ICJIM
Intercontinental Journal of Internal Medicine

The Intercontinental Journal of Internal Medicine aims to publish issues related to all fields of internal medicine of the highest scientific and clinical value at an international level and accepts articles on these topics.

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Original Article
Assessment of nutritional parameters in elderly hemodialysis patients
Abstract
Aims: Malnutrition is a common and important condition in hemodialysis patients, associated with increased mortality and morbidity. This study aimed to identify parameters that may be associated with the level of malnutrition in elderly hemodialysis patients and to determine the most reliable parameter for detecting malnutrition in the elderly hemodialysis patient population.
Methods: This cross-sectional study included 136 patients aged 65 years and older undergoing hemodialysis at four centers. We evaluated sociodemographic characteristics, laboratory parameters, and comorbidities. The Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT), Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI), Malnutrition Inflammation Score (MIS), Subjective Global Assessment (SGA), and Normalized Protein Nitrogen Appearance (nPNA) scales were applied to assess the nutritional status of patients.
Results: The mean age was 73.25±5.75 years, hemodialysis duration was 5.35±6.21 years, and body mass index (BMI) was 25.56±4.75 kg/m². Patients with a BMI below 22 kg/m² were older (p=0.035), had longer hemodialysis durations (p=0.016), and had significantly lower abdominal skinfold thickness (ASF), triceps skinfold thickness (TSF), and waist circumference (all p<0.01). Malnutrition was detected in 22.8% of patients according to BMI, 49.3% according to MIS, 44.1% according to SGA, 66.2% according to CONUT, and 11.8% according to GNRI.
Conclusion: SGA and MIS were found to be near-ideal tests for detecting malnutrition in elderly hemodialysis patients. GNRI was usable in identifying the healthy population. The validity of the CONUT test was weak. When anthropometric measurements were evaluated for detecting malnutrition in elderly hemodialysis patients, TSF and ASF were close to ideal.

Keywords : Malnutrition, chronic kidney disease, anthropometry

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Article available in :
Volume 4, Issue 3, 2026
Page : 52-59
https://doi.org/10.51271/ICJIM-0077
Article Information
Received : 25 May 2026
Accepted : 05 Ağu 2026
Published : 31 Ağu 2026
Corresponding Author :

Muhammed Faruk Aşkın: Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Sivas Cumhuriyet University, Sivas, Turkiye

[email protected]
Citation : Aşkın MF, Koç Y. Assessment of nutritional parameters in elderly hemodialysis patients. Intercont J Int Med. 2026;4(3):52-59. doi:10.51271/ICJIM-0077

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