Patient population
acute infection, bleeding, decompensated liver cirrhosis, CKD, hematopoietic diseases, ill, hypertension, weight loss
ACUTE INFECTION, BLEEDING, CARDIOPULMONARY DISEASE, RECRUITMENT, MALIGNANT TUMORS, HYPERTENSION, DISEASES, TYPE 2 DIABETES
This is a prospective, non-randomized, controlled exploratory intervention study conducted in the nephrology outpatient center at Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine in Guangzhou, China. We recruited patients through an extensive advocacy recruitment approach, such as advertisements posted on various WeChat official accounts (a popular Chinese social media app), recruitment posters in our research unit’s building and phone calls. However, due to the novelty of the dietary strategy itself, fewer patients with CKD had heard of it and were therefore reluctant to be the first to try it. Additionally, because of the epidemic’s effect, fewer patients were willing to participate. The protocol was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the Ethics Committee at the Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine (approval number: YF2021-142; approval date: July 12, 2021). All patients were enrolled in August 2021, and the trial ended in March 2022. The study was registered with ClinicalTrails.gov, NCT05037747.Inclusion criteria: a) 18-65 years old; b) CKD stages 3-4 [estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) 15-59 mL/min/1.73mExclusion criteria: a) pregnant or breastfeeding patients; b) acute or active diseases such as acute infection or active bleeding; c) end-stage diseases, complex diseases with severe decompensation such as decompensated liver cirrhosis, malignant tumors, severe cardiopulmonary disease, or severe hematopoietic diseases; d) severe hypertension (systolic blood pressure ≥ 200 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure ≥ 120 mmHg) and uncontrollable blood pressure; e) within three months after major surgery such as laparotomy; f) mentally ill patients; g) those who are taking hormones or immunosuppressants; h) those who are participating in other investigations, or are undergoing other diet therapy or weight loss therapy; i) vegetarians; j) patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes taking insulin. The study flow diagram is shown in 