Grant: Project Grant

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) can reduce a person's ability to manage the balance of acid and base in their bodies properly, leading to a condition called metabolic acidosis. Metabolic acidosis in CKD is linked with faster progression of CKD and an increased need for dialysis, as well as loss of muscle mass and reduced bone health. Currently, metabolic acidosis is treated by giving people sodium bicarbonate, commonly known as baking soda, in pills to help balance the extra acid the kidneys are not able to remove. But patients often do not like the baking soda treatment, and do not always continue it. Metabolic acidosis can also be treated by reducing the acid that comes from the food a person eats. This can be done with foods that contain base forming compounds which neutralize acids, including fruits and vegetables. In this one-year study, we will test how doable delivering fruits and vegetables to people living with CKD and their families is, to treat metabolic acidosis. The fruit and vegetable treatment will be compared to the current usual care of the baking soda treatment in a randomized feasibility study looking at whether the intervention is worthwhile doing in a larger population. Forty participants will be recruited to this study and will be randomized to have an equal chance of getting fruits and vegetables or baking soda, like a coin toss. This study will look at the impact of the fruits and vegetables on bicarbonate, a compound in the blood that is used to measure acid-base balance. This study will also ask participants about their quality of life and measure their physical functioning using a chair stand test. We will also conduct interviews at the end of the study with participants and their families and ask them about the treatments, including what they liked and did not like.