Effect of Protein-Restricted Diet on Nitrogen Balance and Residual Renal Function in Peritoneal Dialysis (PD) Patients

Chronic Kidney Disease, Peritoneal Dialysis

nitrogen balance, malnutrition, chronic kidney disease, diet, glomerular filtration rate

Current therapy recommendations suggest a low protein diet to preserve residual renal function (RRF) before the start of dialysis, but a higher protein intake during dialysis to prevent protein-energy wasting (PEW). We conducted a randomized trial to test whether low protein intake also during treatment with peritoneal dialysis (PD) would be safe and associated with a preserved RRF.

Dietary protein is the major source of nitrogen excreted as urea by the kidney, and a decreased protein intake has been associated with a retardation of kidney function loss in non-dialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. While a low protein diet is recommended to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients before the start of dialysis to preserve residual renal function(RRF), current therapy recommendations in dialysis are for a normal protein intake of no less than 1.2 g of protein/kg ideal body weight (IBW)/day to prevent protein-energy wasting (PEW). We hypothesized that a lower protein intake would be safe and able to slow the loss of RRF also in dialysis patients and conducted two prospective, randomized trials involving a total of 94 peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients to test our hypothesis.

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