The Effects of Oral Energy-Dense Supplements on Nutritional Status in Nondiabetic Maintenance Hemodialysis Patients.

Abstract

Background and objectives: Fat-based energy-dense nutritional supplements may offer benefits over protein or carbohydrate dense supplements for patients receiving dialysis because of the adverse metabolic consequences of the latter. We conducted a randomized controlled trial to assess the effects of the short-term use of a fat-based nutritional supplement on various measures of nutritional status in patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis who have low dietary energy intake. Design, setting, participants, and measurements: We enrolled nondiabetic patients receiving hemodialysis for more than 3 months and had inadequate dietary energy intake (<30kcal/kg/d). The participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive an oral fat-based energy-dense supplement (300kcal daily) or routine care for 12 weeks (n=120 per group). The primary outcome was the change in phase angle, measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis, a marker of cell integrity and body cell mass, from the baseline to week 12. The secondary outcomes were changes in quality of life. Other outcomes included laboratory nutritional indicators and physical examinations. Results: The average age of the total population was 47 (SD: 12) years and 55% were male. The median of dialysis vintage was 43.4 (22.5, 76.3) months. 240 participants were randomly assigned to the intervention (n=120) or control group (n=120). In total, 228 (95%) participants completed the trial. The change in phase angle did not differ significantly between the intervention and the control groups (estimate (95% confidence interval [CI]): 0.0 (-0.1, 0.1) vs. 0.0 (-0.1, 0.1); estimated difference, 0.0; 95% [CI], -0.2 to 0.2; P=0.99). None of the 19 domains of quality of life differed between the groups. Adverse events were reported in 23 (19%) participants in the control group and 40 (33%) participants in the intervention group. Conclusions: In nondiabetic maintenance hemodialysis patients, short-term administration of fat-based energy-dense nutritional supplement has no clinically significant effect on nutritional status as measured by phase angle.