Sodium Accumulation Study in Haemodialysis: Brain Study
This research is looking into a special type of MRI scan that can measure the amount of salt in different parts of your body, including your brain. Salt levels are very important for your health, and having too much can lead to problems like high blood pressure, especially for people with kidney disease. While we can easily check salt in your blood, it's been difficult to see how much salt is in other areas of the body, like your skin or brain. This new scan allows us to do just that. We hope this will help us better understand how salt levels might affect memory and thinking problems sometimes seen in people on kidney dialysis.
At a glance
What is this study about?
You're probably familiar with MRI scans – they use strong magnets and radio waves to create detailed pictures inside your body. This study uses a new, more advanced type of MRI, often called Sodium MRI (Na-MRI). Instead of just taking pictures of water in your body like a standard MRI, this special scan can measure the amount of 'sodium', which is salt, in different parts of your body, including your skin, muscles, kidneys, and importantly, your brain.
Why is this important? Your kidneys normally do a great job of controlling the amount of salt in your body. But if you have kidney disease and are on dialysis, this balance becomes much harder to manage. We know that high salt levels can contribute to high blood pressure and heart problems. Also, many people on long-term dialysis can experience issues with their memory and thinking skills, like planning and focusing. Scientists don't fully understand why these memory and thinking changes happen.
This study aims to discover if salt building up in the brain could be a part of these memory and thinking problems for people on dialysis. By using this new Na-MRI scan, researchers hope to get a clearer picture of what's happening and eventually find better ways to guide treatment for people with kidney disease.
Key takeaways
- The study uses a new MRI scan to measure salt levels in the body and brain.
- It aims to understand if salt buildup affects memory and thinking in dialysis patients.
- This research hopes to improve future treatments for people with kidney disease.
- Participants must be on haemodialysis, aged 50-75, and meet specific health criteria.
- The study involves MRI scans and other assessments.
- Participation is voluntary, and you can withdraw at any time.
Who may be eligible?
To be able to take part in this study, you would need to be between 50 and 75 years old. You must also be a man or a woman who has chronic kidney disease (stage 5) and has been receiving haemodialysis treatment for at least three months.
You also need to be able to understand simple instructions in English, especially for the MRI scan, and understand what the study involves and what will be asked of you. This is important for your safety and to make sure you're comfortable participating.
You would not be able to join if you have an active infection, cancer, or are pregnant. Also, if you have any metal in your body (like a pacemaker or certain implants) or suffer from claustrophobia, you wouldn't be able to have an MRI scan, so you wouldn't be eligible for this study.
- Are you between 50 and 75 years old?
- Do you have chronic kidney disease (stage 5)?
- Have you been on haemodialysis for at least 3 months?
- Can you understand simple instructions in English?
- Do you have any metal implants or severe claustrophobia that would prevent an MRI scan?
- Do you have any active infections or cancer presently?
This is a guide only — the research team will confirm whether you can take part.
What does participation involve?
The detailed information about what taking part involves is not fully provided in this summary. However, based on the study information, if you join, you would likely have one or more special MRI scans, called Sodium MRI (Na-MRI), of your brain and possibly other parts of your body like your skin or muscles. These scans help measure the amount of salt in these areas. You would also have routine blood tests and other assessments related to your health and memory/thinking abilities. The length of time you'd be involved in the study and how many visits you would need are not specified here, but this would be fully explained to you before you agree to take part.
Potential risks and benefits
Locations (1)
- Centre for Kidney Research and InnovationDerby, United Kingdom· Recruiting
Common questions
What is 'Sodium MRI'?
It's a special type of MRI scan that can measure how much salt is in different parts of your body, not just take pictures of water like a regular MRI.
Why are you studying salt in the brain?
We want to see if salt building up in the brain could be linked to memory and thinking problems that some people on dialysis experience.
Will I get any treatment if I join?
This is a research study to understand more about your condition, not a treatment study. You won't receive extra treatment specifically for this study.
How long will I be in the study?
The information doesn't say exactly, but you'll be told about the total duration of your participation and how many visits are needed before you decide to join.
Is the Sodium MRI safe?
Yes, Sodium MRI is generally considered very safe, similar to a standard MRI scan. You'll be screened carefully to make sure it's safe for you.
How to find out more
Rebecca A Noble, BMBS
Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.
Interested in taking part?
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