Monitoring of Nutritional Status in Geriatric Patients on Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis

Abstract Introduction: Elderly patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) are a high-risk group for malnutrition which occurs due to various reasons and contributes to increased morbidity and mortality. Evaluation of nutritional status in these patients helps in the identification of malnutrition and its subsequent management. Materials and Methods: Thirty patients undergoing CAPD were included. Nutritional status was assessed using subjective global assessment (SGA), anthropometric parameters, 24-h dietary recall, and biochemical parameters serum urea, creatinine, total protein, albumin, calcium, phosphorous, alkaline phosphatase, and hemoglobin. The patients were further categorized as well nourished and mild-moderately nourished based on SGA score for comparing the study parameters. Results: The mean age of the study population was 65.73 ± 5.41 years. Based on the overall SGA score, 14 patients (47%) were well nourished (Group 1) and 16 patients (53%) were mild to moderately nourished (Group 2). All the anthropometric measurements performed except the midarm muscle circumference were found to be lower in Group 2 patients when compared to Group 1 patients; however, the difference was not statistically significant. 24 h dietary recall data of the two nutritional status groups did not show a significant difference between the mean daily calorie as well as carbohydrate, protein, and fat intake. Serum albumin, total protein, calcium, phosphorous, and hemoglobin levels were lower in Group 2 patients than in Group 1 patients although the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusions: The study emphasizes the importance of identification and management of malnutrition in geriatric CAPD patients to protect them from the risk of progression to malnutrition-inflammation-atherosclerosis syndrome.