The Effects of Oral fat Based High-Energy Supplements on Nutritional and Inflammatory Status in Maintenance Hemodialysis Patients

Abstract

Background: Protein-energy wasting (PEW) and inflammation have been recognized as two major factors associated with the poor prognosis of patients with maintenance haemodialysis (MHD). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of oral fat based high-energy supplements (Fresubin) on malnutrition and inflammation in MHD patients. Method: This study was open-label, prospective, nonrandomized and comparative. A total of 47 MHD patients with PEW were randomly assigned into 2 groups: a control group, and a Fresubin treatment group, in which patients received daily diet intake and Fresubin nutrient support 120 mL/d for 80 days. Laboratory data and anthropometric parameters were measured. Result: The results showed that compared with baseline, the level of serum albumin at 80 d in the Fresubin treatment group was significantly increased (35.4 ± 3.7 vs 38.9 ± 2.9, p = 0.003), while there was no significant difference in the control group. In addition, the magnitudes of changes in albumin (p = 0.009), serum prealbumin (p = 0.017), and abdominal circumference (p = 0.037) in the Fresubin treatment group were markedly increased compared with those in the control group. There was a downward trend in the inflammatory marker hypersensitive C-reactive protein in the Fresubin group (p =0.056), which decreased more dramatically than that in the control group (p = 0.026). Conclusion: Fresubin treatment is well tolerated, and improves malnutrition and inflammatory status in MHD patients with PEW.