Distinguishing Between Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Protein Energy Wasting in End-Stage Renal Disease Patients on Dialysis
Journal Title: Palliative Medicine & Hospice Care – Open Journal - Year 2016, Vol 2, Issue 2
Abstract
Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) receiving dialysis can have altered nutritional status and body composition due to dietary restrictions, level of physical activity, co-morbidities, metabolic alterations and inflammation.1 As such, weight loss or wasting is common among this population with up to 75% of adults with ESRD undergoing maintenance dialysis displaying some evidence of wasting.2 There are several forms of loss of lean muscle mass or wasting in ESRD, including ‘protein energy wasting’, ‘cachexia’, and ‘age-related sarcopenia’ and these terms are often used interchangeably alongside ‘malnutrition’ in current care. Limited understanding of the differences between such terms is arguably a barrier to accurate recognition and management of these disorders in patients with ESRD. For instance, a recent European study of over 700 dietetic participants concluded that only 13% of health care professionals who could differentiate between malnutrition, starvation, cachexia and sarcopenia.3 Such knowledge is pertinent as for example, loss of muscle mass is a key feature in both sarcopenia and cachexia, but most patients with sarcopenia are not cachectic,4 as muscle wasting occurs with aging.
Authors and Affiliations
Joanne Reid
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP548735
- DOI 10.17140/PMHCOJ-2-e004
- Views 195
- Downloads 0
Effects of Perception of Prognosis on Existential Well-Being and Ego-Integrity Among Advanced Cancer Patients
Background: Based on literature review, advanced stage cancer patients hold over-optimistic perception of their prognosis. This phenomenon is presumed to be an implication of defense and coping mechanisms, aiming to alie...
Product or Process: Cultural Competence or Cultural Humility?
The Institute of Healthcare’s Triple Aim Initiative (TAI) identifies the improvement of patients’ experience as one of three key components necessary for optimizing the American health care and cost-delivery systems.1 Wi...
Difficulties in Developing Hospice or End-of-Life Care Hospitals in Developing Countries
According to the United Nations (UN) statistics, Pakistan is currently listed as a developing country. Implementing palliative services has come across as a big challenge and possesses various risks, not only because it...
Initial Impressions and Review of Literature Concerning Factors Affecting the Use of Palliative Care Assessment Tools in an African Setting
Introduction: Quality palliative care encompasses early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, physical, psychosocial and spiritual.1 Despite the importance of symptom assessme...
Cultural Challenges in Implementing Palliative Services in Emerging Countries
Palliative Care is Unique: It is a new specialty that helps patients and their families as fully as possible when faced with a life-threatening illness. The population is aging which means more people will need Palliativ...