Intervention for medication management in kidney transplant recipients
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Development and pilot feasibility testing of an intervention to support immunosuppression medication adherence in kidney transplant recipients
IRAS ID
325672
Contact name
Lyndsay Hughes
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
ISRCTN Number
ISRCTN14528733
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
61537, CPMS ID
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Kidney transplantation is the treatment of choice for end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), in terms of improved patient quality of life, survival and cost-effectiveness compared to dialysis. Kidney transplant recipients (KTR) are required to take immunosuppression (anti-rejection) medication each day for as long as they have their transplant, to reduce the body's ability to reject the transplanted kidney.
Not taking medication in line with the agreed recommendations of a healthcare provider is known as non-adherence. Examples of medication non-adherence may include missing doses or taking less than prescribed. Previous research has identified consistently high rates of non-adherence in KTR. Importantly, non-adherence is a key reason for poor patient and transplant outcomes. Therefore, supporting patients to take their medication is an important area of research.
The current study aims to develop and feasibility test a self-directed psycho-educational intervention to support adherence to immunosuppression medication in KTR. It will consist of two phases.
Phase 1 involves conducting semi-structured interviews with kidney disease patients attending Guy's Hospital Kidney Clinic. We aim to understand patient's lived experiences of taking medication, and how these experiences influence medication adherence. Patients will take part in a one-to-one interview lasting 30-60 minutes, either face-to-face or remotely via a Microsoft Teams meeting/dialing into a Microsoft Teams meeting by telephone. Phase 1 is a necessary step to inform intervention development, ensuring the content is data-driven and tailored to the population.
Phase 2 will involve pilot testing the intervention for feasibility and acceptability among patients and healthcare professionals (HCPs). Changes in self-reported adherence and other targeted factors will also be explored. Patients will complete i) a questionnaire at baseline, ii) the self-directed intervention, iii) a post-intervention questionnaire and iv) an optional interview. HCP participants will complete a survey and optional interview.
REC name
London - London Bridge Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
24/LO/0496
Date of REC Opinion
4 Jul 2024
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion