View clinical trials related to Renal Insufficiency, Chronic.
Filter by:The investigators want to test the hypothesis that patients with chronic renal disease have a poorer ability to preserve water after being thirsty and a poorer ability to excrete water after a load of fluid. They presume that these abilities become poorer when renal insufficiency progresses. The investigators further hypothesize that patients with hypertension also have a decreased ability to concentrate and dilute urine.
Oxidative stress and acute phase inflammation are now recognized to be highly prevalent in both the chronic kidney disease (CKD; pre-dialysis) and end stage renal disease (ESRD; on hemodialysis) populations, and several lines of evidence point to their contribution in the development of atherosclerosis. Biomarkers of the inflammatory state such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 are robust predictors of cardiovascular events and death in these two populations. The uremic state is characterized by retention of oxidized solutes including reactive aldehyde groups and oxidized thiol groups. It has recently been demonstrated that initiation of maintenance hemodialysis does not improve biomarkers of oxidative stress or inflammation, suggesting that dialysis alone is inadequate to control the atherosclerotic uremic metabolic state. In this study we hypothesize that administration of antioxidant therapy will decrease biomarkers of acute phase inflammation and oxidative stress in patients with Stage III and IV CKD.
The purpose of this study is to describe alterations of serum ferritin, transferrin saturation, soluble transferrin receptor, % hypochromic erythrocytes, % reticulocytes, reticulocyte hemoglobin content after iron loading in hemodialysis patients.
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of less frequent dosing of PROCRIT (Epoetin alfa) in patients with anemia due to Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) as assessed by hemoglobin maintenance, adverse events and health-related quality of life.
Many patients with chronic renal disease show a loss of the nocturnal decline of blood pressure (non-dipper). However, the mechanism is not yet fully understood. We evaluate 24-hour blood pressure in patients with chronic renal disease using an ambulatory blood pressure monitoring device (A & D TM2425). We also analyze the power spectrum of heart rate variability as an index of autonomic cardiovascular modulation using the same device.
Patients with kidney failure have a poor survival rate that is due to a much higher than average rate of heart and vascular disease. The reason that kidney failure causes heart disease is unknown but recent research suggests that a hormone called aldosterone, which is increased in patients with kidney disease may damage the heart and blood vessels. The investigators propose, using a randomized blinded trial, to find out whether drugs that inhibit the actions of aldosterone have beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system in patients with kidney failure
The majority of patients with moderate to severe chronic kidney disease (CKD) (stages 3 and 4) develop secondary hyperparathyroidism (2°HPT), but the optimal therapy to control hyperparathyroidism in this group is unknown. The National Kidney Foundation presented guidelines in 2003 recommending vitamin D supplementation for vitamin D insufficient patients and active vitamin D therapy in patients with sufficient levels. These guidelines are based on opinion since there are no significant trials to determine if vitamin D supplementation is effective in this population. The active vitamin D metabolites doxercalciferol, paricalcitol, and calcitriol have been shown to effectively suppress parathyroid hormone (PTH), but have not been compared with vitamin D supplementation with a calciferol (ergocalciferol or cholecalciferol). Beyond hyperparathyroidism, small studies suggest vitamin D replacement in vitamin D insufficient non-CKD subjects result in improved pain, feeling of well being, blood pressure and strength. In this proposed study we wish to directly compare the effectiveness of cholecalciferol versus doxercalciferol in suppressing elevated PTH levels in subjects with CKD not on dialysis who have vitamin D insufficiency in a three month study. Secondary endpoints will be change in muscle strength, blood pressure, renal function, and quality of life measures.
The purpose of the investigators study is to assess the impact of therapy with Pentoxifylline (PTF), a nonspecific phosphodiesterase inhibitor, on kidney function in patients at high-risk for progression to end-stage renal disease. The investigators hypothesize that therapy with Pentoxifylline will slow progression of kidney disease over time.
This study will examine the use of hydroxyurea and erythropoietin for treating sickle cell disease in patients who also have kidney disease or pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure in the lungs). Hydroxyurea increases production of fetal hemoglobin in the red blood cells of patients with sickle cell disease, reducing the amount of sickle cells that cause pain and other complications requiring hospitalizations. However, hydroxyurea treatment has limitations: patients with sickle cell disease who have developed kidney disease may not be able to get the full benefit of the medicine, and hydroxyurea alone may not be able to treat life-threatening complications such as pulmonary hypertension or stroke. This study will determine which of two dosing schedules of hydroxyurea and erythropoietin is more effective for treating patients with sickle cell disease who also have kidney disease or pulmonary hypertension, and will examine whether the two drugs can lower blood pressure in the lungs. Patients 18 years of age and older with sickle cell anemia and kidney disease or pulmonary hypertension, or both, may be eligible for this study. Candidates are screened with a medical history, physical examination, blood tests, a 6-minute walk test (test to see how far the subject can walk in 6 minutes), and echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart to measure blood pressure in the lungs). Participants undergo the following tests and procedures: Stabilization Phase: Patients take 2 hydroxyurea tablets a day until their fetal hemoglobin levels stabilize, usually over 2 to 4 months. They have blood tests every 2 weeks to monitor hemoglobin and fetal hemoglobin levels. At some time during this period, they undergo a test to measure kidney function, in which they are injected with an iodine-containing dye and wear a small pump for 1 day that injects a small amount of dye under the skin over 24 hours. They come to the clinic for 2 or 3 blood tests collected over 4 hours. Sequence I (Standard): When the fetal hemoglobin levels have been stable for 2 months, patients have a repeat echocardiogram and 6-minute walk test. Erythropoietin is then added to the hydroxyurea regimen. It is given 3 days a week, as an injection under the skin, along with iron supplements. Patients have blood tests and blood pressure measurements every week or every other week. Patients with pulmonary hypertension have another echocardiogram and 6-minute walk test once the hemoglobin level is stable. Sequence II (Cycled): When hemoglobin levels have stabilized with hydroxyurea once a day and erythropoietin 3 times a week, the hydroxyurea is adjusted so that the amount taken in 7 days is "cycled" over 4 days, and the erythropoietin is cycled over 3 days, with the dose increased twice, every 3 to 4 weeks. Blood pressure and hemoglobin are monitored once or twice a month. Patients with pulmonary hypertension have another echocardiogram and 6-minute walk test once the hemoglobin level is stable. Patients who develop complications while taking the drugs have their treatment regimens adjusted as needed.
Approximately 207 patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) on hemodialysis will be entered into this study at approximately 26 centers in the United States. This study aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of sevelamer carbonate powder dosed once-a-day (QD) with the largest meal compared to sevelamer hydrochloride tablets dosed three-times-per-day (TID) with meals. The total length of participation is approximately 24 weeks.