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CompletedNCT04287010Updated Jan 6, 2021

Potassium Flux in Hemodialysis Patients

An observational study in Hemodialysis, sponsored by Washington University School of Medicine. Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2021-01-06.

Sponsored by Washington University School of Medicine · Observational

Study type
Observational
Model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
25
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Current practice of outpatient hemodialysis entails prescription of standard electrolyte concentrations based upon patient prescription history and monthly serum electrolyte measurements. Dialysate concentration of potassium can be adjusted based on standard available concentrations including 2mmol/L and 3mmol/L. Standard available dialysate concentration of Magnesium is 0.5mmol/L (which is not ordinarily adjusted further). Potassium and Magnesium are not routinely measured before or after each dialysis, therefore serum levels are largely unknown outside of once monthly measurements.

This study aims to further study this correlation of electrolyte fluctuations (potassium and magnesium) and cardiac arrhythmias/heart rate variability in the ESRD population.

Read the detailed description

This is a prospective, cross-sectional study utilizing a study population at Chromalloy American Kidney Center, an outpatient dialysis unit, which currently serves approximately 150 End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) patients.

After enrollment, patients will be provided with a schedule for data collection. A standard 12-lead ECG will be performed.A small non-invasive device (MyPatch Holter monitor) will be attached to each patient's chest before their first weekly dialysis session to measure heart rhythm and arrhythmia generation. After the recorder is attached, a standard set of bedside autonomic function tests will be administered. These tests include standing from supine position, hand grip, Valsalva maneuver and deep breathing.Changes in heart rate, heart rhythm, and blood pressure in response to these maneuvers will be assessed. The holter monitor will be worn for the next 92-96 hours and removed after completion of their regular third weekly dialysis session (Friday or Saturday). The data from these holter monitors will be analyzed by the Heart Rate Variability Lab at Washington Univeristy. No modifications to the Holter monitor devices will be made for this study.

Patient vital signs pre/intra/post dialysis by standard protocol will be obtained, including the following parameters: blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen saturation, relative blood volume/hematocrit, dialysate flow rate, blood flow rate, ultrafiltration volume.Participant serum sodium, chloride, potassium, blood urea nitrogen, and magnesium immediately prior to and after dialysis session will be measured. Participant serum potassium and magnesium levels every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours of the first weekly dialysis session will be measured by taking 1mL of blood from the dialysis circuit. Effluent dialysate, which contains no blood or cellular components, will be collected concurrently with serum sample analysis every 30 minutes during the first weekly dialysis session by taking 10mL of fluid from the dialysate drain line to be analyzed for sodium, chloride, and potassium. Serum potassium levels will also be measured immediately prior to and after second and third weekly dialysis sessions by taking 1mL of blood from dialysis circuit. The capability to draw blood from the dialysis circuit/tubing has already been incorporated as an industry standard and no modifications to standard dialysis circuit will be made. This will ensure that the patient will not have any needle sticks to obtain necessary samples. Obtained serum samples will subsequently be coded and sent to the Core Lab for Clinical Studies (CLCS) at Washington University for processing and destruction there after.

All specimens will be assigned a de-identified study code that will be stored in a secure/locked location separate from collected data. All clinical data obtained will be de-identified and entered into a datasheet on a Washington University secure encrypted server. In addition, the Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine Institute for Informatics, Informatics Core Services (ICS) will be used for centralized management and processing of collected data. Washington University in St. Louis belongs to a consortium of institutional partners that work to maintain a software toolset and workflow for electronic collection and management of research and clinical trial data. The Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) system will be utilized for data collection and processing in our study. The REDCap servers are securely housed in an on-site limited access data center managed by the Research Infrastructure Services at Washington University. All web-based information and transmission are encrypted with storage on a private, firewall protected network.

Data collected by Holter monitors and serum electrolyte measurements will subsequently be analyzed by the research team.

Participation in this study will not interfere with regularly scheduled thrice weekly dialysis treatments and clinic workflow. Nor will participation in this study result in modification of previously prescribed treatment.

02

Conditions studied

  • Hemodialysis
03

In context

Lead sponsor

Washington University School of Medicine is the lead sponsor of 1,765 studies on the registry; 271 are open to participants now.

Of its 324 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 212 (65%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No
Sampling method
Non-probability sample

Study population

Eligible patients based on a limited chart review from the Chromalloy American Kidney Center population will be recruited. These will all be on in center hemodialysis three times per week. Eligible patients based on inclusion/exclusion criteria as listed above will be randomly selected by a random number generator. If selected, they will be invited to participate in the study.

Inclusion criteria

  • Age >18 years
  • Consistent thrice weekly in center hemodialysis as defined as no missed sessions in the last 30 days.
  • Goal Kt/V Urea (>1.2, which suggests adequate dialysis based on KDOQI guidelines) for at least 3 months
  • Serum potassium 3.5-8.0 mEq/L
  • Hemoglobin of >8.0g/dL

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Age \<18 years
  • Evidence of residual renal function as defined by >100mL of urine output per day
  • Those whom do not have capacity to consent
  • Change in dialysis prescription within the past 30 days
  • 12-lead ECG shows non-sinus cardiac rhythm (atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, or paced rhythm)
05

Study design

Observational model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
25 participants (actual)
Patient registry
No
06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. To examine and better define the correlation between electrolyte fluctuations, arrhythmia generation, and heart rate variability contributing to cardiovascular morbidity/mortality as described in previous retrospective observational studies.

    This study aims to assess if there is a correlation between serum electrolyte changes and abnormal heart rhythms or heart rate variability

    Time frame: 1 year

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Washington Univeristy in St Louis
    Saint Louis, Missouri 63110, United States
08

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No — No sharing planned

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jan 6, 2021, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT04287010
Lead sponsor
Washington University School of Medicine
Responsible party
Frank O'Brien (Assistant Professor of Medicine. Nephrology, Washington University School of Medicine) — Principal investigator
First posted
Feb 27, 2020
Start date
May 21, 2019
Primary completion
Nov 30, 2020
Completion
Nov 30, 2020
Last update
Jan 6, 2021

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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This study is completed, as verified in Jan 2021. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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