Protein-calorie malnutrition and cutaneous anergy in hemodialysis maintained patients

Abstract

In 52 unselected patiens maintained on intermittent hemodialysis, protein calorie malnutrition was present in 10 patients (19%). Complete cutaneous anergy to four intradermal skin antigens (Candida, tuberculin, streptokinase-dornase, and mumps) and failure to respond to contact sensitization to dinitrochlorobenzene was present in 60% of the patients. No correlation between cutaneous anergy and protein calorie malnutrition could be demonstrated.