Influence of diet and underlying renal disease on the rate of progression of chronic renal failure.

The data presented demonstrate that the underlying renal disease and the type of diet used are considerably influencing the rate of progression of chronic renal failure. In relative terms the course of the renal disease is mostly changed in patients suffering from glomerulonephritis, while in absolute terms patients suffering from polycystic kidney disease exhibit the slowest rate of progression. The comparison suggests that a low-protein diet purely based on vegetarian food might considerably slow down the overall rate of progression of chronic renal failure. This finding is supported by results obtained in animal experiments.