Nephrocheck Pilot Project_v1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Feasibility assessment of the introduction of a simple urine measurement of renal function into the patient pathway, to better assess the risk of acute kidney injury following major elective surgery.
IRAS ID
239519
Contact name
Olga Passmore-Szilagyi
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Research and Innovation, Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 1 days
Research summary
Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) is a broad clinical syndrome encompassing a number of conditions that affect kidney structure and function. As the name implies, it involves an abrupt decrease in kidney function caused by disorders associated within the kidney itself or changes in physiology outside the kidney. Patients undergoing major elective surgical procedures are at risk of developing AKI as a result of the surgical procedure itself and/or pre-existing risk factors. Current assessment of AKI risk prior to surgery in these patients is done by a calculated risk score, which accounts for age, sex, diabetes, existing renal function and the use of medications, especially antihypertensives. This gives an idea about any extra kidney support that may be needed following surgery to avoid further damage and AKI. The current risk score relies on our existing biochemical assessment of kidney function, which utilises a marker in the blood called creatinine. However, increases in creatinine are not seen until significant amounts of damage have already occurred within the kidneys. A new urine marker of kidney injury called Nephrocheck, is capable of detecting kidney injury much earlier, thus allowing earlier treatment to be deployed to avoid/reduce AKI. In addition to the biochemical assessment of kidney function being potentially improved, we can also educate health professionals who may be caring for the patient throughout their surgical pathway, but who might be practicing in specialties other than renal medicine and may not be familiar with optimum care of patients with AKI. This pilot study aims to assess the feasibility of introducing a urine biomarker of kidney function into the patient pathway for major elective surgery and to develop a constructive education program on which to build our pro-active approach to reduce the incidence of AKI in this patient population.
REC name
North of Scotland Research Ethics Committee 2
REC reference
18/NS/0013
Date of REC Opinion
9 Feb 2018
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion