DIETARY COMPLIANCE AMONG YOUNG HEMODIALYSIS-PATIENTS

Thirty-one hemodialysis patients between ages 15 and 30 completed a 4- week study on sodium and potassium compliance. Mean weight gain betwee n dialyses was 2.2+/-0.9 kg; mean serum potassium was 5.4+/-0.76 mEq/L . Only nine (29%) of the patients met the criterion of compliance with interdialytic weight gain <2 kg and serum potassium <5.5 mEq/L. Patie nts with high serum potassium levels were also more likely to have hig h interdialytic weight gains (p<.05). There was no relationship betwee n dietary sodium intake and interdialytic weight gain nor between diet ary potassium intake and serum potassium. Patients in this study were generally not very knowledgeable about their prescribed sodium and pot assium regimens; however, patients who could identify their sodium reg imens had a lower average interdialytic weight gain than those who cou ld not (p =.05). Patients also perceived a relatively high level of di fficulty in following the dietary and fluid restrictions, with fluid b eing the most difficult to follow. Patients' perceived difficulty in f ollowing fluid restrictions was significantly related to their interdi alytic weight gain (p<.01). We conclude that dietary compliance among young hemodialysis patients might be improved by increasing the patien ts' awareness of their dietary regimens and reducing their perceived c ompliance difficulties.