KidGut: Effect of Fibre on Gut Microbes and Kidney disease v1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Effect of a fermentable fibre on the gut microbiome, markers of renal disease progression and symptoms in adults with moderate to advanced chronic kidney disease.
IRAS ID
240405
Contact name
Lina Johansson
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 5 months, 23 days
Research summary
What is the effect of fermentable fibre on gut microbiome, symptoms and markers of renal disease progression in adults with moderate to advanced chronic kidney disease?
When the kidneys are not working properly, waste products (e.g. protein by-products) accumulate in the blood and can be drawn into the gut, as they are not filtered and excreted by the kidneys as effectively.
The gut has trillions of bacteria. The balance of the types of gut bacteria is different in people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) compared to healthy people. In CKD, there is a higher proportion of bacteria that breaks down protein leading to even more waste products. These can be absorbed into the blood causing symptoms such as tiredness, loss of appetite, itchiness. These can also lead to an inflammatory response by the body which is a feature of CKD.
Research has shown that supplementing with a dietary fibre that is fermented in the colon can change the balance of types of bacteria in people with CKD, to one where there is an increase in bacteria that produce beneficial anti-inflammatory substances and use up waste products. These studies have been done mostly over a short duration (weeks) and mainly in people on haemodialysis. In studies in people with CKD (not on dialysis), the outcomes did not determine if the reduction in waste products led to: improved symptoms and improved renal disease progression.
This study aims to investigate the effect of inulin supplementation (a fermentable fibre) for 6 months compared to a placebo (cellulose- a non-digestible, non-fermentable fibre) on the balance of gut bacteria, the levels and types of waste products and inflammatory substances, symptoms and markers of kidney disease progression.
REC name
London - Queen Square Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/LO/0088
Date of REC Opinion
27 Feb 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion