The Effects of an Interdisciplinary Treatment Approach in ESRD Patients: a Randomised Controlled Trial

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating an intervention for patients with chronic kidney disease who are on the waiting list for a kidney transplant. This randomized controlled trial aims to test whether intensive individual nutritional and exercise support combined with comprehensive rehabilitation before transplantation is more effective than usual care. The study involves 200 patients and is sponsored by the University of Erlangen-Nürnberg Medical School. Participants are randomly assigned to one of two groups. The intervention group receives individualized recommendations on nutrition and exercise, access to an app with detailed dialysis information, and a three-week inpatient rehabilitation program that includes medical care, sports therapy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, nutritional education, and psychological support. The control group receives usual care, which includes app access for dialysis information but no additional personalized support or rehabilitation. Both groups are followed for one year. Participants are assessed at the start of the study, after 6 months, and after 12 months. Researchers measure body composition, including muscle mass and body fat mass, physical performance through tests such as the Six-Minutes-Walk test, Sit-to-stand test, Timed-up-and-go test, and others. Quality of life, nutritional status, and frailty are also evaluated. The study monitors these outcomes to understand the impact of the intervention compared to usual care over the one-year period.

Smart and Fit for Kidney Transplantation