Rizzetto F, et al. – Experts gauged the effects of conservative care using oral sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) supplementation on the electronegative low-density lipoprotein (LDL) [LDL(–)], a minimally oxidized LDL, plasma levels in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Only when mean serum HCO3– levels approached 22 mM, conservative care using oral NaHCO3 supplementation was able to stabilize renal function and decrease serum levels of LDL(–), a modified proatherogenic lipoprotein. In addition to its beneficial effect on renal disease progression, alkali therapy appeared as a preventive strategy to attenuate atherogenesis in CKD patients.