Dietary intake as a predictor for all-cause mortality in hemodialysis subjects (NUGE-HD study)

This study aimed to identify the factors capable of mortality prediction in patients on hemodialysis, using a prospective cohort with three years of follow-up. We hypothesized that lack of clinical-metabolic control, impairment of nutritional status, and inadequate food consumption are risk factors for mortality in this population. This is a longitudinal study on a non-probabilistic sample of 85 adults and elderly patients undergoing hemodialysis, aged ≥ 18 years (66.0% male, 61.6±13.7 years). Data on anthropometric, biomarkers, body composition and food intake were obtained. Predictors of mortality were evaluated using Cox regression analysis. During the three years follow-up, 16 patients (18.8%) died. We observed that age (HR = 1.319, CI 95% = 1.131–1.538), calcium-phosphorus product (HR = 1.114, CI 95% = 1.031–1.205), ferritin (HR = 1.001, CI 95% = 1.001–1.002), nitric oxide (HR = 1.082, CI 95% = 1.006–1.164), and vitamin C intake (HR = 1.005, CI 95% = 1.001–1.009) were positively associated with mortality. Serum iron (HR = 0.717, CI 95% = 0.567–0.907), triceps skinfold thickness (HR = 0.704, CI 95% = 0.519–0.954), lean mass (HR = 0.863, CI 95% = 0.787–0.945), and the ratio of dietary monounsaturated/polyunsaturated fat (HR = 0.022, CI 95% = 0.001–0.549) were independent negative predictors of mortality. Our results suggest that dietary intake is also a predictor of mortality in patients on hemodialysis, besides nutritional status, body composition, oxidative stress, inflammation, and bone metabolism, indicating the importance of evaluation of these factors altogether for better prognosis.