- 1. Severe arterial hypertension not responsive to medical therapy, maximum blood pressure values allowed: 180/100 mm Hg 2. Inadequate caloric intake due to extremely severe uremia (vomiting, anorexia, etc) 3. Malnutrition status with serum albumin level less than 3.5 g/dl in recent one month 4. Lack of adherence to dietary prescription 5. Water and sodium retention not responsive to diuretics 6. Clinical relevant severe cardiac disease, hepatic disorders (total bilirubin > 1.5 times the upper limit of normal), malabsorption disorders, diseases requiring steroids or non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs 7. Severe sodium wasting syndrome that may affect renal function markedly and independently of dietary therapy 8. Concurrent use of nephrotoxic drugs 9. Severe infection with catabolic situation 10. Signs of uremic pericarditis 11. Symptoms of uremic polyneuropathy 12. Disorder of amino acid metabolism 13. Pregnant or nursing women 14. Participation in a clinical trial within the last 2 months 15. Former participation in the present study