
Access to Kidney Transplantation in Minority Populations
Kidney DiseasesHispanic/Latino (HL) and American Indian (AI) patients are more likely than whites to have kidney failure, but less likely to complete transplant evaluation or receive a kidney transplant (KT), the best treatment for kidney failure. Using comparative effectiveness research methods, we will conduct a pragmatic randomized trial to compare the efficacy and cost- effectiveness of two approaches to help HL and AI patients overcome barriers to completing transplant evaluation and receiving a KT: a streamlined KT evaluation process and a peer-assisted evaluation program; and, we will determine best practices to assist other transplant centers in implementing the better program. Findings from this work may help reduce disparities in transplant evaluation and KT.

Controlling Hypertension Through Education and Coaching in Kidney Disease
Chronic Kidney DiseasesChronic Disease5 moreChronic kidney disease (CKD) is a serious and growing public health problem. The purpose of this study is to find out if an educational worksheet, called the Encounter Decision Intervention (EDI), combined with health coaching helps CKD patients improve their blood pressure and other health outcomes. The research team hypothesizes that the intervention group will have greater improvement in CKD outcomes than the control group.

Pyrophosphate and Arterial Calcification in Chronic Kidney Disease
Chronic Kidney DiseasesArterial calcifications start at early stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and are associated to cardiovascular mortality. Pyrophosphate (PPi) is an endogenous compound, which stops the mineralization process in bones and is expected to act at ectopic sites. In uremic rats, low PPi plasma levels are associated with high calcium content in the aorta and peritoneal administration of PPi blocks this process. People on maintenance dialysis or kidney transplant recipients have low plasma levels of PPi and show high scores of arterial calcification. The purpose is to determine the role of low PPi in the development of arterial calcifications in patients with CKD stage 3 or 4. To that aim, 252 patients with eGFR between 59 et 20 ml/min/1,73 m2 will be recruited and will be examined at baseline and three years later.

Protecting Kidneys Through a Low Protein Diet: A Stepwise Multiple-Choice System Approach
Chronic Kidney DiseasesNephrology 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.

Improving the Collaborative Health of Minority COVID-19 Survivor and Carepartner Dyads
SARS- CoV-2Cardiovascular Diseases5 moreThis study tests the efficacy of a dyadic intervention to mitigate the adverse health consequences of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS- CoV-2 )(COVID-19) in African American (AA) adults with pre-existing chronic health conditions and their informal carepartners (IC). Socioeconomically disadvantaged, older, and Black/African American from rural regions are burdened with greater rates of chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, and stroke.

Basic Needs Navigation Intervention to Address Multidimensional Adversity in African Americans With...
Diabetic NephropathiesDiabetes Mellitus3 moreThe overarching goal of this proposal is to test the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a basic needs navigation intervention on improving clinical outcomes, self-care behaviors and quality of life in low-income African Americans with diabetic kidney disease (DKD) experiencing multidimensional adversity. The study objective will be achieved with the following aims: Aim 1: To determine the feasibility of a basic needs navigation intervention as measured by recruitment, session attendance and retention in low-income Africans Americans with DKD experiencing multidimensional adversity. Aim 2: To test the preliminary efficacy of a basic needs navigation intervention on clinical outcomes (hemoglobin A1c, blood pressure, lipids) in low-income Africans Americans with DKD experiencing multidimensional adversity. Hypothesis 1: Individuals randomized to the basic needs navigation intervention will have improved HbA1c at 6 months of follow-up compared to an enhanced usual care group. Hypothesis 2: Individuals randomized to the basic needs navigation intervention will have improved blood pressure at 6 months of follow-up compared to an enhanced usual care group. Hypothesis 3: Individuals randomized to the basic needs navigation intervention will have improved lipids at 6 months of follow-up compared to an enhanced usual care group. Aim 3: To test the preliminary efficacy of a basic needs navigation intervention on self-care behaviors and quality of life (SF-12) in low-income Africans Americans with DKD experiencing multidimensional adversity. Hypothesis 1: Individuals randomized to the basic needs navigation intervention will have improved self-care behaviors at 6 months of follow-up compared to an enhanced usual care group. Hypothesis 2: Individuals randomized to the basic needs navigation intervention will have improved quality of life at 6 months of follow-up compared to an enhanced usual care group.

Neurovascular Regulation During Exercise in Humans With Chronic Kidney Disease: Sympatholysis in...
Chronic Kidney DiseaseThe goals of this project are to investigate the mechanisms and potential therapies related to exercise capacity in persons with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Feasibility and Preliminary Effectiveness of a Shared Decision-making Process
Clinical Decision MakingPatient-Centered Care2 moreBackground: Shared decision-making is a process where health professionals and patients work together through conversation and using tools to make the best possible decision for the person. Patient decision aids provide information based on the best available evidence, support the deliberative process, and further help clarifies individual patient values and preferences. Incorporating shared decision-making in clinical practice is challenging. Hypothesis: A proposed shared decision-making implementation model is feasible and improves patients' knowledge of possible treatment options, as well as patients' perception and degree of satisfaction with the decision-making process. Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of implementing a shared decision-making model in a tertiary university hospital. Methods: It is proposed to carry out a pilot randomized clinical study (ratio 1:1), with two arms, in parallel, open, single center. Adult patients from two clinical processes will be included: a) Obesity (treatment options: bariatric surgery or medical management (healthy habits +/- pharmacological treatment), and b) Advanced Chronic Kidney Disease (ACKD) (treatment options: hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, or conservative treatment). Since it is a pilot study, the investigators estimated a random sample of between 20 to 40 participants per intervention group and control group (total sample 40 to 80 per pathology) would be needed. The intervention group will carry out the shared decision-making model, and the control group will receive the usual clinical practice with detailed information from a health professional. The primary outcomes of interest to be evaluated are a) feasibility; b) quality of the decision and the decision-making process.

In Vitro Immunomodulation in Membranous Nephropathy Relapses
Extramembranous GlomerulopathyIn order to propose the best therapeutic option to relapsed MN patients with strong activation of the Th17 pathway, the investigators propose to study in vitro the effect of different immunomodulators on the Th17/Treg balance, assessed by cytokine profile and lymphocyte phenotyping using flow cytometry.

Advance Care Planning in the Emergency Department
Congestive Heart FailureMetastatic Cancer2 moreThis is a two-armed, parallel-design, pre-/post-intervention assessment study. The investigators will conduct a randomized controlled trial for ED GOAL on a cohort of 120 older adults with serious illness to collect patient-centered outcomes and determine preliminary efficacy on increasing advance care planning engagement (self-reported and/or in the electronic medical record) one month after leaving the emergency department. The investigators will also conduct qualitative interviews with participants of ED GOAL.