Palliative care in chronic kidney disease study (PACKS study)
| ISRCTN | ISRCTN06857980 |
|---|---|
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN06857980 |
| Protocol serial number | CDV/4872/13 |
| Sponsor | Queen's University of Belfast (UK) |
| Funder | National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) (UK); ref. CDV/4872/13 |
- Submission date
- 14/04/2014
- Registration date
- 01/07/2014
- Last edited
- 11/12/2018
- Recruitment status
- No longer recruiting
- Overall study status
- Completed
- Condition category
- Urological and Genital Diseases
Plain English summary of protocol
Background and study aims
The kidneys main function is to filter the waste products that build up in our bodies and convert them into urine. Chronic kidney disease is a long term condition where the kidneys do not work properly. Symptoms include feeling tired, water retention (leading to swollen ankles, feet or hands), shortness of breath, feeling sick and passing blood in the urine. There is no cure for the condition, but it can be managed through changes in lifestyle and taking medications. Eventually, chronic kidney disease can lead to kidney failure, a stage where the organ has almost completely stopped functioning. This is life threatening and patients are faced with several treatment options including dialysis, kidney transplant, or palliative care. This study will examine the quality of life (QOL), decision making, costs and mortality in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease who have opted for palliative care. It will also explore care decisions made by patient carers from the perspective of the patient, care and health care professionals and the impact on the QOL of carers.
Who can participate?
1. Adult patients with end stage (stage 5) chronic kidney disease who have opted for palliative care.
2. Adult carers of a patient with end stage chronic kidney disease who have opted for palliative care.
3. Renal physicians/Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS) who have experience of treating patients with end stage chronic kidney disease who have opted for palliative care.
What does the study involve?
Over a period of one year participants will be invited to answer questionnaires every 3 months. The questionnaires, some for patients and some for carers, will explore QOL, symptoms, decision making and impact on carers. Patients will also be asked to complete a log of health and social care use e.g. how often they visited their GP. Renal physicians/CNSs will be asked to participate in an interview to explore the decision making process that precedes referral to conservative kidney management in relation to patient satisfaction in decision making. We will also explore cognition (ability to think clearly), frailty and performance. At the end of the study, we will have a better understanding of the impact a non-dialysis approach has on QOL, range and severity of symptoms, cognition (ability to think clearly), frailty, performance, costs and the impact on carers.
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
The study is unlikely to help participants directly but the information we get might help improve the treatment of people with advanced chronic kidney disease who opt for palliative care in the future. Risks to participants are minimal but the information shared may be sensitive and cause upset. If this happens support will be available from a Renal Counsellor or nursing staff with counselling skills.
Where is the study run from?
10 NHS hospital trusts across the UK.
When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
July 2014 to December 2016
Who is funding the study?
National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) (UK)
Who is the main contact?
Dr Helen Noble
helen.noble@qub.ac.uk
Contact information
Scientific
97 Lisburn Rd
Belfast
BT9 6JF
United Kingdom
| Phone | +44 (0)289 097 2472 |
|---|---|
| helen.noble@qub.ac.uk |
Study information
| Primary study design | Observational |
|---|---|
| Study design | Multiple method study to include quantitative and qualitative components |
| Secondary study design | Other |
| Study type | Participant information sheet |
| Scientific title | PAlliative Care in chronic Kidney diSease study (PACKS) Study: Quality of life, decision making, costs and impact on carers in people managed without dialysis |
| Study acronym | PACKS |
| Study objectives | The aim of the study is to measure and describe longitudinally QOL, satisfaction with decision-making, costs, cognition, frailty and performance in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease managed without dialysis. The impact on carers will also be studied. |
| Ethics approval(s) | Office for Research Ethics Committees Northern Ireland (ORECNI), 14/05/2014, ref. 14/NI/0057 |
| Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied | Advanced chronic kidney disease |
| Intervention | Current interventions as of 04/02/2015: This is a multiple method study which includes quantitative and qualitative components. In the quantitative component longitudinal survey of quality of life (QOL), symptoms, cognition, frailty and performance will be measured 3-monthly and satisfaction in decision-making 6-monthly. Health and social care costs will be captured over the duration of the study using patient logs. QOL in carers and associated costs will be explored. Carer observation of patient's satisfaction in decision making will be collected 6-monthly and carer assessment of patient QOL by proxy 3-monthly over 12 months. In the qualitative component of the study, the decision-making process that precedes referral to conservative kidney management in relation to patient satisfaction in decision making will be explored with renal physicians/clinical nurse specialists (CNS) via semi-structured interviews. Some people may change their mind regarding their selected treatment option and commence dialysis, although this is unusual in clinical practice. If this happens the patient and carer data will continue to be collected in order to examine how QOL might increase/decrease with a switch of modality. The study takes place in the UK across 10 sites in the UK; five in Northern Ireland and up to five in London. Each site offers the option of conservative management as a treatment option to patients who have reached end-stage renal disease. All patients who make the decision not to embark on dialysis will be approached to take part in the study. Their main carer will be approached only with the patient's consent. |
| Intervention type | Other |
| Primary outcome measure(s) |
Current primary outcome measures as of 04/02/2015: |
| Key secondary outcome measure(s) |
Current secondary outcome measures as of 04/02/2015: |
| Completion date | 09/12/2016 |
Eligibility
| Participant type(s) | Patient |
|---|---|
| Age group | Adult |
| Lower age limit | 18 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Target sample size at registration | 244 |
| Key inclusion criteria | Patients: 1. Stage 5 chronic kidney disease with estimated glomerular filtration rate ≤ 20 mL/minute as measured by the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) formula (Levey et al 1999) 2. A confirmed decision for conservative management, i.e. management without dialysis or other renal replacement therapy. The decision for conservative kidney management will be confirmed with the nephrologist responsible for each patient. 3. Aged over 18 years Carers: 1. Primary carer for patient with stage 5 chronic kidney disease who has made a confirmed decision for conservative kidney management as agreed with clinicians 2. Aged over 18 years 3. Patient has agreed that the carer can be approached to participate 4. The carer has contacted staff and ‘opted in’ to the study (added 04/02/2015) Renal physicians/CNS: 1. Experience of managing clinical consultations of patients with stage 5 chronic kidney disease who opt for conservative kidney management 2. Employed in the renal specialty |
| Key exclusion criteria | Patients: 1. Patients lacking capacity to give consent to participate. Capacity for consent to participate will be assessed in collaboration with the clinicians. 2. Stage 1-4 chronic kidney disease 3. Hasn't made a confirmed decision for conservative management 4. Under the age of 18 5. Non-English speaking patients or those who do not adequately understand verbal or written information unless an interpreter is available Carers: 1. Carers who lack capacity to give consent to participate in the study 2. Under the age of 18 3. Patient has not agreed that the carer can be approached to participate 4. Non-English speaking patients or those who do not adequately understand verbal or written information unless an interpreter is available 5. Carer has not contacted staff and ‘opted in’ to the study (added 04/02/2015) Renal physicians/CNS: 1. No experience of managing clinical consultations of patients who opt for conservative kidney management 2. Not employed in the renal specialty |
| Date of first enrolment | 01/02/2015 |
| Date of final enrolment | 31/05/2016 |
Locations
Countries of recruitment
- United Kingdom
- England
- Scotland
Study participating centres
-
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
1345 Govan Road
Govan
Glasgow
G51 4TF
United Kingdom
Chelsea Bridge Road
London
SW1W 8RH
United Kingdom
Results and Publications
| Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share | No |
|---|---|
| IPD sharing plan summary | Not provided at time of registration |
| IPD sharing plan |
Study outputs
| Output type | Details | Date created | Date added | Peer reviewed? | Patient-facing? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results article | results | 01/12/2017 | Yes | No | |
| Results article | results | 01/09/2018 | Yes | No | |
| Protocol article | protocol | 11/07/2015 | Yes | No | |
| HRA research summary | 28/06/2023 | No | No | ||
| Participant information sheet | Participant information sheet | 11/11/2025 | 11/11/2025 | No | Yes |
Editorial Notes
11/12/2018: Publication references added.
04/02/2016: The recruitment dates have been updated from 01/07/2014 - 01/12/2016 to 01/01/2016 to 31/05/2016 and the overall trial dates have been updated from 01/07/2014 - 31/12/2016 to 09/12/2013 - 09/12/2016. Three further trial participating centres and a publication reference have been added.
