Effects of Appropriate Nutrition Training in Small Groups on Laboratory Parameters in Hemodialysis Patients from Iran

Adherence to appropriate nutrition and fluid intake is one of the essential parts of chronic
renal failure treatment for achieving the desirable results among the patients with hemodialysis. Among
various training methods, the “small groups’ method”, as an advanced method, can be performed by nurses
in achieving desirable therapeutic results. The present study was aimed to investigate the effect of appropriate
nutrition training in small groups on laboratory parameters in hemodialysis patients.
Material & methods: In this clinical trial, 64 patients who met the inclusion criteria were randomly
selected and divided into an intervention group and a control group. Subsequently, an appropriate
nutritional training program, including lectures along with appropriate nutrition pamphlets in three one
hour question and answer sessions were performed. Thirty two patients in each group were assigned to
intervention groups of five. Then, the laboratory indicators for each patient were measured in each group
one month after training. Thereafter, data analysis was performed using descriptive and analytical statistics
(statistical tests including independent t-test, paired t-test, repeated measures, and ANOVA) in SPSS V.16
software.
Results: The mean age of the patients was 50.1 ± 13.1 years; 47.5% of them had undergone dialysis due
to hypertension and 55.7% had a history of 1-5 years of hemodialysis. There was a significant difference in
post-intervention levels of urea, creatinine, sodium, potassium, calcium, and phosphorus between the two
groups.
Conclusion: Appropriate nutrition training via small-group method for patients on hemodialysis can
impose positive effects on laboratory parameters