Specialty Care

Specialty Care

Infusion treatments, whether at home, in a healthcare clinic or other non-hospital setting, require highly trained Specialty Care nursing and pharmacy support. Trust becomes essential for these higher-risk infusion therapies that require ongoing care.

Anesthesiology

Intrathecal Home Infusion

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Neurology & Physiatry

Intrathecal Home Infusion

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Oncology

Hepatic Artery Home Infusion

Clinical Nutrition

Clinical Nutrition

Nutrition plays an essential role in sustaining quality of life for those who require care for complex conditions. Pentec Health provides personalized clinical nutrition solutions and superior community-based care.

Dialysis Clinics

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Medical Nutrition Therapy

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Medical Nutrition Therapy

Parenteral Nutrition

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Metabolic Centers

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Low Protein Foods

Enteral Nutrition

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Disease States

Disease States

Managing the multifaceted needs for a variety of conditions requiring clinical nutrition and specialty care therapies, services and products. This includes patients with kidney disease, kidney failure, chronic, non-healing wounds, gastrointestinal conditions, rare metabolic disorders, chronic pain, muscle spasticity or cancer within or that has metastasized in the liver.

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By leveraging decades of clinical expertise, we are able to successfully demonstrate our industry leadership through webinars, speaker programs and research studies. We take pride in sharing valuable insights that enhance clinician education and practice.

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We are committed to supporting patients by empowering them with knowledge and resources needed to navigate their healthcare journey with confidence.

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Pentec Health

Pentec Health is a national leader in clinical nutrition and specialty care integrating pharmacy services with clinical excellence to enhance the complex care journey.

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December 1, 2025 / Blogs

Why Nutrition in Dialysis Matters: Clinical Impact of IDPN/IPN on Patient Outcomes

Every dialysis session removes 13-20 grams of protein from a patient's body,1 the nutritional equivalent of around three eggs or a chicken breast.2

For patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), this chronic nutrient loss creates a silent crisis that diet alone often cannot overcome. While managing health on dialysis requires a dedicated team and careful balance of treatments, nutrition plays a critical and foundational role that directly impacts survival, hospitalization rates, and quality of life.

The Challenge of Protein Energy Wasting (PEW) in Dialysis

When a patient cannot meet their nutritional needs over time, it can lead to Protein Energy Wasting (PEW), a form of malnutrition common in dialysis patients.

While it’s recognized that most dialysis patients will not need supplemental nutrition therapy, it is important for healthcare professionals to be knowledgeable in both identifying and supporting patients who may require this specialized nutritional therapy.

For this specific group of patients, PEW can be difficult to overcome. Even with oral nutritional supplements, some patients may continue to struggle, leading to a decline in health.

The Clinical Impact: What the Evidence Shows

Malnutrition in dialysis patients is not just a secondary symptom; it is a primary driver of poor outcomes. Clinical data links malnutrition to several serious, evidence-based risks:

  • Increased mortality risk: PEW is a strong predictor of mortality in hemodialysis patients. Studies note that malnourished patients face a significantly greater risk of mortality. A low serum albumin level, a key marker of malnutrition, is a strong predictive risk factor for death.1,3
  • Higher rates of hospitalization: The data also shows a strong link between malnutrition in dialysis patients and increased hospitalization rates.4
  • Reduced quality of life: Beyond the primary risks, the morbidity (illness) and fatigue arising from malnutrition severely affect a patient's quality of life (QoL) and often lead to lower physical activity.5

Targeted Nutrition Intervention: IDPN and IPN Therapy

For those specific, eligible patients who are unable to meet their nutritional needs, Intradialytic Parenteral Nutrition (IDPN) and Intraperitoneal Nutrition (IPN) therapy can be a targeted clinical solution.

  • Intradialytic Parenteral Nutrition (IDPN) provides essential nutrients, including protein, carbohydrates, and sometimes fats, for people who use hemodialysis. Administration is simple, with the nutrients infused into the blood that returns to the patient from the dialyzer.
  • Intraperitoneal Nutrition (IPN) is the therapy for patients on peritoneal dialysis. It involves adding protein to the patient’s peritoneal dialysate, which replaces amino acids lost during dialysis.

Patient success stories demonstrate the potential of this therapy. Patients on IDPN/IPN therapy often see measurable improvements in key nutritional markers, such as albumin.

This clinical improvement often translates to a better quality of life. A 72-year-old male patient with diabetes and hypertension had experienced 6% weight loss over three months and a three-month average albumin of 3.0 g/dL, despite consuming oral nutritional supplements during dialysis.

After eight months on IDPN therapy, his albumin rose to 4.0 g/dL and stabilized, allowing him to successfully discontinue therapy. He reported "really enjoying having extra energy to do things now" and was "rocking on and feeling amazing." Learn more about IDPN and IPN here.

A Partnership to Ensure No Patient is Left Behind

Pentec Health services are designed to support clinics and ensure no eligible patient is left behind, and we function as an extension of your clinical team.

Pentec supports clinics with:

  • Patient Identification: Our clinical specialists and registered dietitians work with clinic staff to identify at-risk patients, using tools such as a "albumin drop system" to proactively track data and spot declines in nutritional status.
  • Formula Personalization: Pentec’s board-certified nutritional support pharmacists and registered dietitians provide patient-specific, sterile-compounded formulas tailored to each patient's unique needs.
  • Holistic support: Pentec Health provides comprehensive case management and services like the complimentary 12-week Pentec Advantage™ ONS program, designed to support a patient’s nutrition at the onset of therapy.

Conclusion: Better Outcomes Through Targeted Nutrition

For dialysis patients, nutrition isn't just important; it's a matter of survival. While most patients maintain adequate nutrition through diet and oral supplements, a critical subset cannot. For these eligible patients, IDPN and IPN therapy offers a proven pathway to improved outcomes, reduced hospitalizations, and restored quality of life.

Pentec Health is ready to partner with clinics to identify these at-risk patients and provide the specialized, holistic support they need to improve their outcomes. 

To learn more about our services or to refer a patient, contact us.

  1. Sahathevan, S, et al. “Understanding Development of Malnutrition in Hemodialysis Patients: A Narrative Review.” Nutrients, vol. 12, no. 10, Oct. 2020, p. 3147, https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12103147.
  2. USDA FoodData Central. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.
  3. Toledo, Flavia, et al. ‘Validity of Malnutrition Scores for Predicting Mortality in Chronic Hemodialysis Patients’. International Urology and Nephrology, vol. 45, June 2013. ResearchGate, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11255-013-0482-3.
  4. Yang, Yuting, et al. ‘Association of Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index Scores with Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Maintenance Hemodialysis’. British Journal of Hospital Medicine (London, England: 2005), vol. 86, no. 1, Jan. 2025, pp. 1–18. PubMed, https://doi.org/10.12968/hmed.2024.0501.
  5. de Roij van Zuijdewijn, Camiel L. M., et al. ‘Comparing Tests Assessing Protein-Energy Wasting: Relation With Quality of Life’. Journal of Renal Nutrition: The Official Journal of the Council on Renal Nutrition of the National Kidney Foundation, vol. 26, no. 2, Mar. 2016, pp. 111–17. PubMed, https://doi.org/10.1053/j.jrn.2015.09.003.

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