Effects of kidney donation on cardiovascular structure and function
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Effects of a Reduction in Renal Function on Cardiovascular Structure and Function: A 5 Year Study of Kidney Donors.
IRAS ID
214780
Contact name
Jonathan Townend
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
10/H1207/70, IRAS application for previous study
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 6 months, 9 days
Research summary
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is present in as many as 1 in 7 of the population. Their greatest health risk is not progressive kidney disease and renal failure but death and disability due to cardiovascular disease. The causes and mechanisms of heart disease in patients with CKD are poorly understood which makes targeting treatment very difficult. Investigating the mechanism is problematic as patients with CKD often have risk factors such as high blood pressure and diabetes. This makes it difficult to ascertain what it is specifically about kidney disease which affects the heart.
Healthy patients who have donated a kidney experience a 30% reduction in kidney function yet lack the usual health problems of those with CKD. In fact these patients are often ‘super healthy’ due to strict exclusion criteria for becoming a donor. Therefore these patients provide a unique opportunity to investigate the isolated effect of a reduction in kidney function on the heart.
The CRIB-DONOR study has demonstrated adverse cardiovascular effects including an increase in heart weight and an increase in heart and blood vessel stiffness at 1 year after kidney donation compared to controls. We also showed changes in some hormonal factors that might cause these changes.
This study aims to further assess the long term effects on cardiovascular structure and function by following up the same patients and controls 5 years on and studying cardiovascular ageing. This includes clinical measurements of heart and blood vessel function as well as measurements of cardiovascular age (DNA damage) and biochemical changes. This will provide invaluable information on the progressive cardiovascular effects of a reduced renal function in human subjects. The results will not only have implications for patients who have donated a kidney but also for the thousands of people living with mild CKD in the community.
REC name
West Midlands - Solihull Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/WM/0048
Date of REC Opinion
8 Mar 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion