Developing screening tests to detect chronic kidney disease
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Pilot study to develop a breath analyser to detect chronic kidney disease
IRAS ID
228416
Contact name
Andrew Davenport
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University College London
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
World-wide more than 3 million patients with chronic kidney disease are treated by dialysis. Not only is dialysis an expensive treatment, but survival is less than that that for some of the more common cancers, such as bowel cancer. We wish to develop a screening test to pick up patients with early stages of chronic kidney disease, so that patients can be given preventative treatments to stop them developing progressive kidney failure and needing dialysis. Until patients are very close to needing to start dialysis, chronic kidney disease does not any specific signs or symptoms that allow for early detection. As such simple screening tests are required to identify patients at early stages.
Waste products of metabolism build up in the blood in patients with chronic kidney disease, and these are present in the breath. As such we wish to develop a breath analyser, similar in concept to the one used by the police to breathalyse motorists, but this one would detect compounds in the breath from patients with chronic kidney disease, who are asymptomatic.
This project is for a PhD studentship under the supervision of Professor Choy & Dr Davenport. Appropriate supervision and support for the project will provided in accordance with guidance set out for PhD studentships by University College London.REC name
London - West London & GTAC Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/LO/1460
Date of REC Opinion
23 Aug 2017
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion