CIRCULATING LEVELS OF IGF-I IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC UREMIA ON CONSERVATIVE DIETARY-TREATMENT

The assessment of nutritional status is a very important step in the c linical management of chronic uremic patients, because of the influenc es of chronic renal failure and of dietary manipulations on the energy and protein metabolism. In this study, some serum biochemical markers of protein nutrition, including IGF-1 and pre-albumin, have been meas ured in chronic renal failure patients treated with two different low- protein diets, according to the residual renal function, for several m onths. Our results showed no significant changes of IGF-1, pre-albumin or albumin serum levels in the patients treated with a very low-prote in diet (0.3 g/Kg b.w. per day) supplemented with essential amino acid s and ketoacids, in comparison with the patients on a conventional low -protein (0.6 g/Kg b.w. per day) diet.