Chronic Kidney Diseases

Primary Objective: To study podocyte specific injury markers in African American Veterans with non-diabetic kidney disease (NDKD), on empagliflozin therapy. Primary Endpoint: We will assess the effect of Empagliflozin on podocyte-specific proteins in exosomes isolated from subjects' urine, such as nephrin, podocalyxin and Wilms'Tumor (WT-1) protein. Secondary Objectives: 1. Correlate changes in exosome-based podocyte specific proteins with standardized biomarkers of kidney injury including urine albumin/creatinine ratio (ACR) and estimated GFR. 2. Correlate systemic inflammatory markers (focusing on vascular and endothelial function) that are already established such as interleukins (IL1, IL6, IL-12) , hs-CRP and arterial stiffness measures with urine exosome-based podocyte protein estimation \[11, 27-29\]. 3. Correlate urine podocyte-specific protein markers with APOL1 mRNA expression levels in blood mononuclear cells (MNC)

The goal of this study is to learn if a clinical trial of sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) is possible in youth with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The investigators also plan to explore whether treatment with SGLT2i (Empagliflozin) helps improve risk factors for worsening kidney and heart disease. The main questions are: 1. Is enrolling 40 youth with CKD into a clinical trial of empagliflozin feasible (ie achievable)? 2. Does taking empagliflozin for 3 months result in positive changes in blood, urine, and heart function tests? Participants will be randomly selected (like flipping a coin) to either receive empagliflozin or not start treatment with empagliflozin and remain on their usual care. Study Procedures Include * For participants randomly selected for treatment, take empagliflozin once daily for 3 months * Phone calls with researchers every 2 weeks for check-ins * For participants taking empagliflozin, clinic visits 4 and 8 weeks after starting for check-ups and tests * All study participants will have clinic visits at the beginning and end (3 months) where researchers will collect information about their health and perform tests

This study is a single-center, prospective, randomized, open-label clinical trial evaluating three commercially available closed-incision negative pressure wound therapy (ciNPWT) devices: NPseal, PICO, and Prevena, in adult patients undergoing primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) who meet predefined high-risk criteria for wound complications. A total of approximately 300 participants will be enrolled and randomized in a 1:1:1 fashion to receive one of the three study dressings applied over the closed surgical incision at the end of the procedure. All participants will otherwise receive standard perioperative and postoperative care. The primary follow-up period will extend through 90 days after surgery. The primary objective is to compare the incidence of 90-day surgical site complications, including superficial infection, wound dehiscence, seroma, and hematoma, across the three dressing groups. Secondary objectives include evaluation of device usability, patient experience, and device-related issues (such as loss of seal, alarms, tubing or pump problems, fluid saturation, and premature dressing changes), as well as assessment of the interaction between skin closure method and device performance. Research-specific activities are limited to eligibility confirmation, informed consent, randomization, administration of a brief postoperative patient survey at approximately postoperative day 7 and/or dressing removal, provider assessment of the dressing at removal, and collection of clinical outcomes from the medical record. No additional blood draws, imaging, or invasive procedures are required for participation. This study is designed to address a gap in the literature by providing head-to-head comparative data on commonly used ciNPWT systems in a high-risk primary TKA population, with the goal of informing postoperative wound management strategies in clinical practice.

The objective of this initiative is to develop and evaluate a risk-based, provincial public health screening program for chronic kidney disease (CKD) that provides proactive care for adults at high-risk of kidney failure who have not previously been referred to a nephrologist, through risk stratification, triage, education, and follow-up. Overall, we aim to demonstrate that an integrated risk-based provincial public health screening program for CKD is feasible, and improves identification of high-risk individuals, subsequently creating a model of care that can be adopted by other jurisdictions.

The goal of this observational study is to evaluate safety and performance of GORE® ACUSEAL Vascular Graft for the treatment of CKD in patients with ESRD in hemodialysis. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Safety: Freedom from device-related infection adverse events at 24 months from device implant * Performance: Secondary patency at 24 months from device implant. Participants, after informed consent is obtained, will be implanted with GORE® ACUSEAL Vascular Graft and followed for 24 months in standard of care, to evaluate safety and performance of the device.

The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of the KidneyIntelX assay utilized as part of the current standard of care on the management of patients seen in the primary care physician's office at Mount Sinai.

This study is a cluster-randomized clinical trial to evaluate whether a tailored, user-centered, clinical decision support (CDS) tool can positively influence prescriber behavior and increase prescription of guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) among patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) across a single healthcare center.

The proximal tubule remains the main site for sodium reabsorption in patients with advanced renal failure. The investigators therefore hypothesize that SGLT2i should still exert a significant natriuretic effect in patients with eGFR below 20 ml/min/1.73m2, and therefore should still decrease proteinuria with a potential renal protective effect.

* Prolonged sitting (sedentary behavior) is a risk factor for decreased kidney function, obesity, diabetes and mortality. Prolonged sitting is associated with decreased kidney function and increased risk of diabetes, heart disease and death. * In a previous pilot study funded by NIH, it was shown that a Sit Less, Interact and Move More (SLIMM) intervention targeting sedentary behavior in people with kidney disease was able to decrease prolonged sitting but that effect was not sustained. * Therefore, the researchers are currently conducting a follow-up study named Sit Less, Interact and Move More (SLIMM) 2. * This NIH funded study is conducted at the University of Utah and Stanford University. * The purpose of this study is to see if guided resistance training (to improve muscle strength) and semaglutide (FDA approved diabetes and weight loss medication that might also improve physical function) can boost adherence to the SLIMM Intervention and reduce sedentary behavior.

The overarching goal of this project is to refine and adapt previous work on the NAVIGATE-Kidney project for individuals with CKD. The investigators hypothesize that the multilevel NAVIGATE-Kidney program intervention will reduce the rate of central venous catheter use at KRT start (primary outcome), increase the rate of optimal KRT starts (secondary outcome), increase patient activation, and reduce decisional conflict (patient-centered outcomes) for individuals with advanced CKD. The project will have four (4) aims.

The goal of this pilot randomized controlled trial is to examine the feasibility and safety of a 12-week high-velocity resistance training (HVRT) intervention in older adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages 4-5 and to generate preliminary data to inform a future study investigating the efficacy of HVRT for improving muscle power and physical function. Researchers will compare HVRT to an attention control condition consisting of weekly group sessions covering topics on healthy lifestyle. This study seeks to: 1. Determine whether implementing an HVRT intervention is feasible and safe for mobility-limited older adults with advanced CKD. 2. Collect preliminary data on the efficacy of HVRT for improving muscle power and physical function in mobility-limited older adults with advanced CKD.

For many hemodialysis patients, fatigue and sleep disturbances are common and debilitating side effects that severely impact daily life and quality of life. In this study, patients will be taught a simple breathing exercise called the 4-7-8 technique to help manage these symptoms. A total of 80 adult patients undergoing regular hemodialysis at Izmir Atatürk Training and Research Hospital will be randomly assigned to two groups: an intervention group and a control group. Participants in the intervention group will receive a face-to-face training session from a research nurse and a short instructional video sent to their smartphones to encourage daily home practice, especially before bedtime. The program will be continued over the study period. Participants in the control group will continue with their current routine hemodialysis care without any structured breathing exercises. Fatigue levels, sleep quality, and daytime sleepiness will be measured in both groups before and after the program using validated questionnaires. The results of this study may provide nurses and patients with a safe, cost-effective, non-drug option to improve symptom management and overall well-being in hemodialysis patients.

For many hemodialysis patients, needle insertion into the vascular access site (fistula) is a significant source of pain and anxiety. In this study, patients will be guided to perform breathing exercises using the 4-7-8 breathing technique during needle insertion to reduce this pain. A total of 80 adult patients undergoing regular hemodialysis at Izmir Atatürk Training and Research Hospital will be randomly assigned to two groups: an intervention group and a control group. Participants in the intervention group will be taught a standardized intervention program consisting solely of the 4-7-8 breathing technique, to be applied before and during AVF cannulation. The program will be implemented during every hemodialysis session (three times a week) for one week. The technique will be explained in person by a research nurse before the first session, and patients will be provided with a short instructional video demonstrating the technique step by step. The video will be sent to patients' smartphones to encourage them to practice at home. Participants in the control group, however, will continue with their current routine hemodialysis care and standard cannulation procedures (without any structured breathing exercises). The results of this study may provide nurses and patients with easy-to-use, evidence-based options to make hemodialysis needle procedures less painful and stressful.

The objective of this study is to widely implement and evaluate the Care Transitions App in a randomized controlled trial. The app the investigators designed for patients with multiple chronic conditions has four envisioned modules: 1) falls-reduction content, 2) a digital post-discharge transitional care plan (e.g., after hospital care plan, including education, medications, follow-up appointments, warning signs to watch for, nutrition, and other care plan activities), 3) a new module for patients with MCC (diabetes, congestive heart failure, and chronic kidney disease) including condition-specific post-discharge care plans with relevant symptom management activities, 4) a new post-discharge report module which summarizes key care transition findings and allows for patients to enter notes and questions for their providers and their own goals for recovery.

Nephrology care continues to progress and recommendations are now focused on delaying as much as possible the need for renal replacement therapy ("intent-to-defer"strategy). Protein restriction is a valuable tool for stabilizing chronic kidney disease (CKD) and retarding the need for renal replacement therapy, but the best diet to be prescribed is still matter of discussion. This study is aimed at identifying implementation strategies for nutritional management of advanced CKD.

The purpose of the SPYRAL SWYFT sub-study is to evaluate whether renal denervation with the Symplicity Spyral system performed in the main and first order branch renal arteries yields a shorter procedure time and is as effective in reducing blood pressure than the procedural approach used in the SPYRAL HTN-ON MED and SPYRAL PIVOTAL - SPYRAL HTN-OFF MED clinical studies in an uncontrolled hypertensive population.

The purpose of the SPYRAL GEMINI Pilot Study is to evaluate that multi-organ denervation with the Gemini System is safe and provide evidence of blood pressure reduction when studied in an uncontrolled hypertensive population with and without high cardiovascular risk.

This is a comparative, prospective, non-interventional study to evaluate immune response in patients with chronic kidney disease. The primary objective is to define immunodeficiency (phenotype and function of T cells) in patients with end-stage kidney disease. The second objective is to provide an in-vitro proof-of-concept of T-cell engineering in the context of end-stage kidney disease. The study population was patients with chronic kidney disease.

This is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of finerenone, a nonsteroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist, for the early regression of albuminuria in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease (eGFR \>= 30 mL/min/1.73 m\^2 and UACR 30-2000 mg/g) who are already receiving a maximum tolerated dose of an ACE inhibitor or ARB. A total of 148 participants are randomized 1:1, stratified by baseline UACR (\<300 vs \>=300 mg/g), to oral finerenone (10 or 20 mg once daily, titrated by serum potassium and eGFR) or matching placebo, on top of standard background therapy, for 180 days, followed by a 30-day off-treatment follow-up. Albuminuria regression is defined as both an improvement in Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes albuminuria category, from A3 to A2 or A1, or from A2 to A1, and a more than 30% reduction in urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio from baseline. The outcome will be reported as the percentage of participants meeting this definition at Day 180.

Treatment of renal osteodystrophy is impeded by the lack of practical and accurate tools to determine underlying bone turnover. Gold standard bone biopsy is not practical in the clinic for the vast majority of kidney disease patients and parathyroid hormone and bone alkaline phosphatase have insufficient accuracy for turnover type to safely and confidently guide treatment of renal osteodystrophy. In the present investigation, the investigators will study a microRNA approach as a novel non-invasive biomarker of turnover for renal osteodystrophy.

Rationale: * People with long term kidney disease who are on haemodialysis (a procedure for removing waste products from the blood) commonly develop a condition that makes their skin very itchy. * Difelikefalin is a medicine that can treat the itching related to long term kidney disease. * Clinical studies have shown difelikefalin to reduce itching in adults on haemodialysis, while being safe and tolerable. * The current study is being done in adolescents aged 12 to 17 years on haemodialysis who have moderate to severe itching related to long term kidney disease to assess if difelikefalin is safe in this age group. The aims of the study are: Main aim: To assess the safety of difelikefalin in adolescents who are on haemodialysis and have itching related to long term kidney disease Secondary aim: To measure the amount of difelikefalin that enters the blood in adolescents who are on haemodialysis and have itching related to long term kidney disease Study Design At least 18 adolescents, aged 12 to 17 years, who are on haemodialysis and have itching related to long term kidney disease will take part in this study. All study participants will receive difelikefalin 3 (or up to 4) times weekly for up to 12 weeks. The study duration for a participant is up to 17 to 18 weeks; during this period, participants will visit the clinic 3 times weekly (during their haemodialysis visits).

This study will adopt a 2-arm, pretest-posttest, and assessor-blind RCT design to examine the effectiveness of a theory-based health behaviour change intervention on WC (primary outcome), kidney function (eGFR, primary outcome), dietary behaviour, PA, exercise capacity, and self-efficacy of dietary behaviour and PA among Chinese adults with metabolic syndrome and chronic kidney disease. A total of 160 adults with metabolic syndrome and chronic kidney disease will be recruited, with 80 participants in each group. Data will be collected at 3-time points (baseline, immediate post-intervention and 1-month post-intervention) via an online questionnaire survey platform (Qualtrics) by researchers blinded to the group allocation to reduce the detection bias.

The pilot study will adopt a 2-arm, pretest-posttest, and assessor-blind randomized controlled trial design to examine the feasibility and acceptability of a theory-based health behaviour change intervention and examine its effects on waist circumference (primary outcome), kidney function (estimated glomerular filtration rate, urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio, primary outcome), dietary behaviour, physical activity, exercise capacity and self-efficacy of diet behaviour and physical activity among Chinese adults with metabolic syndrome and chronic kidney disease. Researchers will compare the theory-based health behaviour change intervention to usual care to see if the theory-based health behaviour change intervention can reduce waist circumference and preserve kidney function over three months. A total of 40 adults with metabolic syndrome and chronic kidney disease will be recruited, with 20 participants in each group. Data will be collected at two-time points (baseline and immediate post-intervention) via an online questionnaire survey platform (Qualtrics) by researchers blinded to the group allocation to reduce the detection bias.

The purpose of this study is to find out if regular handgrip exercise performed at home can improve blood pressure at rest and during exercise in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). This study is also intended to understand what causes an increase in blood pressure at rest and during exercise (i.e., increased adrenaline levels, or decreased ability of blood vessels to dilate). Patients with CKD will be recruited from primary care, Nephrology and other subspecialty Clinics throughout the Emory Healthcare System. Participants will attend 4 visits of 2-3 hours and 3 visits of 1-2 hours. The home exercise training will last for 8 weeks.

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a health literacy promotion program in preventing chronic kidney disease (CKD) among patients who use multiple medications (polypharmacy). Participants will be divided into two groups: an experimental group receiving the health literacy program and a control group receiving standard care. The study will measure improvements in health literacy levels and CKD prevention behaviors over a specific period. It is expected that the program will help patients better manage their medications and reduce the risk of developing kidney complications.