# Nutritional Status and Malnutrition-Associated Factors Among Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis and Peritoneal Dialysis: A Cross-Sectional Single-Center Study in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

## TL;DR

This study found that most dialysis patients in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, have mild to moderate malnutrition, with factors like dialysis type and hand grip strength playing a role.

## Contribution

The study identifies specific factors associated with malnutrition in hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients in a Saudi Arabian setting.

## Key findings

- 233 out of 245 patients had mild malnutrition, and five had moderate malnutrition.
- PD, female gender, dialysis years, hand grip strength, and skin fold thickness significantly affect malnutrition scores.

## Abstract

Introduction: Malnutrition and protein-energy wasting (PEW) are significant challenges for patients undergoing dialysis, whether they receive hemodialysis (HD) or peritoneal dialysis (PD). These conditions are strongly linked to a decreased quality of life and an increased risk of illness and death.

Methods: This cross-sectional single-center observational study aimed to comprehensively evaluate the nutritional status of HD and PD patients and investigate contributing factors at the dialysis center of the King Fahad Armed Forces Hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Malnutrition was assessed using the Dialysis Malnutrition Score (DMS), which is the modified subjective global assessment (M-SGA). The DMS includes detailed medical history and physical examination. Other patient characteristics, such as sociodemographic features, health status, hand grip strength, 24-hour dietary recall, and biochemical measurements, were also determined. Two hundred (81.6%) patients were undergoing HD, and 45 (18.4%) were undergoing PD.

Result: Of the 245 patients, 233 (95.10%) had mild malnutrition and five (2.04%) had moderate malnutrition. None of the patients had severe malnutrition. PD (P = 0.023, 95% CI 0.23-0.307), female gender (P < 0.001, 95% CI -2.95 to -0.93), number of dialysis years (P = 0.001, 95% CI 0.07-0.24), average hand grip strength (P < 0.001, 95% CI -0.10 to -0.03), and average skin fold thickness (P < 0.001, 95% CI -0.12 to -0.04) showed significant association with the dialysis malnutrition score.

Conclusion: Mild-to-moderate malnutrition was common in both HD and PD patients. PD, sex, number of dialysis years, average hand grip strength, and average skinfold thickness were found to affect the dialysis malnutrition score.