α1-acid glycoprotein and dietary intake in end-stage renal disease patients

Management of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients requires monitoring each of the components of malnutrition–inflammation–atherosclerosis (MIA) syndrome. Restrictive diet can negatively affect nutritional status and inflammation. An acute-phase protein—α1-acid glycoprotein (AGP), has been associated with energy metabolism in animal and human studies. The aim of our study was to look for a relationship between serum AGP concentrations, laboratory parameters, and nutrient intake in ESRD patients. The study included 59 patients treated with maintenance hemodialysis. A 24 h recall assessed dietary intake during four non-consecutive days—two days in the post-summer period, and two post-winter. Selected laboratory tests were performed: complete blood count, serum iron, total iron biding capacity (TIBC) and unsaturated iron biding capacity (UIBC), vitamin D, AGP, C-reactive protein (CRP), albumin, prealbumin, and phosphate–calcium metabolism markers (intact parathyroid hormone, calcium, phosphate). Recorded dietary intake was highly deficient. A majority of patients did not meet recommended daily requirements for energy, protein, fiber, iron, magnesium, folate, and vitamin D. AGP correlated positively with CRP (R = 0.66), platelets (R = 0.29), and negatively with iron (R = −0.27) and TIBC (R = −0.30). AGP correlated negatively with the dietary intake of plant protein (R = −0.40), potassium (R = −0.27), copper (R = −0.30), vitamin B$_{6}$ (R = −0.27), and folates (R = −0.27), p < 0.05. However, in multiple regression adjusted for confounders, only CRP was significantly associated with AGP. Our results indicate that in hemodialyzed patients, serum AGP is weakly associated with dietary intake of several nutrients, including plant protein.