Inflammatory markers are unrelated to physical activity, performance, and functioning in hemodialysis.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the associations among dietary intake and inflammatory cytokines with physical activity, function, and performance in maintenance dialysis patients.


METHODS
Cross-sectional analysis of cohort study.


METHODS
University-affiliated dialysis units, general clinical research center.


METHODS
Multiethnic cohort of maintenance hemodialysis patients.


METHODS
Physical activity by accelerometry; physical performance by gait speed, stair climbing, and chair raising; physical functioning by the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36-item questionnaire subscale scores; and maximal and adjusted activity scores of human activity profile.


RESULTS
Levels of inflammatory cytokines were uniformly high. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha was directly correlated with dietary protein and energy intake; no other cytokines were directly or inversely correlated with intake. Dietary intake was associated with physical activity, as expected, and not significantly associated with performance or function (with the exception of gait speed). There were no significant associations among inflammatory cytokines and physical activity, performance, or function.


CONCLUSIONS
Although dietary intake and inflammation may independently influence traditional proxies of nutritional status, this analysis provides no evidence for a link between cytokines and physical activity, performance, or function in hemodialysis patients. More research is required to understand the role of cytokines in protein energy malnutrition and the mechanisms of wasting and functional decline in the dialysis population.
Hung
Adriana M
AM
San Francisco VA Medical Center, San Francisco, CA 94121, USA.
Chertow
Glenn M
GM
Young
Belinda S
BS
Carey
Susan
S
Johansen
Kirsten L
KL
D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D004435:Eating; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D006435:Renal Dialysis
D016207:Cytokines