A study presented on Friday Nov 2nd as an oral communication by Dr Goraya et al. from Texas A&M College of Medicine showed that fruits and vegetables or oral NaHCO3 could preserve GFR in stage III CKD. The investigators randomized patients with stage IIII CKD and serum bicarbonate levels between 22 and 24 mM to into 3 groups, fruits and vegetables or NaHCO3 as alkali therapy vs. placebo. After a median follow up of 3 years, both treatment groups showed a significant decrease in angiotensin levels in addition to a preservation of the eGFR and increased serum bicarbonate levels, effects that were not seen in the placebo arm. The study supports the utilization of alkali therapy to preserve GFR even amongst those patients with plasma bicarbonate levels beyond the cutoff where metabolic acidosis is usually treated.

Post by Magdalena Madero, MD, and edited by Vinay Nair, DO.

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