AUTHOR=Qin Aiya , Tan Jiaxing , Hu Wen , Liu Yuan , Chen Lin , Tang Yi , Qin Wei 

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

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Pharmacology

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2022.839803

DOI=10.3389/fphar.2022.839803

ISSN=1663-9812

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Background:</bold> Protein–energy wasting (PEW) is highly prevalent in hemodialysis (HD) patients, which is associated with poor quality of life, complications, and an increased risk of mortality. A prospective study in HD patients with 2 months of oral energy supplements (OESs) was performed.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> A total of 37 HD patients with PEW were finally enrolled in this prospective study and were randomized into the OES group (<italic>n</italic> = 19), which received oral energy supplementation (300 kcal) and dietary recommendations, while patients in the non-OES group (<italic>n</italic> = 18) received only dietary recommendations. The study duration was 2 months. The nutritional status of the patients was evaluated by laboratory indexes, body composition parameters, and the modified quantitative subjective global assessment (MQSGA) and malnutrition-inflammation score (MIS). Quality of life was evaluated by the Short Form Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-36).</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> After 2 months of therapy, a significant increase in serum albumin [39.6 (37.6–45.8) vs. 43.4 (39.1–46.7) g/L; <italic>p =</italic> 0.018], hemoglobin (101.0 ± 13.6 g/L vs. 111.8 ± 11.7 g/L; <italic>p =</italic> 0.042), and dietary energy intake (29.17 ± 3.22 kcal/kg/day vs. 33.60 ± 2.72 kcal/kg/day, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001) was observed in the comparisons of baseline in the OES group. Moreover, the OES group demonstrated significant amelioration in MQSGA [9 (8–13) vs. 8 (7–12), <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001] and MIS [5 (3–10) vs. 3 (2–8), <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001], physical functioning (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001), and mental health (<italic>p =</italic> 0.046) subsections of SF-36 compared with the baseline. No electrolyte disorders or dyslipidemia were observed in the OES group.</p><p><bold>Conclusion:</bold> OES in HD patients with PEW can significantly ameliorate energy supply, nutritional status, anemia, and quality of life.</p>