What considerations did the Work Group take into account when evaluating the effects of dietary sodium reduction on clinical outcomes in CKD patients?
The Work Group placed lower value on the limited available data evaluating the effects of dietary sodium reduction on clinical outcomes, including kidney failure, mortality, and CV disease endpoints in CKD patients. The Work Group also considered the secondary benefits of dietary sodium reduction in reducing pill burden and medication-related side effects. Additionally, they judged the benefits of implementing this recommendation in CKD patients likely outweigh its risks, even though only a minority of patients reached a target intake of <2 g (<90 mmol) of sodium per day, and effects on important clinical outcomes in CKD are uncertain. The Work Group also recognized that, although feasible, following a low-sodium diet is challenging in many Western food environments, and that this recommendation may not only benefit individual patients, but also may influence public health interventions and policymakers to consider targeting reductions of sodium in the food supply.