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Evidence summaries

Protein Restriction for Children with Chronic Renal Failure

Protein restriction is probably not effective in delaying the progression of chronic kidney disease to end-stage kidney disease in children. Level of evidence: "C"

A Cochrane review [Abstract] 1 included 2 studies with a total of 250 children. One study included 24 infants recruited at the age of 6 months or less and the other study 226 children aged 2 to18 years (mean 10.4 years). No significant differences were found in the number of renal deaths meaning commencement of dialysis, kidney transplant or death (RR 1.12, 95% CI 0.54 to 2.33, 1 study, n=191), progression of kidney disease (creatinine clearance at two years: WMD 1.47, 95% CI -1.19 to 4.14, 1 study, n=191) or growth (weight - WMD -0.13, 95% CI -1.10 to 0.84; height - WMD -1.99, 95% CI -4.84 to 0.86, 2 studies, n=215).

Comment: The quality of evidence is downgraded by study quality (unclear allocation concealment and lack of blinding) and by imprecise results (limited study size for each comparison).

References

  • Chaturvedi S, Jones C. Protein restriction for children with chronic renal failure. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2007 Oct 17;(4):CD006863. [PubMed]

Primary/Secondary Keywords