Most chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients with acidosis are treated with sodium bicarbonate to counteract the negative effects of acidosis on a variety of organ systems. However, CKD patients without acidosis may also benefit from sodium bicarbonate, in particular, by reducing kidney injury and delaying kidney failure. The Raphael Research team conducts observational research studies related to acid-base regulation in CKD and interventional studies testing the effect of sodium bicarbonate treatment on renal injury markers among CKD patients with normal serum bicarbonate. If sodium bicarbonate reduces kidney damage in CKD patients with normal serum bicarbonate, it would create a major paradigm shift in CKD care and provide a cost effective therapy to delay kidney failure.
