ClinicalTrials.gg
Enrolling by invitationNCT05870007Updated May 23, 2023

Atorvastatin and Alkali Therapy in Patients With Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease

A Phase 2 interventional study of Atorvastatin 20 Mg Oral Tablet and Sodium Bicarbonate 600 Mg Oral Tablet in Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease and Chronic Kidney Diseases, sponsored by Taipei Medical University Shuang Ho Hospital. Enrolling by invitation at 3 sites in Taiwan. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2023-05-23.

Sponsored by Taipei Medical University Shuang Ho Hospital · Phase 2, Interventional, and Treatment

From the registry’s dates

  • Primary completion was expected by Dec 2025, 11 months ago, but the record still lists the study as enrolling by invitation.

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Phase
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
30
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) is the most common genetic disease leading to End Stage Kidney Disease (ESKD), affecting between 1 in 500-1000 individuals from every ethnic group. The autosomal dominant (ADPKD) form arises from a two-hit downregulation of proteins encoded by either PKD1 or PKD2. Although many potential therapies have been studied to slow progression of ADPKD, none to date have been proven to be both safe and effective in slowing disease progression. Cholesterol-lowering agents called statins have shown promise in the treatment of younger ADPKD patients, reducing inflammation and progression as assessed by kidney growth, but their utility appears to be limited in older populations and those with more advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD). Recent evidence suggests that acidosis, as often seen in patients with worsening CKD and which may enhance CKD progression, limits the effectiveness of statins and enhances their potential toxicity. The investigators thus hypothesize that correction of acidosis along with statin treatment will be a safe and effective therapeutic regimen to slow CKD progression in the adult ADPKD population and improve overall quality of life in these patients. To test this hypothesis, the investigators will conduct a pilot open-label randomized clinical trial in ADPKD patients with estimated GFR >45 min (Stage 1-3a CKD) comparing three treatment groups: control, atorvastatin (20 mg po qd), and atorvastatin plus sodium bicarbonate tablets (upto 1800mg po total daily dose) over one year. At the beginning of the study, the investigators will determine the genotype of the trial participants. During the study period, through study visits along with serial blood draws and urinary measurements, the investigators will evaluate safety and tolerability of these treatment regimens, follow renal function and investigate the role of these treatments on acidosis, inflammatory and metabolic biomarkers in patients enrolled at an outpatient facility. Serial follow-up imaging study will also be done in selected patients. This study will establish the framework for larger clinical trials in ADPKD. Moreover, if the results of this study suggest safety/tolerability or potential benefits of statins and alkali therapy in this ADPKD population, the investigators will seek extramural funding for a larger clinical trial to test this therapeutic strategy in ADPKD.

02

Conditions studied

  • Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease
  • Chronic Kidney Diseases
03

In context

Polycystic Kidney, Autosomal Dominant

185 studies on the registry are indexed under Polycystic Kidney, Autosomal Dominant; 42 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 30 is below the median of 51 across 138 interventional studies indexed under Polycystic Kidney, Autosomal Dominant.

Browse Polycystic Kidney, Autosomal Dominant studies →

Lead sponsor

Taipei Medical University Shuang Ho Hospital is the lead sponsor of 102 studies on the registry; 19 are open to participants now.

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

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  1. Patient voluntarily gives to participate in the study and signed study's IC and HIPAA.
  2. Patient is age 18 or older at the time of consent.
  3. If applicable, female of (Females who are successfully sterilized (surgical sterilization methods include hysterectomy, bilateral tubal ligation, or bilateral oophorectomy) or are (defined as amenorrhea for at least 12 consecutive months) are not considered to be of reproductive potential) must be non-pregnant (as confirmed by a urine pregnancy test at screening) and non-lactating, and agree:

    1. Either abstain from intercourse (when it is in line with their preferred and usual lifestyle), or
    2. Use 2 medically acceptable, highly-effective forms of for the duration of study, and at least 30 days after discontinuing study drug (highly-effective forms of contraception can include approved hormonal contraceptives (oral, injectable, and implantable), and barrier methods (such as a condom or diaphragm) when used with a spermicide.))
  4. Patients has ADPKD diagnosed by unified criteria using a combination of ultrasound results, genotyping and MRI as needed (1, 2). Kidney ultrasound is usually used for screening because it is safe, effective, and inexpensive. Diagnostic criteria are based upon whether the genotype is known. Disease severity varies between the different genotypes. The great majority of patients at risk for ADPKD are from families with an unknown genotype. This diagnosis will take place prior to recruitment / inclusion into the study.

    The following ultrasonographic criteria for the diagnosis of ADPKD are for at-risk patients from families of where the genotype is not known:

    1. If the patient is between 18 and 39 years of age, at least three unilateral or bilateral kidney cysts. The specificity and positive predictive value at this age-range is 100 percent. (sensitivity of 82 and 96 percent for individuals between 15 and 29 years and between 30 to 39 years of age, respectively).
    2. If the patient is 40 to 59 years of age, at least two cysts in each kidney (sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value of 90, 100, and 100 percent, respectively).
    3. Among individuals 60 years or older, at least four cysts in each kidney. (100 percent sensitivity and specificity).
  5. The above patients with estimated ≥30 ml/min i.e. with stage 1-3b CKD
  6. Plasma bicarbonate ≤ 25 mMol/L
  7. Metabolic acidosis
  8. The patient agrees to immediately inform Investigator and research coordinator of any changes or planned changes in concomitant medication

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Patients with known allergy or sensitive to Atorvastatin or NaHCO3
  2. Acute coronary disease, liver disease, muscle disease, or a history of pulmonary edema
  3. Creatine Phospho Kinase (CPK) > 2ULN (2.5 in African Americans). Elevated creatine phosphokinase could be a marker of rhabdomyolysis, which is a potential side effect of pravastatin. In general, patients with African American ancestry can have higher normal level of CPK
  4. Patients with systemic disease that impacting kidney per Investigator's decision
  5. Patients with known unstable cerebral aneurysm per Investigator's decision
  6. Pregnancy or lactation, or patients who refuse to use recommended methods
  7. Proteinuria > 1000 mg/day
  8. History of non-compliance of medication per Investigator's decision
  9. Patients with uncontrolled hypertension, edema, or development of severe MA as per Investigator's decision
  10. History of cancer
  11. History of liver disease: hepatic failure/shock, cirrhosis
  12. Current or planned use of any of prohibited concomitant medication
  13. Patients with history of nephrolithiasis

Following medications prohibited at the time of enrollment and during the study and if the patient is started on these medications then the patient will be excluded from the study:

rapamycin or its analogues tolvaptan spironolactone cimetidine and ketoconazole erythromycin cyclosporine gemfibrozil colchicine niacin (>1 g/day) other lipid lowering medications in the class of statins

Terms in these criteria, in plain language(6)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Informed consent

Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.

You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.

Reproductive potential

Able to have children. For women this usually means from the first period until menopause, unless permanently unable to through surgery; for men, unless permanently sterile. Read who the line is about — participants, women, men, or their partners.

Criteria about it usually ask for contraception during the study and for a time after it.

Postmenopausal

Periods have stopped for good: usually no period for 12 months in a row without another medical reason, sometimes confirmed by a blood test (FSH).

Contraception

Ways of preventing pregnancy. “Highly effective” methods fail less than 1% of the time a year when used correctly — for example an IUD or an implant.

Criteria usually say which methods count and how long to keep using them after the last dose, sometimes for male participants too. Some studies accept a partner’s vasectomy if it was confirmed successful and that person is the participant’s only sexual partner.

GFR and eGFR (kidney filtering)

GFR (glomerular filtration rate) is how much blood the kidneys filter each minute. It is usually estimated from a blood test — eGFR, by formulas such as CKD-EPI or MDRD — and some studies ask for it to be measured directly instead. Usually given in mL/min/1.73 m².

Check the method, the units and the minimum the study states. A value of 90 or above is in the normal-or-high range, but kidney damage can show in other tests too.

ULN (upper limit of normal)

The top of the normal range for a blood test, as set by the laboratory that runs it. Each lab prints its own range next to your result.

“≤ 2.5 × ULN” means the result can be up to two and a half times that top value.

05

Study design

Phase
Phase 2
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
30 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • No intervention
    Control group

    Standard treatment alone

  • Active comparator
    Atorvastatin

    Standard treatment + Atorvastatin 20mg QD

    Drug: Atorvastatin 20 Mg Oral Tablet

  • Active comparator
    Atorvastatin AND Alkali

    Standard treatment + Atorvastatin 20mg QD + Sodium Bicarbonate therapy up to 1800mg per day

    Drug: Atorvastatin 20 Mg Oral Tablet · Drug: Sodium Bicarbonate 600 Mg Oral Tablet

Interventions

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Changes in kidney function in patients enrolled in different arms of the study

    The investigators will estimate the effect of Atorvastatin and NaHCO3 on kidney function in patients with ADPKD compared to Atorvastatin alone or Standard therapy: serum creatinine-derived estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) calculated by CKD-EPI equation, to evaluate kidney function.

    Time frame: 12 months

  2. Changes in kidney function in patients enrolled in different arms of the study

    The investigators will estimate the effect of Atorvastatin and NaHCO3 on kidney function in patients with ADPKD compared to Atorvastatin alone or Standard therapy: serum blood urea nitrogen (BUN), to evaluate kidney function.

    Time frame: 12 months

  3. Changes in kidney function in patients enrolled in different arms of the study

    The investigators will estimate the effect of Atorvastatin and NaHCO3 on kidney function in patients with ADPKD compared to Atorvastatin alone or Standard therapy: serum sodium level (Na), to evaluate kidney function.

    Time frame: 12 months

  4. Changes in kidney function in patients enrolled in different arms of the study

    The investigators will estimate the effect of Atorvastatin and NaHCO3 on kidney function in patients with ADPKD compared to Atorvastatin alone or Standard therapy: serum potassium level (K), to evaluate kidney function.

    Time frame: 12 months

  5. Changes in liver function in patients enrolled in different arms of the study

    The investigators will test liver function test panels in patients with ADPKD compared to Atorvastatin alone or Standard therapy. The liver function panel should be within normal limits for enrollment and continuation in the study. Liver function test with ALT will be evaluated at the end of the trial.

    Time frame: 12 months

  6. Changes in liver function in patients enrolled in different arms of the study

    The investigators will test liver function test panels in patients with ADPKD compared to Atorvastatin alone or Standard therapy. The liver function panel should be within normal limits for enrollment and continuation in the study. Liver function test with AST will be evaluated at the end of the trial.

    Time frame: 12 months

  7. Changes in liver function in patients enrolled in different arms of the study

    The investigators will test liver function test panels in patients with ADPKD compared to Atorvastatin alone or Standard therapy. The liver function panel should be within normal limits for enrollment and continuation in the study. Liver function test with total bilirubin will be evaluated at the end of the trial.

    Time frame: 12 months

  8. Changes in liver function in patients enrolled in different arms of the study

    The investigators will test liver function test panels in patients with ADPKD compared to Atorvastatin alone or Standard therapy. The liver function panel should be within normal limits for enrollment and continuation in the study. Liver function test with increase in prothrombin time will be evaluated at the end of the trial.

    Time frame: 12 months

  9. Changes in muscle injury marker function in patients enrolled in different arms of the study

    The investigators will estimate the effect of Atorvastatin and NaHCO3 on creatine phospho kinase (CPK) in patients with ADPKD compared to Atorvastatin alone or Standard therapy.

    Time frame: 12 months

  10. Changes in muscle tenderness in patients enrolled in the study

    The investigators will estimate the effect of Atorvastatin and NaHCO3 on muscle tenderness in patients with ADPKD compared to Atorvastatin alone or Standard therapy. The physical exam will evaluate tenderness to palpation in major muscle groups such as leg, arm and back muscles. It will be graded as presence or absence. The patients will only be enrolled if there is absence of tenderness in muscles upon palpation on physical exam. If there is tenderness on exam or the patient reports tenderness that is then confirmed by exam the patient will be removed from the study.

    Time frame: 12 months

  11. Changes in blood pressure in patients enrolled in different arms of the study

    The investigators will estimate the effect of Atorvastatin and NaHCO3 on blood pressure (systolic and diastolic) in patients with ADPKD compared to Atorvastatin alone or Standard therapy

    Time frame: 12 months

Secondary outcomes

  1. Urinary alkalinization changes

    These parameters will be ascertained by measurements of urinary pH.

    Time frame: 12 months

  2. Inflammatory markers in blood and urine

    The investigators will assess inflammatory markers (interleukins, prostaglandins and other cytokines) in leukocytes, plasma, and urine in the different study groups. The biomarkers that will be measured are HETE / HODE species phospho-AMPK Inflammatory and metabolic biomarkers: NGAL, KIM1 in blood and urine.

    Time frame: 12 months

  3. AMPK pathway activation

    The investigators will determine whether and to what extent the AMPK pathway is activated in leukocytes and urine derived from patients in the study groups at the different study visits. Concentration of AMPK pathway-related metabolites in serum and urine would be measured (Creatinine, Osmolality, Lactate, Pyruvate, Succinate, Total Protein, PKM2, LDHA, PDK1).

    Time frame: 12 months

07

Study locations

3 sites
08

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

09

Timeline

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
ElapsedEstimatedEstimated, not yet reachedSimilar studies: half by the dot; the band is the middle halfHalf of similar studies reached it by the dot; the band is the middle half, from a quarter to three quarters

Start is estimated for May 2023; primary completion for Dec 2025, 31 months later.

Of 17 phase 2 interventional studies under Polycystic Kidney, Autosomal Dominant, half reached primary completion within 39 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 18 and three quarters within 53. This study's planned 31 months is below that.

How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.

Registered
Apr 12, 2023
First posted
May 23, 2023
StartEst.
May 2023
Primary completionEst.
Dec 2025
CompletionEst.
Dec 2026
Last update
May 23, 2023
What these dates mean
Start.
When the first participant enrolled; while estimated, when the study expects to open to recruitment.
Primary completion.
When the last participant was examined or treated to collect data for the study's main question, its primary outcome. A study that stopped early gives the date its data collection stopped.
Completion.
When the last participant's last visit took place, for every outcome, secondary ones and side effects included: the end of the study. Often later than primary completion, sometimes the same day.
Actual and Est.
Actual means the registry says the date has happened. Est. (estimated) is a date the sponsor plans or expects. It can still move, and the sponsor is expected to change it to actual once it has passed.
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on May 23, 2023, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT05870007
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
May 23, 2023
Start date
May 2023 (estimated)
Primary completion
Dec 2025 (estimated)
Completion
Dec 2026 (estimated)
Last update
May 23, 2023

Oversight

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

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Studies of the drugs tested here: Atorvastatin · Sodium Bicarbonate

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