Plant-based diet not tied to hyperkalemia risk in CKD patients, finds study

Pisa, Italy: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients often experience a frequent complication of hyperkalemia (HK). Vegetable-based renal diets are considered as risky for such patients due to the high content of potassium (K). But now a recent study has found plant-based low-protein diets to be safe for CKD patients.

According to the study, published in the journal Internal and Emergency Medicine, plant-based low-protein diets are not associated with significant higher prevalence of HK.

Claudia D'Alessandro, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy, and colleagues described the correlated and prevalence of chronic HK in CKD patients on nutritional care, and in particular, the risk of HK in patients on plant-based versus animal-based low protein diets (LPD).

The study recruited adult CKD patients not on dialysis afferent to renal nutrition clinic from November 2014 to May 2019. The researchers evaluated a total of 870 accesses in 219 patients (172 m, 47 f, age 67 ± 13 years). HK was defined as mild when K serum level was 5.1–5.9 mEq/l, moderate when K serum level was 6.0–6.9 mEq/l, and severe HK when K serum level was ≥ 7 mEq/l. Biochemical, anthropometric data, and medications were recorded.