Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Original Article
  • Published:

Body composition, energy expenditure and physical activity

Bioimpedance phase angle predicts muscle function, quality of life and clinical outcome in maintenance hemodialysis patients

Abstract

Background/Objectives:

The association of bioimpedance phase angle (PA), as a measure of nutritional status, with muscle function, health-related quality of life (QoL) and subsequent clinical outcomes in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients.

Subjects/Methods:

A 2-year prospective observational study on 250 MHD outpatients (36.8% women) with a mean age of 68.7±13.6 years. Prospective all-cause and cardiovascular (CV) hospitalization and mortality, malnutrition-inflammation score (MIS), handgrip strength (HGS), bioimpedance and short form 36 (SF-36) QoL scores were the study’s measurements.

Results:

Across the three PA tertile groups, HGS was incrementally higher in the higher PA tertiles (P<0.001), maintaining this order in both male (r=0.38, P<0.001) and female patients (r=0.36, P<0.001). Better self-reported QoL was noted with higher PA values. This trend was prominent in total score (P<0.001), mental health (P=0.005) and physical health (P<0.001) dimensions, and in most of the SF-36 scales. For each 1° increase in baseline PA, the first hospitalization hazard ratio (HR) was 0.79 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.68–0.91) and first CV event HR was 0.70 (95% CI, 0.52–0.95); all-cause death HR was 0.63 (95% CI, 0.48–0.81) and CV death HR was 0.64 (95% CI, 0.44–0.91). Associations between PA and morbidity risk continued to be significant after adjustments for various confounders, but the association between PA and mortality risk was abolished after adding MIS to the multivariable model.

Conclusions:

For the MHD population, PA emerged as a useful predictor for impaired muscle function, health-related Qol, upcoming hospitalizations and mortality.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Chertow GM, Jacobs DO, Lazarus JM, Lew NL, Lowrie EG . Phase angle predicts survival in hemodialysis patients. J Ren Nutr 1997; 7: 204–207.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Beberashvili I, Azar A, Sinuani I, Yasur H, Feldman L, Averbukh Z et al. Objective Score of Nutrition on Dialysis (OSND) as an alternative for the malnutrition-inflammation score in assessment of nutritional risk of haemodialysis patients. Nephrol Dial Transplant 2010; 25: 2662–2671.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Pupim LB, Caglar K, Hakim RM, Shyr Y, Ikizler TA . Uremic malnutrition is a predictor of death independent of inflammatory status. Kidney Int 2004; 66: 2054–2060.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Mushnick R, Fein PA, Mittman N, Goel N, Chattopadhyay J, Avram MM . Relationship of bioelectrical impedance parameters to nutrition and survival in peritoneal dialysis patients. Kidney Int 2003; 87 (suppl): S53–S56.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Schwenk A, Beisenherz A, Romer K, Kremer G, Salzberger B, Elia M . Phase angle from bioelectrical impedance analysis remains an independent predictive marker in HIV-infected patients in the era of highly active antiretroviral treatment. Am J Clin Nutr 2000; 72: 496–501.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Selberg O, Selberg D . Norms and correlates of bioimpedance phase angle in healthy human subjects, hospitalized patients, and patients with liver cirrhosis. Eur J Appl Physiol 2002; 86: 509–516.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Faisy C, Rabbat A, Kouchakji B, Laaban JP . Bioelectrical impedance analysis in estimating nutritional status and outcome of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and acute respiratory failure. Intensive Care Med 2000; 26: 518–525.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Schwenk A, Ward LC, Elia M, Scott GM . Bioelectrical impedance analysis predicts outcome in patients with suspected bacteremia. Infection 1998; 26: 277–282.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Toso S, Piccoli A, Gusella M, Menon D, Bononi A, Crepaldi G et al. Altered tissue electric properties in lung cancer patients as detected by bioelectric impedance vector analysis. Nutrition 2000; 16: 120–124.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Gupta D, Lammersfeld CA, Burrows JL, Dahlk SL, Vashi PG, Grutsch JF et al. Bioelectrical impedance phase angle in clinical practice: implications for prognosis in advanced colorectal cancer. Am J Clin Nutr 2004; 80: 1634–1638.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Gupta D, Lammersfeld CA, Vashi PG, King J, Dahlk SL, Grutsch JF et al. Bioelectrical impedance phase angle in clinical practice: implications for prognosis in stage IIIB and IV non-small cell lung cancer. BMC Cancer 2009; 9: 37.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  12. Gupta D, Lis CG, Dahlk SL, Vashi PG, Grutsch JF, Lammersfeld CA . Bioelectrical impedance phase angle as a prognostic indicator in advanced pancreatic cancer. Br J Nutr 2004; 92: 957–962.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Maggiore Q, Nigrelli S, Ciccarelli C, Grimaldi C, Rossi GA, Michelassi C . Nutritional and prognostic correlates of bioimpedance indexes in hemodialysis patients. Kidney Int 1996; 50: 2103–2108.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Kyle UG, Bosaeus I, De Lorenzo AD, Deurenberg P, Elia M, Manuel Gómez J et al. Bioelectrical impedance analysis- part II: utilization in clinical practice. Clin Nutr 2004; 23: 1430–1453.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Chertow GM, Lazarus JM, Lew NL, Ma L, Lowrie EG . Bioimpedance norms for the hemodialysis population. Kidney Int 1997; 52: 1617–1621.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Oliveira CM, Kubrusly M, Mota RS, Silva CA, Choukroun G, Oliveira VN . The phase angle and mass body cell as markers of nutritional status in hemodialysis patients. J Ren Nutr 2010; 20: 314–320.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Heimburger O, Qureshi AR, Blaner WS, Berglund L, Stenvinkel P . Hand-grip muscle strength, lean body mass, and plasma proteins as markers of nutritional status in patients with chronic renal failure close to start of dialysis therapy. Am J Kidney Dis 2000; 36: 1213–122.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Wang AY, Sea MM, Ho ZS, Lui SF, Li PK, Woo J . Evaluation of handgrip strength as a nutritional marker and prognostic indicator in peritoneal dialysis patients. Am J Clin Nutr 2005; 81: 79–86.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Segura-Ortí E, Martínez-Olmos FJ . Test-retest reliability and minimal detectable change scores for sit-to-stand-to-sit tests, the six-minute walk test, the one-leg heel-rise test, and handgrip strength in people undergoing hemodialysis. Phys Ther 2011; 91: 1244–1252.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Kalantar-Zadeh K, Kopple JD, Block G, Humphreys MH . Association among SF36 quality of life measures and nutrition, hospitalization, and mortality in hemodialysis. J Am Soc Nephrol 2001; 12: 2797–2806.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Feroze U, Noori N, Kovesdy CP, Molnar MZ, Martin DJ, Reina-Patton A et al. Quality-of-life and mortality in hemodialysis patients: roles of race and nutritional status. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol 2011; 6: 1100–1111.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  22. Kalantar-Zadeh K, Kopple JD, Block G, Humphreys MH . A malnutrition-inflammation score is correlated with morbidity and mortality in maintenance hemodialysis patients. Am J Kidney Dis 2001; 38: 1251–1263.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Kalantar-Zadeh K, Kopple JD, Humphreys MH, Block G . Comparing outcome predictability of markers of malnutrition-inflammation complex syndrome in haemodialysis patients. Nephrol Dial Transplant 2004; 19: 1507–1519.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Liu J, Huang Z, Gilbertson DT, Foley RN, Collins AJ . An improved comorbidity index for outcome analyses among dialysis patients. Kidney Int 2010; 77: 141–151.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Bosy-Westphal A, Danielzik S, Dorhofer RP, Later W, Wiese S, Muller MJ . Phase angle from bioelectrical impedance analysis: population reference values by age, sex, and body mass index. J Parenter Enteral Nutr 2006; 30: 309–316.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Silva LF, Matos CM, Lopes GB, Martins MTS, Martins MS, Arias LU et al. Handgrip strength as a simple indicator of possible malnutrition and inflammation in men and women on maintenance hemodialysis. J Ren Nutr 2011; 21: 235–245.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Windsor JA, Hill GL . Grip strength: a measure of the proportion of protein loss in surgical patients. Br J Surg 1988; 75: 880–882.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Pieterse S, Manadhar M, Ismail S . The association between nutritional status and handgrip strength in older Rwandan refugees. Eur J Clin Nutr 2002; 56: 933–939.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Baumgartner RN, Chumlea WC, Roche AF . Bioelectric impedance phase angle and body composition. Am J Clin Nutr 1988; 48: 16–23.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Spiegel BM, Melmed G, Robbins S, Esrailian E . Biomarkers and health-related quality of life in end-stage renal disease: a systematic review. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol 2008; 3: 1759–1768.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  31. Lopes AA, Bragg J, Young E, Goodkin D, Mapes D, Combe C et al. Depression as a predictor of mortality and hospitalization among hemodialysis patients in the United States and Europe. Kidney Int 2002; 62: 199–207.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Noori N, Kopple JD, Kovesdy CP, Feroze U, Sim JJ, Murali SB et al. Mid-arm muscle circumference and quality of life and survival in maintenance hemodialysis patients. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol 2010; 5: 2258–2268.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  33. Ikizler TA, Wingard RL, Harvell WJ, Shyr Y, Hakim RM . Association of morbidity with markers of nutrition and inflammation in chronic hemodialysis patients: a prospective study. Kidney Int 1999; 55: 1945–19512.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Barbosa-Silva MC, Barros AJ . Bioelectric impedance and individual characteristics as prognostic factors for post-operative complications. Clin Nutr 2005; 24: 830–838.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Norman K, Stobäus N, Zocher D, Bosy-Westphal A, Szramek A, Scheufele R et al. Cutoff percentiles of bioelectrical phase angle predict functionality, quality of life, and mortality in patients with cancer. Am J Clin Nutr 2010; 92: 612–619.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Barbosa-Silva MC, Barros AJ . Bioelectrical impedance analysis in clinical practice: a new perspective on its use beyond body composition equations. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care 2005; 8: 311–317.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Kaysen GA . Association between inflammation and malnutrition as risk factors of cardiovascular disease. Blood Purif 2006; 24: 51–55.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. de Mutsert R, Grootendorst DC, Axelsson J, Boeschoten EW, Krediet RT, Dekker FW . Excess mortality due to interaction between protein-energy wasting, inflammation and cardiovascular disease in chronic dialysis patients. Nephrol Dial Transplant 2008; 23: 2957–2964.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Carrero JJ, Chmielewski M, Axelsson J, Snaedal S, Heimbürger O, Bárány P et al. Muscle atrophy, inflammation and clinical outcome in incident and prevalent dialysis patients. Clin Nutr 2008; 27: 557–564.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Jacobs LH, van de Kerkhof JJ, Mingels AM, Passos VL, Kleijnen VW, Mazairac AH et al. Inflammation, overhydration and cardiac biomarkers in haemodialysis patients: a longitudinal study. Nephrol Dial Transplant 2010; 25: 243–248.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank Mr Mechael Kanovsky, a scientific editor, for language editing, which has greatly improved the manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to I Beberashvili.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Beberashvili, I., Azar, A., Sinuani, I. et al. Bioimpedance phase angle predicts muscle function, quality of life and clinical outcome in maintenance hemodialysis patients. Eur J Clin Nutr 68, 683–689 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2014.67

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2014.67

This article is cited by

Search

Quick links