title: Nutritional status, delaying progression and risks associated with protein restriction.
abstract: Low protein diets (LPD), providing < or = 0.6 g protein/kg body weight daily, have traditionally been used in the nutritional management of chronic renal failure (CRF). Initially they were advocated when dialysis availability was limited. More recently LPD have been proposed as a means of delaying the rate of CRF progression. Despite much research in this area, the value of protein restriction remains contentious. A major concern over their use is that they may induce malnutrition. This is of critical importance since mortality rates are significantly increased in individuals who are malnourished when dialysis is initiated. Other approaches to the nutritional management of CRF may be more appropriate. The primary goal of any nutritional therapy should be to optimise the patient's nutritional status. In the UK LPD are used in a minority of units. An alternative approach to the use of these diets is to view the prevention of malnutrition as being of paramount importance. For uraemic patients, dialysis is the best treatment.
authors.affiliation: Dietetic Department, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, England. dietetics@nuth.northy.nhs.uk
authors.forename: G H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Hartley
mesh_terms: D018753:Diet, Protein-Restricted / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D012307:Risk Factors