Management of protein and energy intake in dialysis patients

Malnutrition is not uncommon in patients with endstage renal disease treate d with maintenance dialysis. The presence of several abnormal parameters of nutritional status are reported to be predictive of poorer outcomes in the se patients, compared to dialysis patients without evidence of malnutrition . This article describes methods that may be used to recognize the presence of malnutrition in end-stage renal disease patients and the management of protein and energy intake. Whether the correction of malnutrition will impr ove outcomes, such as morbidity and mortality, is unknown.