Malnutrition, inflammation, atherosclerosis in hemodialysis patients.

Protein-energy malnutrition with muscle wasting occurs in a large proportion of patients with chronic renal failure and is, in addition to atherosclerosis, a strong risk factor for cardiovascular mortality in dialysis patients. There is evidence that a chronic inflammation with activation of C-reactive protein and proinfalammatory cytokines is associated with increased oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction. Strong relations between malnutrition, inflammation and atherosclerosis in dialysis patients suggest the presence of a MIA (malnutrition, inflammation and atherosclerosis) syndrome, which is associated with high mortality rate. Thus, it could be speculated that suppression of the vicious cycle of malnutrition, inflammation and atherosclerosis would improve survival in dialysis patients.