The renal department at the Royal Hospital for Children (RHC), Glasgow is active in many kinds of research, trying to answer questions that are important to our kidney patients. Though much of the research is based in Glasgow, it is often possible to offer participation to children and young people from all over Scotland.
Purposes/benefits of clinical research:
1. How we discover new treatments and prove that they are safe and effective.
2. How we find out new information about the conditions that we deal with.
3. Helps us to understand the journeys and complications that our children and families face.
Current Research Studies
1. For patients on HAEMODIALYSIS – a study testing a drug used in adults to treat the severe itch that can affect some patients with kidney failure. This study is looking to see if the same drug also works well in children, and whether there are any side-effects. (KOR-PED 202)
2. For patients on HAEMODIALYSIS – a study testing a drug used in adults to help treat the bone disease that is caused by kidney failure. This study is looking to see if a drug can be given at the time of dialysis to help improve bone hormone levels.
3. For patients with a TRANSPLANT – a study testing a new vaccine against shingles, already given to adult patients. This study is looking to see if the vaccine works in children, and whether the side-effects are the same in adults and children. (ZOSTER-47)
4. For patients on any kind of DIALYSIS – a study looking at the emotional and psychological effects of waiting and getting a transplant. This is a questionnaire-based study. Please note, this study has finished recruiting with patients now in follow-up.
5. For patients with NEPHROTIC SYNDROME/PROTEINUIRA – studies looking at new drugs that can help reduce the protein leak when steroids are not working. There are two studies with two different drugs, to see if these medicines work as well as they do in adult patients. (The EPPIK and FIONA studies).
6. For patients with HIGH POTASSIUM – a study to see if a new medicine can bring potassium levels down back to normal. This study is testing a medicine already used in adult patients, to see if the medicine works well in children. (LO-KELMA)
7. For patients with ANEMIA OF CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE – a study looking at a new type of tablet medicine that can be used to treat anaemia, instead of the injections that are currently used. This medicine is already used in adults; the study is investigating if side-effects and how well it works in children is the same.
8. For patients with CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE – a study looking at physical activity to see if children with CKD are less active than other children, and what effect that may have on them.
9. For patients with a TRANSPLANT – a study looking at physical activity after transplant, to see if an online exercise program can be helpful (BEAM-KIDS)
Our Research
We also have our own innovation happening here! The team have a Kidney Research UK/Stoneygate Innovation Grant to develop a virtual reality application to help in teaching families and staff about peritoneal dialysis. This is very exciting work in progress!
There is also a study looking back at all the children who have had E.coli haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) and how they have done in adult life. This study also got some funding from Kidney Research UK.
If you would like to know more about any of these research projects or want to be involved at some point in the future, contact the team! Ben Reynolds is the lead for research and can be contacted on ben.reynolds@ggc.scot.nhs.uk.