DIETARY-PROTEIN RESTRICTION AND THE PROGRESSION OF CHRONIC RENAL-INSUFFICIENCY - A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

It is well known that dietary protein restriction can delay the appear ance of uraemic symptoms and give symptomatic relief in patients with chronic renal failure. During the last decade, several investigators h ave argued that protein restriction instituted at an early phase in re nal disease may influence the rate of progression of renal failure fav ourably, Animal experiments have given strong evidence that, in the ca se of nephron loss, high dietary protein promotes further loss of rena l function. Many studies have been conducted to investigate the possib le favourable effect of a protein-restricted diet in patients with ren al disease. However, the scientific proof that longterm protein restri ction delays the progression of chronic renal insufficiency in man is still missing.