Sodium Intake in Chronic Kidney Disease (STICK)

Summary

Chronic kidney disease, which affects an estimated 300,000 people in Ireland and over 50 million people in the developed world, is responsible for a considerable burden of premature mortality and morbidity. All patients with chronic kidney disease are recommended low salt diets, i.e. less than a teaspoon of salt per day (which is \<5-6g of salt, which contains \<2-2.3g of sodium). The average intake in the general population is double the recommended intake, between 1-2 teaspoons per day, which is considered 'moderate' intake. In patients with hypertension, reducing from moderate (average) to low intake is associated with a small reduction in blood pressure. However, achieving this low target salt intake is difficult, and can have a negative knock-on effect on other healthy dietary factors and kidney hormones. In addition, there is no convincing research to show that patients with chronic kidney disease and normal blood pressure benefit from low salt intake. In fact, the small amount of research that does exist shows that the change in kidney function is the same in people who consume low salt diets (\<1 teaspoon) and moderate (1-2 teaspoons=average intake) salt diets. Moreover, there are some small studies that report that low-salt diets may increase the risk of death due to heart disease. Given that all patients with chronic kidney impairment are recommended a low-salt diet, it is important that we confirm that this recommendation truly benefits patients. In this randomized controlled trial, we hope to determine whether recommending a low salt intake, compared to average/moderate intake, is associated with a slower rate of decline in kidney function in patients with chronic kidney impairment. The results of this study will provide information to guide future research that will have critical implications for management of patients with chronic kidney disease.

Conditions

• Kidney Diseases
• Renal Insufficiency, Chronic
• Renal Insufficiency

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Sodium Reduction

In addition to usual care, those randomised to the intervention arm will receive specific counseling on behavioural and environmental factors that promote sodium reduction after randomization and at all specified post-randomisation visits, targeting sodium intake of \<100mmol/day (\<2.3g/day). A research dietitian will develop the specific components of the intervention, based on standardised approaches to education interventions.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Health Research Board, Ireland

  collaborator OTHER

• National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland

  collaborator OTHER

• University College Hospital Galway

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Martin J O'Donnell, MB PhD MRCPI · National University of Ireland, Galway

• Andrew Smyth, MB PhD · National University of Ireland, Galway

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2016-03-31

Primary Completion

2020-08-31

Completion

2020-08-31

Countries

• Ireland

Study Locations