Evaluation of a simple low-cost intervention to empower people with chronic kidney disease to reduce their dietary salt intake: OxCKD1, a multi-center randomized controlled trial.

# Abstract **Background and objectives** To evaluate the efficacy of a simple low-cost intervention to empower people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) to reduce their dietary salt intake. **Design, setting, participants and measurements** A randomized controlled trial in primary and secondary care comparing the OxSalt care bundle intervention versus standard care for 1 month. Participants were people with CKD and an eGFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate) greater than 20 ml/min/1.73m$^2$ and were recruited from primary and secondary care. The primary outcome was a reduction in dietary salt intake, assessed by 24-hour urinary sodium excretion, after 1 month of the intervention. **Results** 201 participants were recruited. Dietary salt intake, as assessed from 24-hour urine sodium excretion, fell by 1.9 (±2.9) grams per day in the intervention group compared to 0.4 (±2.7) grams per day in the control group (p < 0.001). Salt intake was still reduced to a lesser extent over the following year in the intervention group. **Conclusions** A short, low-cost, easily-delivered intervention empowers people with CKD to reduce their dietary salt intake. **Trial registration** ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01552317