SUPPLEMENTED LOW-PROTEIN DIETS - ARE THEY SUPERIOR IN CHRONIC-RENAL-FAILURE

Twenty-two patients with chronic renal failure were randomly assigned to a conventional low-protein diet containing 0,6 g protein/kg/day or a very-low-protein diet containing 0,4 g protein/kg/day supplemented w ith essential amino acids; they were followed up for 9 months, There w ere no significant changes in body mass index, arm muscle area, percen tage body fat, serum albumin and transferrin levels in any of the grou ps; neither was there any difference between the groups in respect of these parameters, Renal function, as measured by the reciprocal of ser um creatinine over time, stabilised in both groups during intervention , with no significant difference between the groups, There was however no correlation between changes in renal function and changes in blood pressure, or dietary intake of protein, phosphorus, cholesterol, poly unsaturated and saturated fatty acids. There were also no significant changes and no significant differences between the groups in serum lev els of parathyroid hormone and alkaline phosphatase, urine cyclic aden osine monophosphate, tubular reabsorption of phosphate, and the theore tical renal threshold for phosphate. The results of this study suggest that the supplemented very-low-protein diet was not superior to the c onventional low-protein diet in terms of its effect on protein-energy status, renal function and biochemical parameters of renal osteodystro phy.