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RecruitingNCT04745195COMPETEUpdated Oct 1, 2025

Complement Prospective Evaluation of Thrombotic Microangiopathy on Endothelium

An observational study in Thrombotic Microangiopathies, Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome, Atypical and Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome, sponsored by Maastricht University Medical Center. Recruiting at 1 site in Netherlands. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-10-01.

Sponsored by Maastricht University Medical Center · Observational

From the registry’s dates

  • Started Aug 2021; still recruiting 5 years 1 month later.
Study type
Observational
Model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
42
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
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Study summary

Thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) is a severe and life-threatening condition, often affecting the kidneys and brain. It can occur on the background of various clinical conditions. Dysregulation of the alternative pathway of complement may be the etiological factor and this type of TMA is classified, according to the current nomenclature, as primary atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Half the patients with primary atypical HUS present with rare variants in complement genes, although coexisting conditions are often needed for the TMA to become manifest. In patients with secondary atypical HUS, certain coexisting conditions appear to drive the disease and treatment should target the underlying condition to remit the TMA.

Recently, the investigators demonstrated, by using a novel in-house developed functional endothelial cell-based test, that complement dysregulation and overactivation is the dominant cause of disease and its sequelae in a subset of patients with secondary atypical HUS, having impact on treatment and prognosis. The investigators did first prove this concept in patients presenting with TMA and hypertensive emergency. A prospective study is needed to further corroborate these findings along the spectrum of TMA. The investigators hypothesize that their functional endothelial cell-based test, the so-called "HMEC" test, can better categorizes the TMA into different groups with potential therapeutic and prognostic implications. Thus, paving the road to the ultimate goal of precision medicine.

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Conditions studied

  • Thrombotic Microangiopathies
  • Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome, Atypical
  • Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome
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In context

Thrombotic Microangiopathies

48 studies on the registry are indexed under Thrombotic Microangiopathies; 22 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 42 is below the median of 200 across 20 observational studies indexed under Thrombotic Microangiopathies.

Browse Thrombotic Microangiopathies studies →

Lead sponsor

Maastricht University Medical Center is the lead sponsor of 835 studies on the registry; 122 are open to participants now.

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

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Who can participate

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

Study population

Patients of at least 18 years of age presenting with TMA, either on peripheral blood or kidney biopsy, will be recruited at the emergency departments of (regional) hospitals affiliated to the Limburg Renal Registry, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, NLD. Patients who meet the eligibility criteria will be included.

Inclusion criteria

  • Males or females at least 18 years of age;
  • Have acute kidney injury, defined as estimated GFR \<45 mL/min/1.73m2;
  • Have documented TMA either on peripheral blood, defined as Coombs negative microangiopathic hemolytic anemia (hematocrit \<30%, hemoglobin \<6.5 mmol/L [\<10 g/dL], lactate dehydrogenase >500 U/L, and either schistocytes on peripheral blood smear or undetectable haptoglobin), and platelets \<150,000 per µL, or kidney biopsy;
  • Have primary atypical HUS or a coexisting condition linked to complement dysregulation:

    • Hypertensive emergency, defined as SBP/DBP of >180/120 mmHg and impending organ damage secondary to hypertension (at least one of the following: neurologic disease, hypertensive retinopathy grade III and/or IV, left ventricular hypertrophy); OR
    • Pregnancy, including 12 weeks postpartum; OR
    • Kidney donor recipient; OR
    • Systemic auto-immune disease associated with TMA, including systemic sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, anti-phospholipid syndrome;
  • Have the ability to understand the requirements of the study, provide written informed consent, and comply with the study protocol procedures.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Have secondary causes of hypertensive emergency, including renovascular hypertension, Cushing syndrome, aldosteronism, pheochromocytoma, thyroid disease;
  • Have a nephropathy not related to thrombosis on kidney biopsy;
  • Have ADAMTS13 deficiency, defined as ADAMTS13 activity \<10%;
  • Have a positive stool culture for Shiga toxin producing bacteria;
  • Have positive serologic test for viral infections, including HIV and CMV;
  • Have a history of malignant disease, excluding non-melanoma skin cancer;
  • Have a history of bone marrow or solid organ transplantation, excluding kidney transplantation;
  • Received at least one of the following agents: chemotherapeutics, sirolimus, anti-VEGF agents;
  • Have a history of recent past exposure to illicit drug(s).
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Study design

Observational model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
42 participants (estimated)
Target follow-up
12 Months
Patient registry
Yes
Biospecimen retention
Samples with dna

Groups and cohorts

  • Complement-mediated thrombotic microangiopathy
  • Thrombotic microangiopathty with normal complement regulation
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What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. The prevalence of complement-mediated TMA along the spectrum of TMA

    Time frame: 1 year

Secondary outcomes

  1. The diagnostic performance of the "HMEC" test for the diagnosis of complement-mediated TMA

    Time frame: 1 year

  2. The dynamics of ex vivo C5b9 formation on the endothelium during the course of TMA

    Time frame: every month for up to 1 year

  3. The dynamics of ex vivo C5b9 formation on the endothelium as compared to routine complement measures during the course of TMA

    Time frame: every month for up to 1 year

  4. Composite kidney endpoint: 50% eGFR decline, chronic kidney disease stage G5, end-stage kidney disease

    The diagnostic and prognostic value of pathologic features and chronicity indices on kidney biopsy at the time of presentation

    Time frame: 1 year

  5. composite TMA endopoint: TMA recurrence, end-stage kidney disease

    The prognostic value of genetic variants in complement genes

    Time frame: 1 year

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Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
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References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Undecided

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

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Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Oct 1, 2025, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT04745195
Lead sponsor
Maastricht University Medical Center
Responsible party
Sjoerd Timmermans (Principal Investigator, Maastricht University Medical Center) — Principal investigator
First posted
Feb 9, 2021
Start date
Aug 11, 2021
Primary completion
Dec 31, 2026 (estimated)
Completion
Dec 31, 2026 (estimated)
Last update
Oct 1, 2025

Study contacts

Sjoerd A.M.E.G. Timmermans, MD, PhD
Contact
sjoerd.timmermans@mumc.nl
+31(0)433871198
Daan P.C. van Doorn, MD
Contact
daan.vandoorn@maastrichtuniversity.nl
+31(0)433871198
Pieter van Paassen, MD, PhD
principal investigator · Maastricht University Medical Center

Oversight

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

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