Research Showcase Abstracts

Dr. Darling's 2006 project is looking at whether people with pre-dialysis kidney disease would benefit from additional folic acid and other B-vitamins. Her team consists of Jane Paterson RD, MSc candidate, Deborah O'Conner PhD RD, Carol Huang RD, and Vanita Jassal MD. An estimated 1.5 million Canadians have pre-dialysis kidney disease, and this number is expected to rise as a result of the global pandemic of type 2 diabetes. Low blood levels of folic acid and related B-vitamins have been linked to a high blood level of homocysteine, a risk factor for heart disease. Since the recent change in Canada's food fortification regulations to require the mandatory addition of folic acid to flours and most cereal grain products, blood homocysteine levels have decreased in the general population. What is unknown is whether the fortification regulation has led to a reduction in plasma homocysteine concentration in people with predialysis kidney disease. This will be the first study to describe the prevalence of high blood homocysteine levels and the adequacy of dietary folic acid intakes in the pre-dialysis kidney disease population in the era of Folic Acid Fortification. This information may provide evidence to guide dietetic practice regarding whether or not dietitians should be prescribing vitamin supplements to people with pre-dialysis kidney disease.

An estimated 1.5 million Canadians have predialysis CKD. The prevalence of predialysis CKD is expected to increase as a result of the global pandemic of type 2 diabetes, which is a major cause of predialysis CKD.

This will be the first study to describe the prevalence of inadequate dietary intake of the vitamins involved in homocysteine metabolism the CKD population in the era of Folic Acid Fortification.

This information, considered in conjunction with vitamin status and p tHcy, may provide evidence to guide dietetic practice regarding whether or not dietitians should be prescribing vitamin supplements to people with pCKD.