title: Relationship between appetite and symptoms of depression and anxiety in patients on chronic hemodialysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed at evaluating the association between appetite and symptoms of depression and anxiety, cognitive dysfunction, fatigue, and comorbidities in patients on hemodialysis (HD).
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted in an outpatient HD service of a tertiary level academic hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 90 patients on HD were evaluated for appetite (during the past week, how would you rate your appetite?), symptoms of depression (Beck Depression Inventory [BDI]) and anxiety (Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale [HARS]), cognitive dysfunction (Mini Mental State Examination [MMSE]), and comorbidities (Charlson Comorbidity Index).
  
  
  METHODS
  Relationship between appetite and symptoms of depression and/or anxiety, cognitive dysfunction, and comorbidities was assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 43 patients, the appetite was very good/good (group 1), in 22, it was fair (group 2), and in 25, it was poor/very poor (group 3). Mean and median BDI were significantly higher in group 3 as well as the percentage of patients with BDI ≥16. Mean and median HARS and the percentage of patients with HARS >13 were significantly higher in group 3. MMSE was significantly lower in group 3 as well as the percentage of patients with MMSE ≤23. Multiple linear regression analysis showed a dependence of appetite by age and BDI (P = .007 and P = .002, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anorexia is associated with older age and symptoms of depression in patients on HD.
authors.affiliation: Servizio Emodialisi, Istituto di Clinica Chirurgica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Roma, Italia. maubosso@tin.it
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bossola
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ciciarelli
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Di Stasio
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Panocchia
authors.forename: Gian Luigi
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Conte
authors.forename: Fausto
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rosa
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tortorelli
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Luciani
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tazza
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000855:Anorexia / Q000523:psychology; D001007:Anxiety / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001066:Appetite; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology; D003863:Depression / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D006435:Renal Dialysis