Prevalence of malnutrition inflammation complex syndrome among patients on maintenance haemodialysis at Muhimbili National Hospital in Tanzania: a cross-sectional study

• Published in: BMC nephrology 2020-11, Vol.21 (1), p.521-521, Article 521
• Main Authors: Bramania, Puneet K, Ruggajo, Paschal, Bramania, Rimal, Mahmoud, Muhiddin, Furia, Francis F
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Albumin; Arteriosclerosis; Atherosclerosis; Blood tests; Body mass index; C-reactive protein; Cholesterol; Creatinine; Cross-sectional studies; Diet; Epidemiology; Ferritin; Haemodialysis in Tanzania; Hemodialysis; Hemodialysis patients; Hemoglobin; Inflammation; Laboratories; Malnutrition; Malnutrition inflammation complex syndrome; Morbidity; Mortality; Nephrology; Patients; Proteins; Risk factors; Sample size; Statistics; Transferrins; Underweight; Urea; Variables; Variance analysis
• ISSN: 1471-2369; 1471-2369
• DOI: 10.1186/s12882-020-02171-3

Malnutrition, inflammation, and the combination thereof are predictors of poor outcomes in haemodialysis patients. Malnutrition Inflammation Complex Syndrome (MICS) is an accelerator of atherosclerosis and portends high mortality. Early recognition and treatment of MICS may help to improve the clinical outlook of such patients. This study investigated the prevalence of MICS and its associated factors among patients on maintenance haemodialysis at Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. This was a prospective cross-sectional observational study done among 160 adult patients on maintenance haemodialysis at MNH in 2019. All participants provided written informed consent. Questionnaires were used to collect data and patients' blood was tested for complete blood count (CBC), C-reactive protein (CRP), ferritin, transferrin, creatinine, urea, total cholesterol, and albumin. The Malnutrition Inflammation Score was used to assess MICS and its severity. Data analysis was done using the SPSS 20 software. Of the 160 patients included in the study, 111 (69.4%) were male. The mean age (±SD) of patients and mean duration (±SD) on haemodialysis were 52.2(13.3) years and 22(18) months respectively. MICS was prevalent in 46.3% (mild in 24.4% and moderate to severe in 21.9%). Long-term haemodialysis (> 4 years) was an independent predictor of MICS [Adjusted Odds Ratio, AOR 5.04 (95% CI: 1.33-19.2), p