A recent study published in the National Kidney Foundation's American Journal of Kidney Diseases suggests dialysis patients suffering from severe malnutrition often lose their sense of smell permanently.
 
Malnutrition affects up to three-quarters of hemodialysis patients, and as kidney function declines, patients tend to eat less and less. During the study, researchers tested a small group of hemodialysis patients who were both malnourished and had normal nutritional status. The results suggested malnourished patients had lower sense of smell scores due to inflammation of the C-reactive protein.
 
In conclusion, dialysis patients need to eat more high quality protein with essential amino acids and work with a dietitian to prevent malnutrition.

This article originally appeared in the July 2008 issue of Renal Flash.