The impact of Super Bowl parties on nutritional parameters among hemodialysis patients.
BACKGROUND
Little is known about the impact of holiday and other special-event meals on patients with chronic medical conditions. It is possible that patients are less adherent with dietary restrictions during such meals. We sought to determine the impact of Super Bowl parties on nutritional parameters among hemodialysis patients.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the relationship between attending a Super Bowl party and subsequent change in serum phosphorus level, serum potassium level, interdialytic weight gain, and blood pressure.


METHODS
Retrospective cohort study.


METHODS
Outpatient dialysis unit.


METHODS
One hundred twenty-two chronic hemodialysis patients.


METHODS
Patients were asked whether they had attended a Super Bowl party. Serum phosphorus level, serum potassium level, interdialytic weight gain, and predialysis blood pressure at the hemodialysis treatment after the Super Bowl and at the hemodialysis treatment 1 month previously were obtained by chart abstraction.


RESULTS
The 15 patients who had attended a party had increased serum phosphorus levels (+0.5 mg/dL) and interdialytic weight gain (+1.1% of dry weight) from baseline. These increases were statistically significant (P values .005 and .02, respectively) compared with patients who did not attend a party. Attendees also had increased systolic blood pressure (+6 mm Hg) from baseline, but this was of marginal statistical significance compared with nonattendees (P = .14). Attending a party was not significantly associated with changes in serum potassium and diastolic blood pressure.


CONCLUSIONS
Attending a Super Bowl party is associated with adverse changes in several nutritional parameters. Although patients should not be discouraged from attending holiday and special-event meals, management of hemodialysis patients should include increased dietary counseling before holidays and special events and increased monitoring afterward.
Ohlrich
Heather
H
Ohio Renal Care Group-Farnsworth, Cleveland, OH 44109, USA. hohlrich@hotmail.com
Leon
Janeen B
JB
Zimmerer
Jennifer
J
Sehgal
Ashwini R
AR
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005502:Food / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005538:Football; D006693:Holidays; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000097:blood; D011188:Potassium / Q000097:blood; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D051437:Renal Insufficiency / Q000628:therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015430:Weight Gain
D010758:Phosphorus; D011188:Potassium