Artificial organs
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Numerous studies suggest a strong association between nutrition and clinical outcome in chronic hemodialysis (HD) patients. While determination of malnutrition is often based on objective measurements, such as biochemical parameters and anthropometric data, there is no single measurement that can reliably predict the risk for malnutrition or poor outcome. The aim of the present investigation was to determine the prevalence and severity of malnutrition among HD patients in a large university-affiliated HD center in Serbia, and to examine the relationship between various nutritional and nonnutritional factors, and the clinical outcome in the period of 20 months follow-up. ⋯ After adjusting for age and sex, only comorbid medical problems expressed as ICED (OR 5.28; P < 0.01), DMS (OR 1.21; P < 0.01), and C-reactive protein (CRP) (OR 1.04; P < 0.05) were significant predictors of mortality. In conclusion, malnutrition in the Serbian cohort of patients on HD was very common. Nutritional status at enrollment (expressed as DMS), presence of comorbidity (ICED index), and CRP level were strong predictors of mortality during the 20 months of follow-up.