Objective: In this study, we aimed to determine the prevalence of malnutrition and its associated risk factors among patients undergoing hemodialysis in a tertiary hospital in Mauritius.
Methods: We enrolled 250 participants in this cross-sectional single-center study. A modified Malnutrition-Inflammation Score (MIS) questionnaire was used. We collected and analyzed data pertaining to patients' medical and hemodialysis details.
Results: Among the 250 enrolled participants, 136 (54.4%) were male patients. Participants had been undergoing hemodialysis for a mean duration of 5.67 ± 4.66 years. Malnutrition was present in 108 (43.2%) participants, and 176 patients (70.4%) had diabetes mellitus, which was found to be a significant predictor of malnutrition. There was a significant correlation between malnutrition and the number of years a participant had been under hemodialysis, as well as female sex. A significant variation in MIS values was found among different age groups. Participants with malnutrition had lower body mass index and hyponatremia.
Conclusions: Malnutrition is an important issue, particularly among women, patients who have been on hemodialysis for an extended period, those with older age, and patients with diabetes mellitus.
Keywords: Diabetes mellitus; Mauritius; dialysis duration; hemodialysis; malnutrition; risk factor.