Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate whether intradialytic parenteral nutrition can affect the antioxidant capacity of hemodialysis patients aged over 60 years.

Methods: The study comprised 20 participants from the Baskent University Umitkoy Dialysis Center; 10 who had intradialytic parenteral nutrition [IDPN, study group (SG)] that included 500 cc of amino acid solution and 500 cc of dextrose were compared with the group that did not have IDPN for 1 month. The randomly selected group had IDPN. Serum albumin, prealbumin, cholesterol, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, potassium, and phosphorus; weight; body mass index (BMI); hand muscle strength (HMS); and middle upper arm circumference (MUAC) were measured and compared at baseline and at the end of the study between two groups. After 4 weeks of treatment, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) values of two groups were compared.

Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the baseline and outcome values of both groups in weight, BMI, HMS, MUAC, BUN, creatinine, potassium, albumin, and cholesterol values during the 1 month period. The SG had 19.97±7.18 kcal/kg/day energy and 0.77±0.21 g/kg/day protein intake. The control group (CG) had 18.66±3.22 kcal/kg/day energy and 0.64±0.11 g/kg/day protein intake. TBARS were 1.84±0.10 μM in the SG and 1.95±0.11 μM in the CG (p=0.031). The mean of TAC was 334.34±23.20 mmol/L in the SG and 290.23±17.72 mmol/L in the CG (p=0.002). The mean of GSH-Px was 305.63±35.31 U/L in the SG and 244.80±17.66 U/L in the CG (p=0.001). The mean of TNF-α was 171.24±25.37 pg/mL in the SG and 193.85±11.82 in the CG (p=0.017).

Conclusion: Results suggest that energy and protein intake were very low in both groups. TBARS and TNF-α were lower in the SG than in the CG. TAC and GSH-Px were higher in the SG than in the CG. IDPN can be used both to increase the protein and energy intake and antioxidant capacity for patients aged over 60 years.

Keywords: Antioxidant capacity, elderly, intradialytic parenteral nutrition, malnutrition