Several approaches have been used to assess protein-energy wasting syndrome, such as clinical evaluation, biochemical nutritional markers, anthropometric measurements, but Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) techniques hold a central place in clinical settings. The aim of this study is to report our clinical experience with BIA and the correlations between biochemical nutritional markers and BIA nutritional parameters in hemodialysis (HD) patients associating or free of chronic liver disease. This cross-sectional observational study included 69 HD patients divided into two groups: 33 with chronic liver disease (CLD+) versus 36 chronic liver disease-free (CLD-) from one HD unit in Romania. Serum albumin (SA), serum creatinine (SCr) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were obtained from the HD arterial line immediately before the HD session and by BIA the body composition including total body water (TBW), total body fat (TBF), lean fat free mass(LFFM), body muscular mass (BMM), malnutrition index and body protein reserve (PR) were assessed. No significant differences between groups were found in BCM, BMM, PR and TBF (p = 0.92, p = 0.60, p = 0.907, and p = 0.634, respectively). Malnutrition index had a significantly higher mean value in HD-CLD(+) patients (p = 0.00). HD-CLD(-) group showed a strong correlation between SA and SCr and BCM, BMM (kg), LFFM (kg) and body PR (kg) (r=.48, r=.50, r=.44, r=.50; resp. r=.42, r=.40, r=.36, r=.42). In HD-CLD(+) patients, a significant positive correlation was found between SA and SCr and LFFM and body PR (r=.37, r=.35; resp. r=.44, r=.35). Discussion: BIA is one of the most accurate techniques for assessing nutritional status and should be regularly used in clinical practice along with biochemical nutritional markers in HD patients. Although the protein metabolism depends to a large extent on liver function, CLD cannot be considered as having a significant impact on nutritional status in HD patients.
Branched-chain amino acids as pharmacological nutrients in chronic liver disease