• To test the utility of a qualitative chloride titrator strip in [ill]acilitating compliance with a reduced sodium intake diet, we [ill]nrolled 32 patients into a randomized crossover trial compris[ill]g two study periods of four weeks each. The study periods [ill]ere begun after the patients had undergone extensive in[ill]truction in the diet and the use of the strip. A high degree of [ill]orrelation between the patient's and the laboratory's in[ill]erpretation of the strip result was identified in 29 of the [ill]ubjects. Ability to use the strip was not related to level of [ill]ducation. A total of 12 patients achieved compliance with the [ill]iet when using the strips. Of these, nine were able to achieve [ill]ompliance without the strips. Ten patients (30%) had signifi[ill]antly lower sodium intake when using the strips than when [ill]ey did not use them. We conclude that the use of the chloride [ill]trator strip can be mastered by most patients and, in conjunc[ill]on with dietary counseling, can facilitate compliance with a [ill]educed sodium intake diet.
(Arch Intern Med 1984;144:1963-1965)