients with CKD submitted to HD. Methods: Cross-sectional study with 53 patients submitted to HD, both genders, aged between 18 and 59 years, undergoing nutritional and quality of life assessment. Anthropometric and biochemical parameters were evaluated, such as weight, height, body mass index (BMI), mid-upper arm circumference, triceps skinfold thickness, mid-arm muscle circumference, waist circumference (WC), handgrip strength (HGS), serum albumin and creatinine. To assess QoL, the KDQOL-SFTM 1.3 questionnaire was used. Data were expressed as mean, standard deviation, median and interquartile range. There was a correlation between WC and QoL scores. Values of p<0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: Most patients (49.1%) were overweight and obese according to BMI and presented high cardiovascular risk according to WC (60.4%). There was a high percentage of malnutrition according to mid-upper arm circumference (47.2%), triceps skinfold thickness (41.5%) and mid-arm muscle circumference ( 39.6%) and muscle weakness through HGS (88.7%). 71.7% of the sample showed adequate serum albumin levels. The domains with the worst levels of QoL were "work status", "physical limitation", "physical compound", "mental compound", "general health" and "burden of kidney disease". Increased WC was associated with worsening QoL. Conclusion: patients are overweight associated with low muscle mass and muscle strength. High WC value is associated with an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease and, in this study, it was associated with a decrease in QoL.