A recent observational study conducted at a Chinese university-affiliated hospital has highlighted a significant correlation between low phase angle (PhA) and disability in Activities of Daily Living (ADL) among patients undergoing hemodialysis. The study's findings underscore the potential of PhA as an objective indicator of ADL disability in this patient population. This study was published in BMC Nephrology by Junhui Li and colleagues.

The research, which took place between November 2019 and January 2020, involved 237 hemodialysis patients, with an average age of 60.01 years. Assessments were made using both basic ADL (BADL) and instrumental ADL (IADL) scales to gauge the level of disability. PhA measurements were obtained using a Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) device while patients were in the supine position post-dialysis.
Results unveiled that 43.5% of the hemodialysis patients experienced some form of disability in ADL. The study further conducted multivariable analyses that demonstrated a compelling association between low PhA and disability in both BADL and IADL. For every unit decrease in PhA, the odds of disability in BADL were 4.83 times higher (95% CI: 2.56–9.0), and for IADL, the odds were 3.57 times higher (95% CI: 2.14–5.95).
Additionally, the study established optimal cut-off values for PhA to predict disability in BADL and IADL, which were 4.8 and 5.4, respectively. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) for PhA in predicting disability in BADL was 0.783 (0.727, 0.835), and for IADL, it was 0.799 (0.743, 0.848).
Researchers emphasized the significance of these findings, highlighting that low PhA serves as a robust indicator of disability in ADL among hemodialysis patients. The results suggest the potential of PhA as a valuable and objective measure to assess and monitor ADL disability in this specific patient group.
These findings carry substantial implications for clinical practice, potentially aiding healthcare professionals in identifying and addressing disability in ADL among hemodialysis patients more effectively. Further research in this domain could facilitate the integration of PhA measurements as part of routine assessments to enhance patient care strategies.
Reference:
Li, J., Wang, Z., Zhang, Q., Zhang, H., Shen, Y., Zhang, Q., Jian, G., Cheng, D., & Wang, N. Association between disability in activities of daily living and phase angle in hemodialysis patients. BMC Nephrology,2023;24(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12882-023-03400-1