Registered dietitian time requirements in the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease Study.
OBJECTIVE
To assess time expended by registered dietitians to conduct clinical and research activities during the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) Study.


METHODS
Two randomized, controlled clinical trials among persons with diminished levels of renal function using a factorial design to evaluate effects of dietary protein restriction and blood pressure control on progression of renal disease. In study A, subjects with moderate renal insufficiency were randomly assigned to a diet of usual protein (1.30 g/kg per day) or low protein (0.58 g/kg per day) and to either a usual or low blood pressure level. Study B involved subjects with advanced renal insufficiency who were randomly assigned to the low-protein diet or a very-low-protein prescription (0.28 g/kg per day) with a ketoacid-amino acid supplement (0.28 g/kg per day) and to either the usual or low blood pressure level. A time-log form designed by MDRD Study dietitians was completed for each participant at 36 monthly follow-up visits.


METHODS
Fifteen clinical centers throughout the continental United States.


METHODS
Eight hundred forty adults aged 18 to 70 years with chronic renal diseases participated in the MDRD Study--585 in study A and 255 in study B.


METHODS
One-way analyses of variance and t tests were used to evaluate significant time requirement differences by diet groups, diagnosis, and sociodemographics.


RESULTS
Mean total time for all participant visits declined from 183 +/- 1 minutes per visit during months 1 through 4 to 116 +/- 41 minutes per visit during months 25 through 36. Significantly more dietitian time was required for participants consuming the low-protein and very-low-protein diets than for those consuming the usual-protein diet. Age, gender, race, marital status, and renal diagnosis did not influence time requirements. A significant inverse association between education level and dietitian time was apparent.


CONCLUSIONS
The MDRD Study time-log data should be useful when determining staffing patterns for nutrition management in clinical and research settings.
Dolecek
T A
TA
Department of Public Health Sciences, Bowman Gray School of Medicine, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
Olson
M B
MB
Caggiula
A W
AW
Dwyer
J T
JT
Milas
N C
NC
Gillis
B P
BP
Hartman
J A
JA
DiChiro
J T
JT
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D018753:Diet, Protein-Restricted / Q000592:standards*; D004046:Dietetics / Q000193:education / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004496:Education, Continuing; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors; D000078329:Workforce