Abstract:
Background. Patients on hemodialysis therapy are at high risk of malnutrition which is attributed to multiple factors. Proteinenergy
malnutrition in these patients confers poor clinical outcomes. *is study investigated the nutritional status of patients on
maintenance hemodialysis at Muhimbili National Hospital in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Methods. A cross-sectional descriptive
study was done among 160 adult patients on maintenance hemodialysis therapy. Data concerning patients’ personal, medical,
dietary, and hemodialysis-related information were collected. Patients’ anthropometric and laboratory tests (complete blood
count, albumin, total cholesterol, creatinine, and urea) were measured. *e quantitative Subjective Global Assessment (SGA)
dialysis malnutrition score (DMS) was used to assess their nutritional status. Data analysis was done using the SPSS software
version 20. Results. Among the 160 hemodialysis patients, 49 (30.6%) were female. Patients’ mean age was 52.2 ± 13.3 years. *e
median duration on hemodialysis was 18 (8.25–29.75) months. Malnutrition was present in 98 (61.2%) of the patients. Severe
malnutrition was found in only 3 (1.9%) patients and 16.9% were underweight. *e longer duration on hemodialysis, having
diabetes mellitus, and being single were associated with increased risk for malnutrition in multivariate logistic regression.
Malnourished patients had significantly lower dry weight, body mass index, mid-upper arm circumference, waist circumference,
albumin, total cholesterol, and creatinine levels. Conclusion. Malnutrition is very common among hemodialysis patients at
Muhimbili National Hospital, especially those on longer duration of hemodialysis, and diabetic patients. We recommend that
hemodialysis patients should be regularly assessed for malnutrition and appropriately treated which if left unattended heralds
worse outcomes.
