RecruitingOBSERVATIONAL

Fluid Intake After Hemodialysis

This study aims to understand why people on kidney dialysis gain fluid between their treatment sessions. When you gain too much fluid, machines have to work harder to remove it during dialysis, which can be stressful for your body. Scientists believe that feeling thirsty is a big reason for this fluid gain. Thirst can be caused by things like eating salty foods or having high sugar levels (in people with diabetes). This study will investigate if the fluid removed during dialysis might immediately make you feel thirstier afterwards. We hope to gather more evidence to see if this is true. By understanding the causes of thirst better, we can develop ways to help people manage their fluid intake and make their dialysis treatments safer and more comfortable.

At a glance

Status

Recruiting

Sponsor

London Health Sciences Centre Research Institute OR Lawson Research Institute of St. Joseph's

Enrolment target

Start

25 Feb 2021

Estimated completion

31 Dec 2026

Chronic Kidney Disease Requiring Chronic Dialysis Interdialytic Weight Gain

What is this study about?

When you have kidney dialysis, your body processes how much fluid you have. Between dialysis sessions, it's common to gain some fluid. How much fluid you gain is called 'interdialytic weight gain'. If you gain a lot of fluid, the dialysis machine has to remove a larger amount during your next treatment. This extra fluid removal can put stress on your body and means there's a higher chance of problems.

Scientists think that feeling thirsty is the main reason why people gain fluid. Many things can make you feel thirsty, like eating salty foods, having too much sugar in your blood (if you have diabetes), or being dehydrated. It's been suggested that losing a lot of fluid during a dialysis session might make you feel much thirstier right after your treatment. However, we need more information to confirm if this is truly the case.

This study will carefully watch how much fluid people gain and their blood pressure between dialysis sessions. We want to see if the amount of fluid taken off during dialysis affects how thirsty someone feels afterwards, and how much they drink. By understanding this better, we hope to find ways to help people manage their fluid intake, reduce the amount of fluid gained, and ultimately make dialysis treatments safer and more comfortable.

Key takeaways

This study is about understanding fluid gain in dialysis patients.
It will investigate if dialysis makes you thirstier immediately afterwards.
Participants will monitor their weight and blood pressure at home for one week.
The study does not involve any changes to your treatment or new medications.
Results could help improve fluid management for dialysis patients.

Who may be eligible?

To be able to join this study, you need to be at least 18 years old and currently receiving maintenance haemodialysis three times a week. You also need to be willing to sign a consent form, which means you understand what the study involves and agree to take part.

There are a few reasons why someone might not be able to join. For example, if you have diabetes, you won't be able to participate. This is because high blood sugar levels can make you feel thirsty, and the researchers want to make sure the study results aren't affected by this. Also, if your kidneys are still producing more than 500ml of urine a day, you wouldn't be able to join.

Lastly, you need to be able to comfortably monitor your own weight and blood pressure at home. This is a key part of the study, so it's important you feel able to do this accurately.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Am I 18 years old or older?
Do I have haemodialysis three times a week?
Do I NOT have diabetes?
Are my kidneys producing less than 500ml of urine a day?
Am I able to accurately check my weight and blood pressure at home?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you decide to take part in this study, you will have an initial visit where you'll fill out four questionnaires. The researchers will also record some general information about you, like your age and how tall you are, and details about your current dialysis treatment.

After this first visit, you'll be given special scales and a blood pressure monitor to use at home. For one week, starting after your first dialysis session of the week until your first session the following week, you will need to keep a logbook. In this logbook, you'll record your weight and blood pressure four times a day: when you wake up, between 12 PM and 2 PM, between 6 PM and 8 PM, and before you go to bed. When you weigh yourself, try to wear similar clothes each time. For blood pressure, you'll be asked to take three readings in a row while sitting down, after resting quietly for 5 minutes. If you have a fistula or graft, you'll measure your blood pressure on the other arm. There are no study medications involved, and no further follow-up visits are typically mentioned beyond this one-week monitoring period.

Potential risks and benefits

The potential benefits of taking part in this study include contributing to a better understanding of how thirst and fluid gain affect people on dialysis. This knowledge could help improve care and make dialysis treatments safer and more comfortable for patients in the future. The risks are very low, as you will just be monitoring your weight and blood pressure, which are routine checks. There are no new medications or invasive procedures. You are free to withdraw from the study at any time, for any reason, without it affecting your medical care.

Locations (2)

Adam Linton Unit
Verified postcode
London, Canada· Recruiting
Westmount Kidney Care Centre
Verified postcode
London, Canada· Recruiting

Common questions

What is 'interdialytic weight gain'?

It's the amount of fluid your body gains between your dialysis treatments.

Why is this study important?

It helps us understand why people on dialysis get thirsty and gain fluid, which can make dialysis safer and more comfortable.

Do I need to take any new medicines for this study?

No, this study doesn't involve any new medicines.

How long will I be involved in the study?

You'll have an initial visit and then monitor your weight and blood pressure for one week at home.

Can I stop being part of the study if I change my mind?

Yes, you can leave the study at any time without it affecting your medical care.

How to find out more

Christopher W. McIntyre, MD, PhD

cmcint48@uwo.ca +1(519)685-8500 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.