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. 2011 Nov;21(6):448-54.
doi: 10.1053/j.jrn.2010.09.003. Epub 2011 Jan 15.

Appetite and gastrointestinal symptoms in chronic hemodialysis patients

Maurizio Bossola  1 , Giovanna Luciani, Fausto Rosa, Luigi Tazza
Affiliations

Appetite and gastrointestinal symptoms in chronic hemodialysis patients

Maurizio Bossola et al. J Ren Nutr. 2011 Nov.

Abstract

Objective: The aim of the present cross-sectional study was to assess the association between self-reported appetite and gastrointestinal symptoms in chronic hemodialysis patients.

Design: A cross-sectional study was carried out.

Setting: The study was carried out at an outpatient hemodialysis service center.

Patients: A total of 110 patients were included in this study.

Intervention: The first question of the Hemodialysis Study Appetite questionnaire was used to assess the appetite of the HD patients. The multiple-choice answers for the first question "During the past week, how would you rate your appetite?" were as follows: (1) very good, (2) good, (3) fair, (4) poor, or (5) very poor. At the same time, each patient was invited to answer the following questions: Did you have any of the following symptoms (hiccups, feeling full after a few bites of food, nausea, vomiting, indigestion, abdominal pain, bloating, and constipation) in the last 2 weeks? Are there particular foods that you used to like but now do not? Did you have changes in smell in the last 2 weeks? Did you have taste changes in the last 2 weeks?

Main outcome measure: Possible associations between appetite and gastrointestinal symptoms were assessed in this study.

Results: In 52 (47.2%) HD patients, the appetite was very good or good (group A), in 28 (25.4%) fair (group B), and in 30 (27.3) poor or very poor (group C). The most frequent symptoms were bloating and constipation. The frequency of food aversion and early satiety were 23.6% and 18.2%, respectively. The frequency of changes in smell and taste were 3.6% and 7.2%, respectively. The frequency of early satiety, food aversion, changes in smell and taste was significantly higher in group C as compared with group A. Similarly, the frequency of early satiety, food aversion, and changes in taste were higher in group B than in group A. The other frequencies did not differ significantly among group A, B, and C.

Conclusion: Food aversion, early satiety, changes in taste and smell were significantly more frequent in HD patients with poor or very poor appetite as compared with those with good or very good appetite.

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