Inflammatory, nutritional and clinical parameters of individuals with chronic kidney disease undergoing conservative treatment

Abstract

Introduction: due to the relevance of inflammation in individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD), inflammation should be taken into account in the interpretation of the clinical-nutritional status. Objective: assess the association between inflammation, nutritional and clinical parameters in patients with CKD. Materials and methods: 92 patients with CKD. C-reactive protein (CRP) was used as an inflammation marker. Assessed nutritional parameters were anthropometry and biochemical exams. Evaluated clinical parameters were comorbidities, CKD characteristics, lipid profile, lipid-lowering agents, urea, creatinine and total leukocytes. Comparisons between two groups (with or without inflammation) were performed using Student's t-test or chi-square test. Results: 15 (16.3%) patients had CRP above >= 10mg/L and were considered with inflammation. In the group with inflammation, 05 (33%) had hypoalbuminemia as compared with 05 (6.5%) in the group without inflammation (p = 0.002). Lipid values were lower in the group with inflammation, with mean total cholesterol 171 (+/- 41.2) mg/dL and mean LDL-C 95 (+/- 31.2) mg/dL as compared with the group without inflammation, which had and a mean total cholesterol 198 (46) mg/dL and mean LDL-C 124 (+/- 40.1) mg/dL, p = 0,038 and p = 0.011, respectively. No other statistically significant differences between groups were found. Conclusion: inflammation was associated with changes in the total cholesterol and LDL levels and with an increased incidence of hypoalbuminemia. We suggest that serum albumin levels should only be used to assess nutritional status in the absence of inflammation and CRP levels ought to be considered in nutritional status interpretation in patients with CKD.