Self Testing Own Kidneys (STOK) Study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A study to evaluate feasibility, safety and impact of patients self-testing their own kidney function at home.
IRAS ID
246497
Contact name
Jonathan Murray
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
This study will assess the following research question: Is it feasible for selected kidney transplant recipients to be trained to safely use hand-held medical devices to self-test their own kidney function at home, with results that agree with standard NHS kidney function tests?
Patients are often required to attend NHS clinics for routine monitoring of their kidney function - when they themselves are well and do not otherwise need to see a healthcare professional. Although such tests are necessary, having to attend clinics often impacts negatively upon patient experience, by interrupting employment or social commitments and incurring travel costs. Unnecessary clinic visits also consume NHS resources which are commonly working at full capacity to manage patients who are unwell. Enabling selected patients to self-test their own kidney function at home could thus hugely benefit both patients and the NHS.
Fifteen clinically well kidney transplant recipients will be recruited to participate in this study, which will run at James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough. Following consent and training, each participant will use two handheld devices to self-test their own kidney function at home. The “Abbott i-STAT Alinity” device will be used by participants to self-test their blood tests (https://www.pointofcare.abbott/int/en/offerings/istat-alinity/details) and the “Dip.io device” to self-test their urine (https://healthy.io/). Each participant will self-test their kidney function one day per week, for a total of four weeks. On the same day that they self-test their kidney function at home, participants will attend the hospital for NHS standard kidney tests by study nurses. Participants will keep a diary during the study and be interviewed to evaluate their experience of self-testing. The study team will assess how results of participant self-testing compares with NHS standard test results and evaluate if self-testing of kidney function with these devices is safe and acceptable to the study participants.
REC name
London - City & East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/LO/1837
Date of REC Opinion
24 Oct 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion