Assessment of the Correlation Between Serum Phosphate Level and Muscle Strength as Measured by Handgrip Strength in Patients Treated With Hemodialysis.

Background: Sarcopenia, commonly observed in patients treated with hemodialysis, correlates with low serum phosphate levels. Although normophosphatemia is desired, dietary phosphate restriction is difficult to achieve and may result in undesirable protein restriction. Objective: We aimed to evaluate whether hyperphosphatemia is associated with higher muscle strength in patients receiving hemodialysis treatment. Design: A single-center prospective observational study. Setting: Ambulatory prevalent patients undergoing hemodialysis treatments in a dialysis unit of a tertiary hospital. Patients: Participants included prevalent patients treated with hemodialysis. All patients were above 18 years. Only patients with residual kidney function below 200 mL/24 hours were included to avoid bias. Measurements: Muscle strength was measured by handgrip strength (HGS). Each patient repeated 3 measurements, and the highest value was recorded. Handgrip strength cutoffs for low muscle strength were defined as <27 kg in men and <16 kg in women. Biochemical parameters, including serum phosphate level, were driven from routine monthly blood tests. Hyperphosphatemia was defined as serum phosphate above 4.5 mg/dL. Methods: Handgrip strength results were compared to nutritional, anthropometric, and biochemical parameters-in particular phosphate level. Long-term mortality was recorded. Results: Seventy-four patients were included in the final analysis. Handgrip strength was abnormally low in 33 patients (44.5%). Patients with abnormal HGS were older and more likely to have diabetes mellitus and lower albumin and creatinine levels. There was no correlation between HGS and phosphate level (r = 0.008, P = .945). On multivariable analysis, predictors of higher HGS were body mass index and creatinine. Diabetes mellitus and female sex predicted lower HGS. Hyperphosphatemia correlated with protein catabolic rate, blood urea nitrogen, and creatinine. On multivariable analysis, predictors of hyperphosphatemia were higher creatinine level, normal albumin level, and heart failure. During mean follow-up time of 7.66 ± 3.9 months, 11 patients died. Mortality was significantly higher in patients with abnormally low HGS compared with normal HGS (odds ratio = 9.32, P = .02). Limitations: A single-center study. All measurements were performed at one time point without repeated assessments. Direct dietary intake, degree of physical activity, and medication compliance were not assessed. Conclusion: Hyperphosphatemia correlated with increased protein intake as assessed by protein catabolic rate in patients treated with hemodialysis; however, neither correlated with higher muscle strength as measured by HGS.Trial registration: MOH 202125213.

Contexte: La sarcopénie, qui est fréquemment observée chez les patients traités par hémodialyse, est corrélée à de faibles taux sériques de phosphate. Dans ce contexte, la normophosphatémie est souhaitée, mais la restriction alimentaire en phosphate est difficile à réaliser et peut entraîner une restriction indésirable en protéines. Objectif: Notre objectif était de déterminer si l'hyperphosphatémie est associée à une plus grande force musculaire chez les patients qui reçoivent un traitement par hémodialyse. Conception: Étude observationnelle prospective monocentrique. Cadre: Le service de dialyse d'un hôpital de soins tertiaires. Sujets: Des patients prévalents âgés de plus de 18 ans qui recevaient des traitements d'hémodialyse en ambulatoire dans le service de dialyse de l'hôpital. Afin de limiter les biais, seuls les patients avec une fonction rénale résiduelle inférieure à 200 ml/24 heures ont été inclus. Mesures: La force musculaire a été mesurée par le test de force de préhension (HGS - handgrip strength). Trois mesures ont été faites pour chaque patient et la valeur la plus élevée a été enregistrée. Les seuils de faible force musculaire à l'HGS ont été établis à < 27 kg pour les hommes et à < 16 kg pour les femmes. Les paramètres biochimiques, notamment le taux de phosphate sérique, ont été déterminés à partir des analyses sanguines mensuelles des patients. L'hyperphosphatémie a été définie par une concentration sérique en phosphate supérieure à 4,5 mg/dl. Méthodologie: Les résultats de l'HGS ont été comparés aux paramètres nutritionnels, anthropométriques et biochimiques ­ plus particulièrement au taux de phosphate. La mortalité à long terme a été enregistrée. Résultats: Soixante-quatorze patients ont été inclus dans l'analyse finale. Les résultats de l'HGS étaient anormalement faibles chez 33 patients (44,5 % des sujets). Les patients qui avaient obtenu un résultat anormal à l'HGS étaient plus âgés, plus susceptibles de souffrir de diabète, et présentaient des taux d'albumine et de créatinine plus faibles. Aucune corrélation n'a été observée entre le résultat à l'HGS et le taux sérique de phosphate (r=0.008; p=0.945). Dans l'analyse multivariée, l'indice de masse corporelle et le taux de créatinine étaient des prédicteurs d'un résultat plus élevé à l'HGS, alors que le diabète et le fait d'être une femme étaient prédictifs d'un résultat inférieur à l'HGS. L'hyperphosphatémie a été corrélée au taux de catabolisme des protéines, à l'urée et au taux de créatinine. Dans l'analyse multivariée, un taux de créatinine plus élevé, un taux d'albumine normal et une insuffisance cardiaque étaient des facteurs prédictifs d'une hyperphosphatémie. Au cours de la période moyenne de suivi (7,66 ± 3,9 mois), 11 patients sont décédés. La mortalité était significativement plus élevée chez les patients qui présentaient un résultat anormalement faible à l'HGS par rapport à la normale (RC: 9,32; p = 0,02). Limites: L'étude a été menée dans un seul centre. Toutes les mesures ont été effectuées à un moment donné sans évaluations répétées. L'apport alimentaire direct, le degré d'activité physique et l'observance des médicaments n'ont pas été évalués. Conclusion: Chez des patients traités par hémodialyse, l'hyperphosphatémie est corrélée à une augmentation de l'apport en protéines évalué par le taux de catabolisme des protéines, mais ni l'une ni l'autre n'est corrélée à une plus grande force musculaire mesurée par HGS.

Body composition in pediatric celiac disease and metabolic syndrome component risk-an observational study.

BACKGROUND: Celiac disease (CD) in children and adolescents has been linked with increased susceptibility for cardiometabolic disease in adulthood. We explored the interaction between body composition and metabolic syndrome (MetS) components in pediatric CD. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective observational study of patients with CD followed at our Pediatric Endocrine and Gastroenterology Units between 1/2018-1/2022. Data on sociodemographic, clinical, laboratory, and body composition parameters (bioelectrical impedance analysis, BIA) were collected. RESULTS: Forty-four patients with MetS components and 67 patients without them were enrolled. The cohort's mean age at BIA assessment was 11.5 ± 3.6 years. Individuals with MetS components were older (P = 0.045), had higher BMI z-scores (P < 0.001), higher total and truncal fat percentage levels (P < 0.001), lower muscle-to-fat ratio z-scores (P = 0.018), higher sarcopenic indices (P = 0.05), higher systolic blood pressure percentiles (P = 0.001), higher triglycerides levels (P = 0.009), and higher triglycerides/HDL-c ratios (P < 0.001) than those without MetS components. A sex- and age-adjusted model revealed that the diagnosis of MetS components was positively associated with fat percentage (odds ratio = 1.087, confidence interval [1.010-1.171], P = 0.027), but not with BMI z-scores (P = 0.138). CONCLUSIONS: We found that fat percentage but not weight status is associated with risk for MetS components in individuals with childhood-onset CD. Preventive interventions should target an improvement in body composition. IMPACT: The literature on cardiometabolic risk in pediatric patients with celiac disease (CD) is sparse. Our analysis revealed that at least one metabolic syndrome (MetS) component was present in two out of every five children and adolescents with CD. An increase in fat percentage but not in body mass index z-scores predicted the presence of MetS components in our cohort. These findings suggest that the weight status of children and adolescents with CD does not mirror their risk for MetS components. Body composition analysis should be considered as an integral part of the clinical evaluation in young patients with CD.

Nutritional Therapy in Children With Spinal Muscular Atrophy in the Era of Nusinersen.

OBJECTIVES: Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a genetic motor neuron disorder characterized by progressive muscle atrophy. Our aims were to evaluate the impact of nutritional intervention and nusinersen therapy on the nutritional status of SMA patients. STUDY DESIGN: This prospective study included all children and young adults (<24 years of age) with SMA who attended our multidisciplinary SMA clinic, during January 2017-July 2019. We documented demographic, clinical, anthropometric, and nutritional data at baseline and follow-up. A nutritional intervention was implemented according to standards of the 2018 Consensus Statement of SMA Management. RESULTS: The cohort included 51 SMA patients with a median age of 7.2 (interquartile range 2.1-15.3) years. Among them, 24 (47%) were SMA type 1, 16 (31.4%) SMA type 2, and 11 (21.6%) SMA type 3 patients. At baseline, 28 (54.9%) patients presented with malnutrition, 20 (71.4%) of whom with severe malnutrition. A decline in the frequency of severe malnutrition of SMA type 1 patients was observed at follow-up. The body mass index of patients who started nusinersen therapy after the nutritional intervention increased significantly compared with patients that started nusinersen therapy before the nutritional intervention (P = 0.042). There was also a significant increase in total energy and protein consumption in the former group (P = 0.043). CONCLUSIONS: Malnutrition is frequent among children with SMA, and the nutritional status of patients that started nusinersen therapy after implementation of a nutritional intervention underwent a more significant improvement. The importance of combining adequate nutritional management with disease-modifying treatment is highlighted.

Higher prevalence of obesity among children with functional abdominal pain disorders.

BACKGROUND: Functional abdominal pain (FAP) disorders are one of the most common gastrointestinal disorders in children. We aimed to define the association between obesity and functional abdominal pain (FAP) disorders and to assess differences between overweight/obese children and normal weight children with FAP disorders. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of children (2-18 years old) with a clinical diagnosis of FAP who were followed-up in our pediatric gastroenterology unit between 1/2016-10/2018. FAP disorders were defined according to the ROME IV criteria. Body mass index (BMI) percentiles were defined by CDC standards. Patients with BMIs ≥85th percentile were designated as being overweight/obese. A population control group was obtained from the 2015-2016 Israel national health survey. RESULTS: Data from 173 children with FAP disorders (median age 11.5 years, 114 females) were included. Seventy-one children (41%) were classified as having functional abdominal pain-NOS, 67 (38.7%) as having irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and 35 (20.2%) has having functional dyspepsia. Fifty-three children (30.6%) were classified as being overweight/obese. Adolescents with FAP disorders had a significantly higher prevalence of overweight/obesity compared to controls (39.5% vs. 30%, respectively, p = 0.04). Children with FAP and overweight were older [12.4 (range 9.8-15.3) vs. 10.8 (7.4-14.1) years, p = 0.04] and had more hospitalizations due to FAP (20.8% vs. 7.6%, p = 0.01) compared to Children with FAP and normal weight. CONCLUSIONS: Adolescents with FAP had higher prevalence of overweight/obesity compared to controls. Future studies are warranted to raise awareness of weight issues in FAP and determine the effect of weight loss on FAP.

Vitamin A levels are comparable between children with newly diagnosed coeliac disease and non-coeliac controls.

AIM: Nutritional deficiencies associated with coeliac disease include iron, folic acid and fat-soluble vitamins. This study compared the prevalence and degree of vitamin A deficiency among newly diagnosed coeliac disease patients to controls in a developed country. METHODS: This prospective cohort study included all children evaluated by gastroscopy at Dana-Dwek Children's Hospital, Israel, between September 2014 and February 2017. Vitamin A, haemoglobin, C-reactive protein (CRP), ferritin, tissue transglutaminase, immunoglobulin A and vitamin D levels were measured. RESULTS: Of the 113 children (69% females), 47 were diagnosed with coeliac disease whereas the others were the controls (mean age of 8.2 ± 3.8 years and 12.4 ± 3.5 years, respectively). There was no group difference in vitamin A, vitamin D or CRP levels. Among coeliac children, two had true vitamin A deficiency compared with three controls, while 18 coeliac children had subclinical vitamin A deficiency compared with 25 controls (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Paediatric coeliac disease was not associated with increased prevalence of vitamin A deficiency. Children evaluated for gastrointestinal complaints in a developed country were found to have an unexpectedly high prevalence of subclinical vitamin A deficiency. Further prevalence and causality assessments of vitamin A deficiency in developed countries are needed.