Effect of intradialytic oral nutritional supplementation on nutritional markers in malnourished chronic hemodialysis patients: prospective randomized trial

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Malnutrition is prevalent in chronic hemodialysis (HD) patients. It increases mortality and negatively affects quality of life. This study aimed to assess the effect of intradialytic oral nutritional supplement (ONS) on nutritional markers in chronic HD patients with protein energy wasting (PEW). METHODS: This 3-month prospective, open-label, randomized controlled trial included 60 chronic HD patients with PEW. The intervention group (30 patients) received intradialytic ONS and dietary counseling, whereas the control group (30 patients) received only dietary counseling. Nutritional markers were measured at the beginning and end of the study. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 54 ± 12.7 years, and that of the HD vintage was 64 ± 49.3 months. Compared to the control group, the intervention group showed a significant increase in serum albumin (p < 0.001), prealbumin (p < 0.001), cholesterol (p = 0.016), body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.019), serum creatinine/body surface area (BSA) (p = 0.016), and composite French PEW score (p = 0.002), as well as a significant decrease in high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) (p = 0.001). The total iron binding capacity, normalized protein nitrogen appearance, and hemoglobin levels increased significantly in both groups. CONCLUSION: Intradialytic ONS and dietary counseling for three months were more effective than dietary counseling alone in terms of improving nutritional status and inflammation in chronic HD patients, as evidenced by increases in serum albumin, prealbumin, BMI, serum creatinine/BSA, composite French PEW score, and a decrease in hs-CRP.