Traditional dietary recommendations for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) focus on the quantity of nutrients consumed. Without appropriate dietary counselling, these restrictions can result ...in a low intake of fruits and vegetables and a lack of diversity in the diet. Plant nutrients and plant-based diets could have beneficial effects in patients with CKD: increased fibre intake shifts the gut microbiota towards reduced production of uraemic toxins; plant fats, particularly olive oil, have anti-atherogenic effects; plant anions might mitigate metabolic acidosis and slow CKD progression; and as plant phosphorus has a lower bioavailability than animal phosphorus, plant-based diets might enable better control of hyperphosphataemia. Current evidence suggests that promoting the adoption of plant-based diets has few risks but potential benefits for the primary prevention of CKD, as well as for delaying progression in patients with CKD G3-5. These diets might also help to manage and prevent some of the symptoms and metabolic complications of CKD. We suggest that restriction of plant foods as a strategy to prevent hyperkalaemia or undernutrition should be individualized to avoid depriving patients with CKD of these potential beneficial effects of plant-based diets. However, research is needed to address knowledge gaps, particularly regarding the relevance and extent of diet-induced hyperkalaemia in patients undergoing dialysis.
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FZAB, GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
The effects of supplemental ketoanalogues (KA) in patients with diabetic kidney disease (DKD) are not well characterized. Several databases for peer-reviewed articles were systematically searched to ...identify studies reporting outcomes associated with the effects of a low-protein diet (LPD) or very-low protein diet (VLPD) in combination with supplemental KA in adults with DKD. Meta-analyses were conducted when feasible. Of 213 identified articles, 11 could be included in the systematic review. Meta-analyses for renal outcomes (4 studies examining glomerular filtration rate; 5 studies examining 24-h urinary protein excretion), metabolic outcomes (5 studies examining serum urea; 7 studies examining blood glucose), clinical outcomes (6 studies examining blood pressure; 4 studies examining hemoglobin), and nutritional outcomes (3 studies examining serum albumin; 4 studies examining body weight) were all in favor of KA use in DKD patients. Data from individual studies that examined other related parameters also tended to show favorable effects from KA-supplemented LPD/VLPD. The regimens were safe and well tolerated, with no evidence of adverse effects on nutritional status. In conclusion, LPD/VLPD supplemented with KA could be considered effective and safe for patients with non-dialysis dependent DKD. Larger studies are warranted to confirm these observations.
Objectives This study sought to evaluate in chronic kidney disease (CKD) prevalence and prognosis of true resistant hypertension (RH) (i.e., confirmed by ambulatory blood pressure ABP monitoring). ...Background In CKD, uncontrolled hypertension is a major risk factor, but no study has properly investigated the role of RH. Methods We prospectively studied 436 hypertensive CKD patients under nephrology care. Four groups were constituted by combining 24-h ABP with diagnosis of RH (office blood pressure ≥130/80 mm Hg, despite adherence to ≥3 full-dose antihypertensive drugs including a diuretic agent or ≥4 drugs): control (ABP <125/75 mm Hg without RH); pseudoresistance (ABP <125/75 mm Hg with RH); sustained hypertension (ABP ≥125/75 mm Hg without RH); and true resistance (ABP ≥125/75 mm Hg with RH). Endpoints of survival analysis were renal (end-stage renal disease or death) and cardiovascular events (fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular event). Results Age was 65 ± 14 years, men 58%, diabetes 36%, cardiovascular disease 30%, median proteinuria 0.24 (interquartile range 0.09 to 0.83) g/day, estimated glomerular filtration rate 43 ± 20 ml/min/1.73 m2 , office blood pressure 146 ± 19/82 ± 12 mm Hg, and 24-h ABP 129 ± 17/72 ± 10 mm Hg. True resistant patients were 22.9%, and pseudoresistant patients were 7.1%, whereas patients with sustained hypertension were 42.9%, and control subjects were 27.1%. Over 57 months of follow-up, 109 cardiovascular events and 165 renal events occurred. Cardiovascular risk (hazard ratio 95% confidence interval) was 1.24 (0.55 to 2.78) in pseudoresistance, 1.11 (0.67 to 1.84) in sustained hypertension, and 1.98 (1.14 to 3.43) in true resistance, compared with control subjects. Corresponding hazards for renal events were 1.18 (0.45 to 3.13), 2.14 (1.35 to 3.40), and 2.66 (1.62 to 4.37). Conclusions In CKD, pseudoresistance is not associated with an increased cardio-renal risk, and sustained hypertension predicts only renal outcome. True resistance is prevalent and identifies patients carrying the highest cardiovascular risk.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Data for the association of sex with chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression are conflicting, a relationship this study sought to examine.
Pooled analysis of 4 Italian observational cohort studies.
...1,311 older men and 1,024 older women with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)<45mL/min/1.73m2 followed up in renal clinics.
Sex.
End-stage kidney disease (ESKD), defined as maintenance dialysis or kidney transplantation, as the primary outcome; all-cause mortality and eGFR decline as secondary outcomes.
Cox proportional hazard analysis to estimate the relative risk for ESKD and mortality and linear mixed models to estimate the rate of eGFR decline.
Age, systolic blood pressure, and use of renin-angiotensin system inhibitors were similar in men and women. Baseline eGFRs were 27.6±10.2 in men and 26.0±10.6mL/min/1.73m2 in women (P<0.001), while median proteinuria was lower in women (protein excretion, 0.45 IQR, 0.14-1.10 g/d) compared with men (0.69 IQR 0.19-1.60 g/d; P<0.001). During a median follow-up of 4.2 years, 757 developed ESKD (59.4% men) and 471 died (58.4% men). The adjusted risks for ESKD and mortality were higher in men (HRs of 1.50 95% CI, 1.28-1.77 and 1.30 95% CI, 1.06-1.60, respectively). This finding was consistent across CKD stages. We observed a significant interaction between sex and proteinuria, with the risk for ESKD in men being significantly greater than for women at a level of proteinuria of ∼0.5g/d or greater. The slope of decline in eGFR was steeper in men (−2.09; 95% CI, −2.21 to−1.97mL/min/1.73m2 per year) than in women (−1.79; 95% CI, −1.92 to−1.66mL/min/1.73m2 per year; P<0.001). Although sex differences in eGFR decline were not different across CKD stages (P=0.3), the difference in slopes between men and women was progressively larger with proteinuria >0.5g/d (P = 0.04).
Residual confounding; only whites were included.
Excess renal risk in men may, at least in part, be related to higher levels of proteinuria in men compared with women.
Background Whether the use of sevelamer rather than a calcium-containing phosphate binder improves cardiovascular (CV) survival in patients receiving dialysis remains to be elucidated. Study Design ...Open-label randomized controlled trial with parallel groups. Settings & Participants 466 incident hemodialysis patients recruited from 18 centers in Italy. Intervention Study participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1 fashion to receive either sevelamer or a calcium-containing phosphate binder (although not required by the protocol, all patients in this group received calcium carbonate) for 24 months. Outcomes All individuals were followed up until completion of 36 months of follow-up or censoring. CV death due to cardiac arrhythmias was regarded as the primary end point. Measurements Blind event adjudication. Results At baseline, patients allocated to sevelamer had higher serum phosphorus (mean, 5.6 ± 1.7 SD vs 4.8 ± 1.4 mg/dL) and C-reactive protein levels (mean, 8.8 ± 13.4 vs 5.9 ± 6.8 mg/dL) and lower coronary artery calcification scores (median, 19 IQR, 0-30 vs 30 IQR, 7-180). At study completion, serum phosphate levels were lower in the sevelamer arm (median dosages, 4,800 and 2,000 mg/d for sevelamer and calcium carbonate, respectively). After a mean follow-up of 28 ± 10 months, 128 deaths were recorded (29 and 88 due to cardiac arrhythmias and all-cause CV death). Sevelamer-treated patients experienced lower CV mortality due to cardiac arrhythmias compared with patients treated with calcium carbonate (HR, 0.06; 95% CI, 0.01-0.25; P < 0.001). Similar results were noted for all-cause CV mortality and all-cause mortality, but not for non-CV mortality. Adjustments for potential confounders did not affect results. Limitations Open-label design, higher baseline coronary artery calcification burden in calcium carbonate–treated patients, different mineral metabolism control in sevelamer-treated patients, overall lower than expected mortality. Conclusions These results show that sevelamer compared to a calcium-containing phosphate binder improves survival in a cohort of incident hemodialysis patients. However, the better outcomes in the sevelamer group may be due to better phosphate control rather than reduction in calcium load.
Background and aims
Evidences on the benefits of physical exercise in kidney transplant patients (KTx) are not conclusive and concerns on safety remain. We here gather and interpret current evidence ...on the benefits/harms of exercise training intervention in KTx.
Methods
Systematic review of exercise training programs in KTx.
Results
A total of 24 studies including 654 KTx patients on intervention and 536 controls were evaluated. The median age was 46 years; the transplant vintage was 2 days to 10 years. The intervention was an aerobic or resistance exercise program or a combination of both; interventions consisted of 20–60 min’ sessions, 2–3 times per week repetitions and 5.5 months’ median duration. Most studies improved cardiorespiratory fitness (expressed as VO
2peak
) as well as maximum heart rate, which was associated with a significant increase in muscle performances and strength. No significant changes in body weight or composition were observed, but a trend towards weight reduction in overweight or obese patients on stable KTx was noted. The arterial blood pressure reduced a little after exercise when it was high at start. Exercise intervention had no clinically relevant impact on anaemia, glycaemia or lipidaemia. In contrast, exercise training improved several aspects of quality of life. No data on long-term hard outcomes or on high-risk subpopulations such comorbid or elderly patients were available.
Conclusions
In adult kidney transplant patients, a structured physical exercise program improved the aerobic capacity and ameliorated muscle performance and quality of life. No harms were observed in the short-term, but long-term RCTs are required. Overall, in mid-age kidney transplant patients without major comorbidities, an aerobic or resistance supervised exercise lasting 3–6 months could be suggested within the comprehensive treatment of kidney transplant.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OBVAL, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
The Italian nephrology has a long tradition and experience in the field of dietetic-nutritional therapy (DNT), which is an important component in the conservative management of the patient suffering ...from a chronic kidney disease, which precedes and integrates the pharmacological therapies. The objectives of DNT include the maintenance of an optimal nutritional status, the prevention and/or correction of signs, symptoms and complications of chronic renal failure and, possibly, the delay in starting of dialysis. The DNT includes modulation of protein intake, adequacy of caloric intake, control of sodium and potassium intake, and reduction of phosphorus intake. For all dietary-nutritional therapies, and in particular those aimed at the patient with chronic renal failure, the problem of patient adherence to the dietetic-nutritional scheme is a key element for the success and safety of the DNT and it can be favored by an interdisciplinary and multi-professional approach of information, education, dietary prescription and follow-up. This consensus document, which defines twenty essential points of the nutritional approach to patients with advanced chronic renal failure, has been written, discussed and shared by the Italian nephrologists together with representatives of dietitians (ANDID) and patients (ANED).
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OBVAL, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
Background We investigated the effect of having clinic and/or ambulatory blood pressures (BPs) not at goal on cardiorenal risk in patients with non−dialysis-dependent chronic kidney disease (CKD). ...Study Design Multicenter prospective study. Setting & Participants 489 consecutive hypertensive patients with CKD (stages 1-5) with concomitant assessment of ambulatory and clinic BPs followed up in tertiary nephrology clinics. Predictors Achievement of goal for ambulatory (day- and night-time BPs < 135/85 and <120/70 mm Hg, respectively) and clinic (<140/90 mm Hg) BPs was used to create 4 BP groups: clinic and ambulatory BPs at goal (group 1), clinic BP above goal and ambulatory BP at goal (group 2), clinic BP at goal and ambulatory BP above goal (group 3), and clinic and ambulatory BPs above goal (group 4). Outcomes Composite cardiovascular event outcome (fatal and nonfatal myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, stroke, revascularization, peripheral vascular disease, and nontraumatic amputation) and a composite renal outcome (maintenance dialysis therapy or death). Measurements Clinic and 24-hour ambulatory BPs. Results Mean age was 64.4 ± 14.2 (SD) years; 41% were women, and diabetes and previous cardiovascular disease were present in 36% and 30%, respectively. Groups 1-4 contained 16.8%, 22.1%, 14.5%, and 46.6%, respectively, of the overall number of participants. Median follow-up was 5.2 years. Compared to group 1, the adjusted risk of the composite cardiovascular outcome was higher in groups 3 (HR, 3.17; 95% CI, 1.50-6.69) and 4 (HR, 2.83; 95% CI, 1.50-5.34), but not in group 2 (HR, 1.55; 95% CI, 0.75-3.19). Similarly, the risk of the composite renal outcome was higher in groups 3 (HR, 3.59; 95% CI, 2.05-6.27) and 4 (HR, 2.96; 95% CI, 1.83-4.78), but not group 2 (HR, 1.24; 95% CI, 0.67-2.27). Sensitivity analyses confirmed that these results were independent from the thresholds used for defining groups. Limitations Only white patients were enrolled. Observational design does not allow for causality to be established. Conclusions In patients with treated CKD, clinic BP above goal and ambulatory BP at goal identify a low-risk condition, whereas clinic BP at goal and ambulatory BP above goal are associated with higher cardiorenal risk, similar to that observed in patients with both clinic and ambulatory BPs above goal.
In hemodialysis patients, sedentarism is a potentially modifiable mortality risk factor. We explored whether healthcare staff's attitude towards exercise interacts with patient-perceived barriers in ...modifying the level of physical activity in this population.
In this prospective, cross-sectional, multicenter study we recruited 608 adult patients and 330 members of the healthcare staff in 16 hemodialysis units in Italy. We assessed patient-perceived barriers to, and healthcare staff's attitude towards, exercise by specific questionnaires. We fitted multilevel linear models to analyze the relationships of either barriers or staff's attitude, and their interaction, with a measure of patient self-reported physical activity (the Human Activity Profile-Adjusted Activity Score HAP-AAS), adjusting for multiple confounders. We also employed latent class analysis to dichotomize patients into those endorsing or not endorsing barriers.
Most barriers were negatively associated with the HAP-AAS (adjusted change attributable to a given barrier ranging between -5.1 "Feeling too old", 95% Confidence Interval: -9.4 to -0.8 and -15.6 "Ulcers on legs and feet", 95%CI: -24.8 to -6.5. We found a significant interaction between staff's attitude and barriers (adjusted P values ranging between 0.03 "I do not believe that it is physician's or nurse's role providing advice on exercise to patients on dialysis" and 0.001 "I do not often ask patients about exercise"). A beneficial effect of a proactive staff's attitude was evident only in patients not endorsing barriers.
Barriers and non-proactive staff's attitude reduce physical activity in hemodialysis patients. Patients not endorsing barriers benefit the most from a proactive staff's attitude.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK