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Lower limb complications in hemodialysis patients

Diabetes | Blood Pressure | Hemodialysis | Dialysis | Kidney Disease | Leg Amputation

Cardiovascular disease is common among people with kidney failure. Though often not recognized, these circulatory problems often affect the blood vessels of the legs resulting in difficulty walking, foot wounds, and in some cases, amputation. However, we do not have accurate screening tests to identify circulatory problems at an early stage, before complications develop.

We propose that the smaller blood vessels in the muscle could be tested to detect circulatory problems before complications develop. Before we test whether these novel tests can prevent complications from poor leg circulation, we will first use this study to see if these tests are acceptable to patients and practical to do.

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Participation Requirements

  • Sex:

    Any
  • Eligible Ages:

    18 and up

Participation Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:
Started hemodialysis within last 6 months or have severe kidney disease approaching kidney replacement/dialysis, have at least one upper and lower limb available for measurements (arm and leg), and able to lie down on your back and on your side.

Healthy controls: adults (age 18 years or older), non-smokers, no history of cardiovascular disease (e.g. heart disease), no symptoms of cardiovascular disease (e.g. chest pain), no diabetes or kidney disease, and resting blood pressure is lower than 140/90 mmHg.
Exclusion Criteria:
-Have a severe blockage in the arteries of the lower extremities causing pain at rest or nighttime
-Have severely infected/dead tissue in lower limbs or wounds
-Have an acute kidney injury (i.e. short duration) and it is expected that you will recover your kidney function

Study Location

University of Alberta
University of Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada

Contact Study Team

Primary Contact

Rachelle Davies

[email protected]
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Study Sponsored By
University of Alberta
Participants Required
More Information
Study ID: Pro00115743