Abstract
Hemodialysis is a life-saving treatment for patients with kidney failure because it removes uremic toxins from the circulation. However, amino acids are also removed during hemodialysis. Amino acid removal during hemodialysis contributes to the accelerated loss of muscle mass and strength in patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis treatment, thereby substantially lowering the quality of life among this population.
Though adequate dietary protein ingestion and ample physical activity are crucial to allow muscle maintenance, very few lifestyle interventions are currently applied in clinical care to prevent or attenuate muscle wasting in patients on chronic hemodialysis treatment. As patients are already in the hospital and constantly supervised, the hemodialysis period represents a time-efficient opportunity to implement nutritional and physical activity interventions to improve the lifestyle of these patients.
In this thesis, we describe the several studies that assessed the implementation of protein ingestion, ketoacid supplementation, and physical activity during hemodialysis as means to support muscle maintenance.
Defence date: 21/09/2023
Maastricht University.
