AT PRESENT, almost one fourth of stage 5 CKD patients experience a life-threatening episode of hyperkalemia requiring emergency treatment, according to data cited in a recent article in Seminars in Dialysis (2007;20:431-439). The authors, Nirupama Putcha, MD, and Michael Allon, MD, note that although "many options have been proposed for the prevention of interdialytic hyperkalemia...prevention currently rests largely upon compliance with diet and a thoughtful use of medication regimens."

LOW-PROTEIN diets are a po0tentially useful intervention in slowing CKD progression, though adequate calorie intake is a key to their success.

THE POSITIVE association between obesity and kidney disease (KD) is strongly supported by results of a recent meta-analysis by Wang et al (Kidney Int. 2008;73:19-33) that demonstrate a significantly increased risk for people with BMI greater than the normal range of 18.5-25 kg/m2. Along with CKD, the study also examined the occurrence of renal calculi and kidney cancer. According to the authors, 24.2% and 33.9% of KD cases among American men and women, respectively, could be prevented if overweight and obesity were eliminated.