Trying a mostly plant-based diet for adults in Singapore with stage 3–4 chronic kidney disease

Is this trial a fit for you?

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This is a two-year, single-center, open-label feasibility trial enrolling outpatients with stage 3–4 CKD at Changi General Hospital. Participants will be assigned by preference to either a predominantly plant-based diet (≥50% protein from plant sources) with regular dietitian counselling or to a control group receiving standard CKD dietary counselling without explicit plant-protein targets. Clinical and laboratory assessments including eGFR, serum potassium, nutritional markers, and other biochemical parameters will be performed every six months, and quality of life and dietary adherence will be tracked with questionnaires and food frequency records. The primary goal is to determine feasibility in the Singaporean context, with secondary goals focused on safety (incidence of hyperkalaemia) and potential benefits for kidney function and patient-reported outcomes.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Age 21-79 (Only adults who can give consent will be recruited. Older adults aged 80 are not included to reduce the risk of confounding due to age-related frailty, sarcopenia and multimorbidity. Additionally, older adults may have different nutritional needs and energy requirements)
2. CKD stage 3-4 (baseline eGFR 15-60ml/min/1.72m2 for the past 6 months)
3. Willingness to see a dietitian and follow either a standard CKD diet or a predominantly plant-based CKD diet
4. On maximum tolerated dose of ACE-inhibitors (Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors) or ARB (Aldosterone receptor blocker) as determined by Renal Physician in charge
5. Able to provide informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

* Transplant patients (who will tend to have more variable trajectories, immunosuppression related challenges etc which may make this study less feasible)
* Pregnant or lactating patients (who have different nutritional requirements than the standard CKD patients)
* Patients who were on any special diet for at least 1 month prior to recruitment (inclusive of
* long-term vegans or vegetarians) - excluded because they already have stable dietary habits
* Age \<21 or \>/= 80 (Avoid growing children who have different nutritional requirements and advanced elderly who are more likely to have malnutrition or sarcopenia due to other pre-existing causes)
* Those who have seen a dietitian for CKD previously
* Patients with severe ischemic heart disease, decompensated liver cirrhosis, malabsorptive diseases or malignancy
* Patients with BMI \<18.5 or \>40
* Patients with glomerulonephritis, genetic kidney disease or polycystic kidney disease
* Baseline serum potassium 5.0 and above
* Patients who are unable to modify their diet due to socio-economic issues.
* Exclude patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) in the past 6 months prior to study (unstable renal disease

Where it's running

• Changi General Hospital
  Singapore, Singapore Recruiting

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How to take part

1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.