Extrait

Background and study aims Patients who are require haemodialysis (HD) (commonly known as kidney dialysis) need help to remove waste from their blood. This means that they often become frail earlier and quicker. Frailty describes a set of conditions which make patients vulnerable to sudden changes in health. This is due to both to a number of traditional factors (e.g. muscle wasting) which is very common in this population and to unique factors associated with end stage kidney disease (e.g. high levels of physical inactivity). Outcomes for frail HD patients are very poor. They are approximately five times more likely to fall than healthy older adults and more likely to break a bone as a result. Frailty and falls are also associated with reduced quality of life, loss of independence and increased use of health services. Programmes to address frailty and falls in HD patients have received little research attention. Other patients who are frail or might fall have exercise programmes designed to help them, but they haven’t been tested in HD patients. Studies into exercise training for HD patients are urgently needed, as well as a detailed understanding of patients’ experiences of frailty and falls from their own perspectives. The aim of this study is to explore the experiences of HD patients who fall and may be frail, their perceptions of a specific exercise intervention to address frailty and falls and whether patients would be prepared to take part in a bigger study. Who can participate? Adults aged 18 and older who have received haemodialysis for three months or longer and have fallen or are at risk of falling. What does the study involve? Participants are asked to take part in an interview to find out more about their experiences, thoughts and feelings of living with dialysis and falling. Afterwards they are asked to keep a diary for up to three months. They will use the diary to record their experiences of living with kidney disease and dialysis and, if they experience a fall, what happens and how they feel about it. Once participants have finished recording their diaries, they are asked to take part in a final interview to ask them more about what they have recorded in their diaries, their experiences about falling and frailty and what they think about a specific frailty and falls programme in the future. What are the possible benefits and risks of participating? There are no notable benefits to participants, however participants may find documenting and discussing their thoughts and experiences helpful. There are no notable risks with participants however this study may bring up areas where participants have experienced, or continue to experience difficulties. Participants are free not to tell the research team about anything they don’t feel comfortable to and may stop the interview at any time. If the participant is experiencing a lot of difficulties the research team may ask them if they wish to speak about it with their Nephrology team. Where is the study run from? University of Leicester (UK) When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for? September 2016 to March 2020 Who is funding the study? National Institute for Health Research (UK) Who is the main contact? Mrs Hannah Young [email protected]

Critère d'inclusion

• Specialty: Renal disorders, Primary sub-specialty: Renal disorders; UKCRC code/ Disease: Renal and Urogenital/ Renal failure

Liens

• isrctn