Dietary Protein Intake and Survival in 100,088 Maintenance Hemodialysis Patients: The Role of Race and Albumin

Decreased dietary protein intake may be associated with increased mortality risk in individuals undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (MHD). We examined 8−year all-cause mortality in 100,088 MHD patients from DaVita dialysis clinics in the US (2001–2009) and hypothesized that survival is better across higher levels of nPNA, (nPCR, a dietary protein intake surrogate) with consistent trends across race and in hypoalbuminemic patients. Time-averaged Cox models were used to estimate death hazard ratios for quarterly averaged nPNA categories controlled for case-mix, comorbidity, dialysis dose, and available markers of malnutrition-inflammation-complex syndrome (MICS). In all patients, both low (<0.6 g/kg/day, HR 1.53, [1.47–1.59]) and high nPNA (≥1.4 g/kg/day, HR 1.26, [1.19-1.34]) were associated with higher all-cause mortality when compared with the reference (1.0–<1.1 g/kg/day). This reverse–J–shape association was also found in sub-analyses performed among racial groups and in hypoalbuminemic patients (Figure). Hence, hypoalbuminemic patients of all races may benefit from higher protein intake, which needs controlled trial to verify. Figure options Download full-size image Download as PowerPoint slide