Chronic Kidney Disease and Diabetes Clinical Study Group
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) describes a wide variety of kidney disorders that cause damage to the kidneys over a period of months or years. It is relatively common, affecting more than 10 per cent of adults in most countries where studies have been done.
In addition to the risk of progressive kidney damage, CKD is associated with an increased risk of diseases affecting the heart and arteries. Management is focussed on treating the specific cause of the kidney disorder as well as general measures to protect kidney function including blood pressure treatment, weight loss, exercise and stopping smoking.
Current treatments are only partially effective and research is therefore urgently needed to develop new treatments as well as methods to identify which patients are most likely to benefit from these treatments.
Who we are
We are a group of leading clinical investigators from all parts of the UK with a specific research interest in chronic kidney disease including diabetic kidney disease.
The group is jointly chaired by Indranil Dasgupta, a consultant nephrologist at Heartlands Hospital, Birmingham and Kieran McCafferty, a consultant nephrologist at Barts Health NHS Trust and NIHR Renal Speciality Lead North Thames.
We are open to all investigators with an interest in CKD and to all professional groups.
Research network vacancies
Would you like to volunteer on a CSG or a research network?
Our aims:
- Provide a forum for researchers investigating all aspects of CKD (diabetic and non-diabetic)
- Facilitate the development of protocols for studies in people with CKD
- Advocate for funding of studies on CKD
- Promote collaborative working between centres to deliver studies on CKD
- Provide a point of contact for companies wishing to engage in CKD–related research in the UK
- Collaborate with the UK Renal Registry to optimise use of data for research and quality improvement projects
- Facilitate discussion with industry partners to develop and deliver cost-effective studies of interventions to improve outcomes in CKD
- Co-operate with other CSGs to promote research in areas where there is overlap between fields.
Evidence gaps and key challenges:
- Novel treatments to slow CKD progression. Current treatment with ACEi or ARB only partially effective
- Improved understanding of mechanisms of action of SGLT2 inhibitors and additional trials to evaluate their use in non-diabetic CKD
- Novel biomarkers to better stratify patients and facilitate a personalised medicine approach
Application of genomic, proteomic and metabolomic approaches to identify novel biomarkers - Validated surrogate outcomes to enable shorter trials.
Key projects:
NURTuRE-CKD
Multicentre prospective CKD cohort study in collaboration with Kidney Research UK, UK Renal Registry and five industry partners. Recruitment target of 3,000 participants from 18 centres has now been reached and patients are being invited back for their follow-up sample collection. This study will establish a biorepository of blood and urine samples with linked data that can be accessed for further research via an independent Strategic Oversight and Access Committee. Find out more.
eGFR-C Study
Accuracy of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) estimation using creatinine and cystatin C and albuminuria for monitoring disease progression in patients with stage 3 chronic kidney disease: an observational study in a multi-ethnic population. Recruitment complete: 1,249 participants. NIHR funded and three year follow-up visits due to complete in December 2019. Find out more.
STOP-ACEi-STUDY
Multi-centre Randomised Controlled Trial of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEi) / angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) withdrawal in advanced chronic kidney disease. Recruitment complete: 411. NIHR funded. Find out more.
New projects:
ATTACK
Aspirin To Target Arterial Events In Chronic Kidney Disease: recruitment started 2019. 150 GP Practices active. Funded by NIHR-HTA (£3.9 million).
In development:
Meeting held with Diabetes UK complications CSG in Sept 2018 to explore opportunities for collaboration.
Impact and major publications:
- Lamb EJ, Brettell EA, Cockwell P, Dalton N, Deeks JJ, Harris K, Higgins T, Kalra PA, Khunti K, Loud F, Ottridge RS, Sharpe CC, Sitch AJ, Stevens PE, Sutton AJ, Taal MW; eGFR-C study group. The eGFR-C study: accuracy of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) estimation using creatinine and cystatin C and albuminuria for monitoring disease progression in patients with stage 3 chronic kidney disease--prospective longitudinal study in a multi-ethnic population. BMC Nephrol. 2014 Jan 14;15:13.
- Bhandari S, Ives N, Brettell EA, Valente M, Cockwell P, Topham PS, Cleland JG, Khwaja A, El Nahas M. Multicentre randomized controlled trial of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin receptor blocker withdrawal in advanced renal disease: the STOP-ACEi trial. Nephrol Dial Transplant. 2016 Feb;31(2):255-61.
- Ceri Rowe, Alice J Sitch, Jonathan Barratt, Elizabeth A Brettell, Paul Cockwell, R Neil Dalton, Jon J Deeks, Gillian Eaglestone, Tracy Pellatt-Higgins, Philip A Kalra, Kamlesh Khunti, Fiona C Loud, Frances S Morris, Ryan S Ottridge, Paul E Stevens, Claire C Sharpe, Andrew J Sutton, Maarten W Taal, Edmund J Lamb, on behalf of the eGFR-C study group. Biological variation of measured and estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in patients with chronic kidney disease: the eGFR-C Study. Kidney International: in press, 2019
Got a question? Get in touch.
For more information and to find out about getting involved as a patient or researcher, contact: