Enteral nutrition (EN) by means of oral nutritional supplements (ONS) and tube feeding (TF) offers the possibility of increasing or ensuring nutrient intake in cases where normal food intake is inadequate. These guidelines are intended to give evidence-based recommendations for the use of ONS and TF in nephrology patients. They were developed by an interdisciplinary expert group in accordance with officially accepted standards and are based on all relevant publications since 1985. They were discussed and accepted in a consensus conference. Because of the nutritional impact of renal diseases, EN is widely used in nephrology practice. Patients with acute renal failure (ARF) and critical illness are characterized by a highly catabolic state and need depurative techniques inducing massive nutrient loss. EN by TF is the preferred route for nutritional support in these patients. EN by means of ONS is the preferred way of refeeding for depleted conservatively treated chronic renal failure patients and dialysis patients. Undernutrition is an independent factor of survival in dialysis patients. ONS was shown to improve nutritional status in this setting. An increase in survival has been recently reported when nutritional status was improved by ONS.

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Hypertriglyceridemia is often present in chronically uremic patients treated with maintenance hemodialysis and has been considered a risk factor in the accelerated development of atheroma. Muscle carnitine content is low in hemodialyzed patients. This abnormality may help to explain the myopathy and cardiomyopathy often observed in these subjects. In addition, carnitine might play a role in the hypertriglyceridemia in renal failure. Carnitine, which is necessary for fatty acid oxidation, has been recently reported to lower serum triglycerides in patients with type IV hyperlipoproteinemia. Carnitine was administered intravenously three times weekly at the end of hemodialysis in eight patients. Carnitine was given in 0.5 g doses for 8 weeks and then in 1.0 g doses for 6 additional weeks. There was a significant decrease in serum triglycerides at the end of treatment. In contrast, serum lipids in eight hemodialysis patients receiving placebo did not change significantly. Carnitine administration does not cause any side effect except some euphoria. These results suggest that carnitine may be effective in the treatment of hypertriglyceridemia in dialysis patients.