Background-Olfactory function is impaired in patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD) and may contribute to uremic anorexia. Only limited correlations of olfactory function and nutritional status have been reported. This study examined the relationship of impaired olfactory function to malnutrition and levels of the retained uremic solutes monomethylamine, ethylamine, indoxyl sulfate, and P-cresol sulfate

Antibiotic exposure correlated with diversity; however, other environmental and host factors not easily obtainable in a clinical setting are also known to impact the microbiota. Therefore, direct measurement of microbiome disruption by sequencing, rather than reliance on surrogate markers, might be most predictive of adverse outcomes. If and when microbiome characterization becomes a standard diagnostic test, improving our understanding of microbiome dynamics will allow for interpretation of results to improve patient outcomes.