[Protein restriction in diet therapy in chronic kidney insufficiency]

Dietary protein restriction represents an important new development in the treatment of chronic kidney disease during the last ten years. The dogma that chronic renal failure is always progressive appears to be broken. In clinical practice this mode of therapy is now established in early stages of renal failure. The precise indications, however, remain to be discussed ['Are all patients with chronic renal failure candidates for low-protein diets?']. The pathophysiological background of the diets is only partly elucidated. The main problem with low-protein diets is the compliance of the patients which is frequently insufficient. Studies are underway to answer some of these remaining open questions. This review summarises the current views on practical aspects of low-protein diets in chronic renal failure, and arguments for a more widespread application of this physiologic therapy are presented.