| [ Summary ] |
In dialysis patients, poor nutritional status is affected not only by inadequate nutrient intake but also by inflammation. Therefore, it is necessary to measure blood inflammatory parameters including C-reactive proteins and proinflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin-6, when assessing nutritional status with conventional biochemical markers such as serum albumin, serum total cholesterol and serum prealbumin. Since microinflammation can be reduced with statin treatment or dialysate purification, control of inflammation may lead to improved nutritional status in malnourished dialysis patients. Recently, plasma total homocysteine and serum procalcitonin, have been demonstrated to possibly be accurate markers of malnutrition in hemodialysis patients. It is necessary to identify a clinically useful biochemical marker with a short half-life, capable of assessing responses to nutritional interventions, with less influence on extracellular volume and inflammatory status. |