BIOMARKERS OF MALNUTRITION IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE ON HEMODIALYSIS

Chronic kidney disease is a pathology that is characterized by a persistent and progressive deterioration of kidney function that also causes a catabolic process that can trigger protein-calorie malnutrition. With the objective of evaluating the usefulness of malnutrition biomarkers in patients with chronic kidney disease on hemodialysis, a quantitative, clinical-epidemiological, descriptive, cross-sectional and diagnostic investigation was carried out. A sample of 110 patients from the nephrology hemodialysis service of the autonomous teaching service Hospital Central de Maracay was included, during the period from September 2022 to June 2023, of both sexes and over 18 years of age. The results reported an average age of 54 years, with a predominance of males in 55.5% of the sample, with systemic arterial hypertension as a prevalent etiology with 60%, mild malnutrition with 52.7%; Likewise, 59.10% presented a decrease in calf diameter less than 31cm and 28.2% decreased serum albumin, this biomarker positively correlated with calf diameter < 31 cm (p < 0.01) and 8.2% presented cholesterol values less than 100mg/dL. Statistically, Cholesterol was significantly correlated with body mass index (p < 0.03) and calf diameter (p < 0.02). It is concluded that cholesterol and serum albumin were correlated with malnutrition and risk of malnutrition in patients with chronic kidney disease on hemodialysis, useful, economical and easy-to-perform biomarkers.