Low-Protein Diet in Elderly Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease Stage 4 and 5 in Conservative Management: Focus on Sarcopenia Development.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic kidney disease is a degenerative and increasingly prevalent condition that includes metabolic abnormalities and is associated with a higher risk of sarcopenia. The conservative approach points primarily to controlling metabolic issues and reducing the risk of malnutrition and sarcopenia, slowing the progression of kidney disease. The present study aims to evaluate the effect of a low-protein diet on malnutrition and sarcopenia. METHODS: A total of 45 patients (33 male and 12 female) aged over 70 with chronic kidney disease stage 4-5 in conservative management were considered. All patients had a dietary assessment and prescription of personalized low-protein dietary plans (≤0.6 g protein/kg) and a follow-up control between 4 and 6 months. In preliminary and follow-up evaluations, anthropometric data, blood examinations, body composition results, muscle strength, physical performance, and a 3-day food diary were collected. RESULTS: In the follow-up period, a significant weight loss (p = 0.001) and a decrease in body mass index (p = 0.002) were recorded. Food diaries revealed a significant reduction in protein, sodium, potassium, and phosphorus intake (p < 0.001), with a significant reduction in urea (p < 0.001) and proteinuria (p = 0.01) without any impact on lean mass (p = 0.66). Considerable variations in adherence between food diaries and the prescribed diet were also noted. CONCLUSIONS: Providing a personalized low-protein diet led to significant benefits in a short period without worsening the patient's nutritional status.

Chrono-Nutritional Patterns, Medical Comorbidities, and Psychological Status in Patients with Severe Obesity.

Chrono-nutrition studies dietary habits and their role in the onset of metabolic diseases. The aim of this study is to describe chrono-nutritional patterns based on the analysis of the eating habits of patients with severe obesity during the 24-h cycle and investigate a possible relationship between these profiles, the comorbidities, and the psychological status. From the overall evaluation of the chrono-nutritional profiles of 173 patients with severe obesity, four predominant eating patterns were obtained with a refined statistical model. A regression analysis was performed to determine the relationship between chrono-nutritional patterns, medical comorbidities, and psychological status. Profile 1 was the most frequent (46.2%) and characterised by the regular presence of the three main meals. The distribution of the chrono-nutritional profiles did not vary with BMI. Chrono-nutritional profiles affected predominantly psychological variables, with lower performances among chrono-nutritional profiles 3 (to eat during all the 24-h, with nibbling and snacking also during the night) and 4 (like the fourth but without night-eating). This finding could be useful in the assessment and treatment of patients with obesity, allowing the identification of patients with a higher probability of suffering from a psychopathological condition simply by knowing the patients' dietary profiles.

Assessment of Protein Intake in the First Three Months after Sleeve Gastrectomy in Patients with Severe Obesity.

An adequate protein intake prevents the loss of fat-free mass during weight loss. Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (SG) jeopardizes protein intake due to post-operative dietary restriction and intolerance to protein-rich foods. The purpose of this study is to evaluate protein intake in the first three months after SG. We evaluated, 1 month and 3 months after surgery, 47 consecutive patients treated with SG. Protein intake, both from foods and from protein supplementation, was assessed through a weekly dietary record. Patients consumed 30.0 ± 10.2 g of protein/day on average from foods in the first month, with a significant increase to 34.9 ± 4.8 g of protein/day in the third month (p = 0.003). The use of protein supplementation significantly increased total protein intake to 42.3 ± 15.9 g protein/day (p < 0.001) in the first month and to 39.6 ± 14.2 g of protein/day (p = 0.002) in the third one. Compliance with supplement consumption was 63.8% in the first month and only 21.3% in the third month. In conclusion, both one and three months after SG, protein intake from foods was not sufficient. The use of modular supplements seems to have a significant impact on protein intake, but nevertheless it remains lower than recommended.