Assessment of nutritional status in hemodialysis patients using patient-generated subjective global assessment
Objective
To evaluate the scored Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA) as a nutrition assessment tool in hemodialysis patients.
Design
A cross-sectional observational study assessing the nutritional status of hemodialysis patients.
Setting
Private tertiary Australian hospital.
Subjects
Sixty patients, ages 63.9 ± 16.2 years.
Intervention
Scored PG-SGA questionnaire, comparison of PG-SGA score ≥9 with subjective global assessment (SGA), albumin, corrected arm muscle area, and triceps skinfold.
Results
According to SGA, 80% of patients were well nourished and 20% of patients were malnourished. Patients classified as well nourished (SGA-A) attained a significantly lower median PG-SGA score compared with those rated as moderately malnourished or at risk of malnutrition (SGA-B). A PG-SGA score ≥9 had a sensitivity of 83% and a specificity of 92% at predicting SGA classification. There were significant correlations between the PG-SGA score and serum albumin, PG-SGA score, and percentage weight loss over the past 6 months. There was no association between PG-SGA score and body mass index or anthropometric measurements.
Conclusion
The scored PG-SGA is an easy-to-use nutrition assessment tool that allows quick identification of malnutrition in hemodialysis patients.
★Heart Foundation Research Centre, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
†Wesley Research Institute, Wesley Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Address reprint requests to Ben Desbrow, Nutrition Unit, Griffith University, PMB 50, GCMC 9726.
ABSTRACT