for at least six months before e n t r y. B a c k g round Data Demographic characteristics, including gender, age, education, marital status, living situation, job, and income, were collected using a selfreported questionnaire. Information on the primary cause of kidney failure, diabetes, diuretic use, duration of dialysis, frequency of dialysis per week, and body mass index (BMI ) was obtained from the dialysis staff. Laboratory values for serum hematocrit, albumin, normalized protein catabolic rate (nPCR), potassium, phosphate, and Kt/V were collected from January 20 07 to April 20 07. Average values were calculated from 11 samples for mean serum hematocrit, 3 to 6 for albumin