ACUVEX-RRT
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Assessment using Clinical Ultrasound of Venous Excess in Patients Undergoing Renal Replacement Therapy (ACUVEX-RRT)
IRAS ID
305720
Contact name
Adrian VK Wong
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
King's College London
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Intravenous fluids is one of the most commonly used therapy in healthcare across a variety of conditions. One of its key use is to optimise the blood flow to the various organs of the body. However, like all drugs, too much and too little can lead to organ dysfunction and patient harm.
In order to help decide how much fluid to give or remove, various medical devices are available. The use of ultrasound has evolved beyond the realms of the radiology department and is becoming more established in other medical specialties. It does not involve ionising radiation and has the ability to assess the anatomy and function of various organs of the body.
There are numerous studies on the use of ultrasound to guide how much fluid to give. These scans have focussed on assessment of the heart and lungs. In contrast, there are limited studies on its use as a monitor/guide on whether the patient has got too much fluid in their circulation which would need to be removed.
Recently a system composed of ultrasound examination of heart, lung, abdomen and veins has been shown to have the ability to assess for fluid overload. However, no study has shown if the technique is able to track changes in fluid volume in response to medical therapy.
Patients with end-stage kidney failure undergoing haemodialysis often have excess fluid in their circulation removed through the machine as they are unable to do so. In this study, we will use a novel ultrasound technique to see if it is able to notice changes in the heart, lung, abdomen and vein in response to fluid being removed. With this information, it would improve the way intravenous fluids are managed in a variety of healthcare settings and medical specialties.
REC name
South Central - Berkshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
22/SC/0110
Date of REC Opinion
27 Apr 2022
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion