| Theme |
New Trends in Nutritional Assessment of Dialysis Patients |
| Title |
Nutritional assessment : dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) |
| Author |
Yoko Fujino |
Department of Internal Medicine, Shirasagi Hospital |
| Author |
Senji Okuno |
Department of Internal Medicine, Shirasagi Hospital |
| Author |
Kenjiro Yamakawa |
Department of Internal Medicine, Shirasagi Hospital |
| Author |
Eiji Ishimura |
Department of Nephrology, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine |
| [ Summary ] |
Assessment of nutritional status is very important in dialysis patients. Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) can separately and accurately measure fat mass, lean body mass and bone mineral mass. In dialysis patients, fat mass increases in the first few years after initiation of dialysis, and it decreases in long-term hemodialysis patients. Fat mass decreases in diabetic hemodialysis patients with poorer nutritional status. Levels of C-reactive protein in hemodialysis patients with decreased annual fat mass are significantly higher than those of patients with increased annual fat mass. Taken together, these observations indicate that measurement of fat mass, or annual fat mass changes, measured by DEXA are useful tools for the evaluation of the nutritional status of hemodialysis patients. |