Obesity An Advantage In Maintenance Hemodialysis Patients
December 11, 2006
MHD patients experience what has been termed
the "obesity paradox," wherein obesity
is associated with increased chance of survival. "A larger
body fat mass as seen in obesity probably
represents protective reserves that may mitigate the adverse
effects of malnutrition in patients."
MHD patients tend to have a high degree of
protein-energy malnutrition and inflammation. The combination
of these two conditions, termed Kidney Disease Wasting (KDW),
leads to increased risk of death. Conversely, it has been
shown that an increase in protein intake yields the greatest
survival in patients.
The study suggests that improved diet as
well as appetite-stimulating agents may be a way to improve
nutrition and, consequently, outcome in MHD patients.
Understanding the factors that lead to KDW
will be the key to improving survival in MHD patients, as
well as in the 20 to 40 million Americans who exhibit similar
risk-factor paradoxes such as those with chronic heart failure,
AIDS, rheumatoid arthritis and malignancy.
Source from:
http://www.sciencedaily.com
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