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Two phosphAte taRGets in End-stage Renal Disease Trial (TARGET)

Registration Number
NCT01994733
Lead Sponsor
Unity Health Toronto
Brief Summary

Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) who have elevated serum phosphate (P) levels have significantly higher mortality rates compared to those with normal P. In patients receiving conventional dialysis regimens, serum P may be lowered through dietary intervention and use of P binders, though these have potentially important side effects and may adversely impact quality of life. Whether lowering P, and / or targeting specific P levels improve survival and clinical outcomes is unknown. Despite this uncertainty, over 90% of patients with ESRD receive P lowering therapy and guidelines for the care of patients with ESRD are increasingly calling for more aggressive phosphate lowering. This intensive P lowering results in extra medications (and their associated side-effects), and higher health care costs. We are uncertain whether the intensification of P control results in measurable benefits to patients with ESRD. The overall goal of this pilot trial is to evaluate the feasibility of conducting a randomized controlled trial of intensive vs liberalized phosphate control among hemodialysis recipients.

Detailed Description

Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
104
Inclusion Criteria
  1. Age ≥ 18 yrs
  2. Receiving chronic hemodialysis for > 90 days,
  3. Dialysis prescription is currently no more than 4 sessions per week and prescribed as 3-5 hrs per session
  4. Most recent P value 1.30-2.50 mmol/L
  5. Receipt of a calcium-based P binder
Exclusion Criteria
  1. Patient is booked (with a known surgical date) for a live donor kidney transplant in the next 26 weeks
  2. Planned switch to a dialysis schedule that involves > 16 hours per week of therapy within the next 26 weeks.
  3. Planned switch to peritoneal dialysis within the next 26 weeks
  4. Pregnancy
  5. Albumin-corrected serum calcium > 2.60 mmol/L in the past year requiring reduction of the calcium carbonate dose
  6. History of calciphylaxis
  7. Attending nephrologist believes that an otherwise eligible patient is mandated- on clinical grounds- to have a P value that is targeted to < 1.50 mmol/L or > 2.00 mmol/L
  8. Attending nephrologist believes an otherwise eligible patient is not a candidate for escalation of the current calcium dose
  9. Co-enrollment in a clinical trial where the intervention is deemed to interfere with the adherence, safety or efficacy of the intervention provided herein

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Intensive phosphate controlCalcium carbonate ( Intensive phosphate control)Individuals randomized to this arm will be exposed to a treatment strategy that targets a P of \< 1.50 mmol/L, reflecting the recommendations of current guidelines. Titration of the calcium carbonate dose will be the core of this approach and this will be complemented by usual recommendations regarding dietary P restriction. Dietitians will be available to provide counseling with regards to any aspect of the end-stage renal disease diet, as per usual dialysis unit practice.
Liberalized phosphate controlCalcium carbonate (Liberalized phosphate control)Individuals in this arm will be exposed to a treatment strategy that allows P to rise above 2.00 mmol/L. This will be accomplished through structured reduction of P binders already in use (as per the algorithm detailed below). "Rescue" P binding will be instituted if P rises above 2.50 mmol/L. Dietitians will be available to provide counseling regarding any aspect of the end-stage renal disease diet, as per usual dialysis unit practice, but will not provide counseling on dietary P restriction unless the P rises above 2.50 mmol/L.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Serum phosphate concentration26 weeks
Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Number of patients who successfully achieved target serum P at week 26 based on the arm to which they were randomized26 weeks
Treatment compliance as defined by taking the study medication at least 80% of the time26 weeks
Number of serious adverse events26 weeks
Number of hospitalizations for vascular reasons that are unrelated to dialysis access26 weeks
Proportion of patients with a vascular death or non-fatal vascular event26 weeks
Proportion of patients developing serum calcium > 2.60 mmol/L26 weeks
Number of fractures26 weeks
Number of patients developing calcific uremic arteriolopathy (ie, calciphylaxis)26 weeks
Change in quality-of-life26 weeks

Trial Locations

Locations (5)

Foothills Medical Centre

🇨🇦

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

St. Joseph's Healthcare

🇨🇦

Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Capital District Health Authority

🇨🇦

Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

St. Michael's Hospital

🇨🇦

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

London Health Sciences Centre

🇨🇦

London, Ontario, Canada

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