THERAPY WITH A LOW-PROTEIN DIET AND CALORIC SUPPLEMENTS IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC-RENAL-FAILURE IN PREDIALYSIS - COMPARATIVE-STUDY

The low-protein diet (LPD) is used in patients with advanced chronic r enal failure (CRF) to improve their symptoms and decrease the progress ion of CRF. LPD entails the risk for caloric malnutrition, which incre ases protein catabolism. Two groups were obtained from a total of 33 p atients with CRF with LPD (0.6 g protein/kg/day): control group (group C), which went on with the same diet, and a group S, in which a porti on of proteins and calories were provided through a low-protein and hy percaloric supplement (Suplena(R)). During 6 months the protein intake and the evolution of the nutritional status and renal function were s tudied and compared between both groups. Additionally, tolerance and s econdary effects of the supplement were studied in group S. Twenty-two patients (eleven in each group) completed the six month follow-up. At the end of the study, group S had the nutritional parameters better p reserved, came closer to the low-protein diet objective, had a better compliance with therapy and had a less marked decrease in renal functi on -as measured by creatinine clearance- than group C. Tolerance to su pplement was good in more than 70% of patients and secondary effects - nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite- occurred in 18% of patients at the end of the 6 months. We conclude that the use of this supplement i n an LPD is usually well tolerated, enhances the compliance with the d iet and can be of benefit for the mebacolic-nutritional status.