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Effect of High Versus Standard Protein Intake in Critically Ill Patients With Acute Kidney Injury Requiring Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy

Effect of High Versus Standard Protein Intake in Critically Ill Patients With Acute Kidney Injury Requiring Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy: A Randomized Controlled Trial (PROTEIN-CRRT)

Status
Not yet recruiting
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT07596043
Acronym
PROTEIN-CRRT
Enrollment
56
Registered
2026-05-19
Start date
2026-07-01
Completion date
2027-06-30
Last updated
2026-05-19

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Acute Kidney Failure Stage 3, Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy (CRRT)

Brief summary

During critical illness, patients experience a hypercatabolic state. This hypercatabolic state causes muscle wasting in patients, resulting in intensive care unit acquired weakness (ICU-AW). ICU-AW is associated with prolonged mechanical ventilation (MV) weaning, extubating failure and extended length of stay. Previously recognized risk factors for ICU-AW include shock, sepsis, multiple organ failure, hyperglycemia, and prolonged exposure to corticosteroids, sedatives, or paralytic agents. Critical illness is complicated by the development of acute kidney injury (AKI). AKI causes muscle wasting by increasing protein degradation and decreasing protein synthesis. Furthermore, patients with severe AKI often require renal replacement therapy (RRT), which contributes to additional protein loss. Studies have estimated that amino acid losses associated with RRT may range from 5 to 19 g/d, with greater losses observed in patients undergoing continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). AKI requiring CRRT has recently been proposed to contribute to an increased risk of ICU-AW. Therefore, critically ill patients with AKI may require increased protein intake to compensate for these metabolic alterations. However, higher protein intake, particularly during the early acute phase of critical illness, may be associated with prolonged need for RRT or delayed kidney recovery. The objective of this trial is to compare the effects of a high protein intake versus a standard protein intake on muscle mass change in critically ill patients with AKI requiring CRRT. The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if high protein intake (1.5-1.7 g/kg/d) can reduce ICU associated weakness in critically ill patients with AKI requiring CRRT. The main questions it aims to answer is: • Does High protein intake (1.5-1.7 g/kg/d) reduce the change in RF-CSA, as measured by ultrasonography at day 7 in critically ill patients with AKI requiring CRRT Researchers will compare drug high protein intake to standard protein intake to see if high protein intake effect on muscle mass by ultrasonography. Participants will: * Receive high protein group (1.5-1.7 g/kg/d) in High protein group and standard protein intake (1.0-1.2 g/kg/d) in control group for 7 days * Rectus femoris ultrasonography was performed twice on day 1 and day 7

Interventions

OTHERHigh protein group

Patients will receive enteral nutrition via feeding tube. The nutrition provided is a medical nutrition formula with a protein proportion of 7.5 g/100 kcal with caloric content 1.2 kcal/ml.

Patients will receive enteral nutrition via feeding tube. The nutrition provided is a medical nutrition formula with a protein proportion of 5 g/100 kcal with caloric content 1.2 kcal/ml

Sponsors

Chulalongkorn University
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Outcomes Assessor)

Masking description

Rectus femoris ultrasonography was performed twice on day 1 and day 7 after randomization by one expert musculoskeletal radiologist blinded to clinical information Both feeds are isocaloric and isovolemic and identical in terms of color, odor and consistency

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Adult (≥18 years old) * AKI receiving CRRT within 7 days after ICU admission * Achieve and tolerate calories 70% of target daily caloric requirement (20 kcal /kg/d) within 7 days after ICU admission by enteral feeding * Participant or their surrogates is willing and able to give informed consent for participation in the study

Exclusion criteria

* Moribund or withholding of treatment * Kidney transplant recipient * Previously diagnosed end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) currently on kidney replacement therapy * Pregnancy or breastfeeding * Hepatic encephalopathy (West Haven grade 3-4) * Burn patients * Patients whom the responsible clinician felt that the patient either needed low or high protein * Severe complications of diabetes such as ketoacidosis, hyperosmolar coma * Had pre-existing neuromuscular disorders * Previously leg amputations

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Change in RF-CSA ultrasonographyAt day 7 after randomizationChange in RF-CSA, as measured by ultrasonography at day 7

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Numbers of RRT-free days at day 28At day 28 after randomization
Numbers of MV-free days at day 28At day 28 after randomization
Change in muscle mass by BIAAt day 7 after randomizationmeasured by bioimpedance analysis at day 7
ICU length of stayAt day 28 after randomization
Hospital length of stayAt day 28 after randomization
Daily changes in urea levelsFrom randomization to the end of treatment at 7 days
Incidence of gastrointestinal intolerancethrough study completion, an average of 1 month
CPAxAt Randomization and At the end of treatment 7 days

Countries

Thailand

Contacts

CONTACTWiphat Kittiweerawong, MD
inter.wiphat@gmail.com+66899496165

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: May 20, 2026