Nutritional Assessment Using Modified SGA Score and Its Correlation with Biochemical Profile Among Maintenance Hemodialysis Patients: A Cross Sectional Study at Multiple Hemodialysis Centers in Dhaka

Abstract

Patients on maintenance hemodialysis are vulnerable to multitude of health-related issues, malnutrition being one of
them. It is a key predictive factor for morbidity and mortality among patients on maintenance hemodialysis. The
primary objective of the study was to assess the severity of malnutrition in patients undergoing maintenance
hemodialysis, using modified subjective global assessment score and correlate it with biochemical parameters like
blood hemoglobin, serum creatinine, serum albumin, serum pre-albumin, serum triglyceride and serum total
cholesterol. Cross-sectional study from July 2016 to June 2017 was conducted at hemodialysis unit of SSMC & MH,
BSMMU, BIRDEM hospital and NIKDU, Dhaka, among 80 maintenance hemodialysis patients. Adult patients over
the age of 18 years and on regular (>_
2 sessions per week) hemodialysis for more than 3 months without any acute
infection were enrolled. Nutritional status of the patients was evaluated using modified subjective global assessment
score and compared with biochemical parameters for any correlation between them. Based on the modified SGA
scores, of the 80 patients, 10% were well nourished and the rest were mildly malnourished, showing a high degree of
malnutrition among respondents. There was strong positive correlation between modified subjective global
assessment score and age. Modified SGA score also showed statistically significant negative correlation with serum
creatinine, serum albumin and serum pre-albumin. Data obtained from this study confirm that modified subjective
global assessment score can be used as a reliable index for identifying patients at risk for malnutrition and it
correlates well with some of the biochemical profile.

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Med. Coll. J. 2022;1(1):14-19