Pilot of a Phosphate Counting Resource.
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Development, Pilot and Evaluation of a Phosphate Counting Resource as Part of Dietetic Consultations for Dialysis Patients.
IRAS ID
177497
Contact name
Duane Mellor
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
The University of Nottingham
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 4 months, 31 days
Research summary
Phosphate is a mineral found in all cells. When problems with the kidneys exists, the amount of phosphate that can be removed in the urine is reduced causing the levels to rise in the blood.
Controlled blood phosphate levels in patients receiving dialysis are essential to ensure that patients do not suffer from medical complications such as hardening of the blood vessels and weakening of the bones. The first way of controlling phosphate levels in the blood is to reduce dietary phosphate intake. Patients receiving dialysis often follow many dietary restrictions and therefore following a dietary phosphate restriction is difficult.
In order help control phosphate levels in the blood, an extensive educational resource with a wide range of foods in it will be developed. A point system will be used to make it more manageable for patients to monitor phosphate in their diet. Each food will have a point for the amount of phosphate that it contains. The participant will have an allocated a set amount of points per day. This educational resource will then be explained to the participant in detail on a one to one basis and support will be offered with regular follow up appointments. By taking this approach the participant will have more independence with their diet and can choose to include higher phosphate foods which may have previously been restricted, as long as it is within their allocated point allowance.
The educational resource will be evaluated by a knowledge questionnaire pre and post intervention. The relevant blood test results (calcium, phosphate and parathyroid hormone) will be monitored at the start of the intervention, during the intervention and for three months post intervention. These blood tests are taken as part of normal routine care and are not additional blood tests.
REC name
HSC REC B
REC reference
15/NI/0102
Date of REC Opinion
22 May 2015
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion