Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Exploring body composition in people with chronic kidney disease with and without obesity

Reem Kazamel, The University of Western Ontario

Abstract

Background: In Canada, 23,000 individuals require dialysis for end-stage kidney disease [ESKD] many of whom have a high Body Mass Index [BMI]. Obesity is a barrier to transplantation, making alternative body composition parameters crucial for assessing eligibility.

Background: In Canada, 23,000 individuals require dialysis for end-stage kidney disease [ESKD] many of whom have a high Body Mass Index [BMI]. Obesity is a barrier to transplantation, making alternative body composition parameters crucial for assessing eligibility.

Purpose:To explore body composition (BC) metrics in patients with ESKD with higher BMI (≥30 kg/m²) versus lower BMI (

Methodology:A prospective cohort study with 92 kidney recipients stratified into lower BMI (

Results:The higher BMI group had greater mean LBM (70.14 ± 15.25 kg) and mean %BF (31.90 ± 8.27%), while the lower BMI group had higher mean nHGS (0.44 ± 0.17 kg/m²). HGS (21% vs. 3%, p = 0.027) and nHGS (55% vs. 17%, p

Conclusion: These findings suggest that looking beyond BMI and considering overall body composition can provide clinicians a more robust medical picture of a patient’s health, helping them make more informed transplant decisions.