Nutritional Status in Hemodialysis Patients - Changes in Biochemical Parameters and Clinical Symptoms
10.2185/jjrm.58.54
- Author:
Emiko TSUCHIDA
;
Maiko SATOH
;
Gen KURAMOCHI
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- MeSH:
month;
Complications Specific to Antepartum or Postpartum;
Earthquakes;
incidence of cases;
Hemodialysis
- From:Journal of the Japanese Association of Rural Medicine
2009;58(2):54-62
- CountryJapan
- Language:Japanese
-
Abstract:
A strong earthquake (magnitude 6.8) off the Sea of Japan struck the Chuetsu area of Niigata Prefecture on July 16, 2007. By way of investigating the impact of the earthquake on the health of maintenance hemodialysis patients, we examined several biochemical parameters including nutritional markers and psychological stress markers and checked up on the incidence of earthquake-induced complications (heart failure and shunt obstruction). Blood samples were collected and the values of several biochemical parameters were measured. Incidences of clinical complications one, three and six months after the quake were scrutinized. Significant decreases in the nutritional markers and a significant increase in the incidence of complications were found one month after the quake. During this period, the supplies of electricity, city gas and water were completely recovered one after another. The significant changes in the nutritional levels and the incidence of complications coincided with the time of the complete recovery of these utilities. The levels of these parameters recovered and the incidence of complications reduced three months after the quake. However, the serum albumin level did not recover and remained significantly lower even six months after. The psychological stress markers increased significantly three months after. These suggested that there was the time lag between the decrease in the nutritional markers, the increase in the incidence of complications (1 month after earthquake) and the increases in the psychological stress markers (3 months after earthquake). We concluded that these findings provided important information for the total medical plan to maintain the physical and psychological states of hemodialysis patients in an earthquake- stricken district.
