SECTION 02

Mobilizing Research

Can-SOLVE CKD was created to transform treatment and care for Canadians affected by chronic kidney disease. At the core of this commitment is an ambitious research program designed in partnership with patients.

SECTION 02

Mobilizing Research

Can-SOLVE CKD was created to transform treatment and care for Canadians affected by chronic kidney disease. At the core of this commitment is an ambitious research program designed in partnership with patients.

Our research aims to improve the lives of people with kidney disease.

During our first phase, 18 research teams developed projects seeking to diagnose kidney disease earlier, discover better treatments, and deliver innovative patient-centred care. These projects took many forms: treatment and education interventions, e-health decision aids, and clinical trials testing new therapies.

At the provincial level, Can-SOLVE CKD research is already improving living donor kidney transplantation, supporting self-management of kidney disease, and enhancing kidney health screening in rural and remote Indigenous communities.

Now, as we move into Phase 2, our focus shifts to mobilizing these and other innovations and implementing them into health care policy and practice on a national scale.

By the numbers

0
publications during 2021/22 fiscal year
0+
publications since 2016
0+
total citations
0%
of publications include patients as co-authors

Research highlights

Kidney Check

Point-of-care kidney health screening in rural and remote Indigenous communities

Outcomes

  • 20+ community visits in British Columbia First Nations
  • 325+ individuals screened
  • Strategy for authentic community engagement
  • Risk-calculator app developed and validated

Future Directions

  • Integration with provincial health care systems
  • Indigenous coaches to mobilize knowledge within communities
  • Evaluation to understand Indigenous peoples’ experiences and perceptions of living with CKD

Publications

Increasing the use of living donor kidney transplantation

Developing solutions to help overcome barriers to living donation

Outcomes

  • Created Transplant Ambassador Program (200+ Ambassadors across Ontario and the Atlantic provinces, 23 different languages, 8000+ meaningful patient interactions)
  • Embedded a complex learning healthcare system across all participating renal programs and transplant centres, resulting in an ongoing culture shift among centre staff where they are committed to learning throughout all improvement initiatives, making robust assessments of quality improvement activities the status quo.
  • Evaluated Ontario living donor candidate assessment process and identified potential efficiencies
  • Created Dialysis vs. Transplant risk calculator (100+ app downloads)

Future Directions

  • Expand TAP at CKD programs across Canada
  • Set national goals for efficient donor candidate evaluation
  • Pilot test a one-day donor evaluation

Publications

STOP Med-HD

Developing tools to reduce the use of unnecessary medications in hemodialysis patients

Outcomes

  • Developed and validated a set of deprescribing algorithms for identifying unnecessary medications taken by dialysis patients
  • Created information tools (e.g., infographics, videos) to help patients understand which medications can be stopped safely
  • Pilot study found tools effective at decreasing pill burden

Future Directions

  • Implementing the deprescribing tools in hemodialysis clinics across Canada
  • Studying barriers and facilitators to widespread adoption of the deprescribing tools

Publications

APPROACH

Developing an information and communication tool to help patients with CKD make decisions about treatments for heart disease

Outcomes

  • Created an e-health tool (My Heart Care and CKD) to support CKD patients in discussing heart disease treatment options with their care team
  • The tool delivers personalized risk-benefit information about tests and procedures related to heart health

Future Directions

  • Implementing the decision tool in a pilot trial at sites across Canada
  • Evaluating the tool’s use in supporting decision-making and improving communication between patients and clinicians
  • Developing additional supports to meet the needs of underserved populations

Publications

My Kidneys My Health

Empowering patients to self-manage their chronic kidney disease to improve disease progression and overall patient experience

Outcomes

  • Created an evidence-based e-health website (My Kidneys My Health) designed by patients, for patients
  • Customizable content and tools for patients with early-stage CKD and those with changing health care needs
  • Feasibility study shows that the site can improve self-efficacy

Future Directions

  • Enhancing the My Kidneys My Health website to support the unique characteristics, preferences and needs of diverse populations (Indigenous, gender-diverse, ethnic minority populations)
  • Integrating elements of peer-support into the site

Publications

ACHIEVE

Determining if spironolactone reduces heart-related deaths and hospitalizations due to heart failure

Outcomes

  • Large international trial in nine countries (Canada, Australia, Uruguay, Brazil, India, the Philippines, New Zealand, Malaysia, and Ecuador)
  • More than 2,200 participants recruited to date

Future Directions

  • Evaluating how often heart problems occur in patients who take spironolactone compared to placebo
  • Evaluating whether spironolactone changes patients’ quality of life or physical symptoms after dialysis
  • Potential to broadly change how dialysis patients are treated

Publications

DISCO

Determining whether gabapentin, pramipexole, or both should be offered to patients receiving dialysis who suffer from restless legs

Outcomes

  • Randomized trial looking at a combination of two low-dose medications that target the pathways involved in restless legs
  • 72 patients recruited at 10 sites across Canada

Future Directions

  • Evaluating whether gabapentin and pramipexole work alone or together to reduce the symptoms of restless legs in patients receiving dialysis
  • Conducting further studies aimed at treatments for other symptoms (e.g., itch) and other treatments for restless legs

Publications

Dr. Marisa Battistella

Project Lead (STOP Med-HD)

“Being a part of the Can-SOLVE CKD Network has transformed the way I approach research. Working with patients has enriched our project in so many different ways we could not have anticipated. Can-SOLVE CKD is at the leading edge of a culture change in research that will make it more person-centred and responsive to the needs of patients.”

2021/22 Publications

Title Journal Authors Project/Committee
Defining the Scope of Knowledge Translation Within a National, Patient-Oriented Kidney Research Network Canadian Journal of Kidney Health and Disease Elliott MJ, Allu S, Beaucage M, McKenzie S, Kappel J, Harvey R, Morrin L, Soroka S, Graham J, Harding C, Pinsk M, Harris H, Tang M, Manns B. Knowledge User/Knowledge Translation Committee
Wabishki Bizhiko Skaanj: a learning pathway to foster better Indigenous cultural competence in Canadian health research Canadian Journal of Public Health Robinson-Settee H, Settee C, King M, Beaucage M, Smith M, Desjarlais A, Chiu HH, Turner C, Kappel J, McGavock JM. Indigenous Peoples’ Engagement and Research Council
Re-Envisioning the Canadian Nephrology Trials Network: A Can-SOLVE-CKD Stakeholder Meeting of Patient Partners and Researchers Canadian Journal of Kidney Health and Disease Murdoch A, Tennankore KK, Bohm C, Clase CM, Levin A, Vorster H, Suri RS Canadian Nephrology Trials Network
Comparison of Clinical and Social Characteristics of Canadian Youth Living with Type 2 and Type 1 Diabetes Canadian Journal of Diabetes Carino M, Elia Y, Sellers E, Curtis J, McGavock J, Scholey J, Hamilton J, Clarson C, Pinto T, Hadjiyannakis S, Mertens L. iCARE/AdDIT
Cardiovascular comorbidity associated with albuminuria in youth onset type 2 diabetes: analysis from the iCARE study Canadian Journal of Diabetes Sellers EAC, Dart AB, McGavock J, Wicklow BA iCARE
Impact of a screen, triage and treat program for identifying chronic disease risk in Indigenous children Canadian Medical Association Journal Frejuk KL, Harasemiw O, Komenda P, Lavallee B, McLeod L, Chartrand C, Di Nella M, Ferguson TW, Martin H, Wicklow B, Dart AB. Kidney Check
Development of a patient-reported outcome measure for the assessment of symptom burden in pediatric chronic kidney disease (PRO-Kid) Pediatric Nephrology Jawa NA, Rapoport A, Widger K, Zappitelli M, Davison SN, Jha S, Dart AB, Matsuda-Abedini M. PRO-Kid
Evaluation of novel glomerular filtration rate estimation equations in adolescents and young adults with type 1 diabetes Journal of Diabetes and its Complications Gaebe K, White CA, Mahmud FH, Scholey JW, Elia YT, Sochett EB, Cherney DZ. AdDIT
Impact of point-of-care screening for hypertension, diabetes and progression of chronic kidney disease in rural Manitoba Indigenous communities Canadian Medical Association Journal Harasemiw O, Ferguson T, Lavallee B, McLeod L, Chartrand C, Rigatto C, Tangri N, Dart A, Komenda P. Kidney Check
Coming full circle: patient and physician reunite in kidney research network Canadian Medical Association Journal Collister D, Desjarlais A. Patient Governance Circle
Three week compared to seven week run-in period length and the assessment of pre-randomization adherence: A study within a trial Contemporary Clinical Trials Collister D, Mbuagbaw L, Guyatt G, Devereaux PJ, Tennankore KK, Reis G, Sola L, Xavier D, Jha V, Gallagher M, Dans AL, Liu W, de Zoysa J, Félix C, Mark PB, Li Z, Tyrwhitt J, Wilkinson J, Sheridan P, Yuan F, Walsh M; ACHIEVE investigators. ACHIEVE
Tissue Sodium Storage in Patients With Heart Failure: A New Therapeutic Target? Circulation: Cardiovascular Imaging Lemoine S, Salerno FR, Akbari A, McKelvie RS, McIntyre CW. NaMRI
Burden of mental health symptoms and perceptions of their management in in-centre hemodialysis care: a mixed methods study Journal of Patient-Reported Outcomes Schick-Makaroff K, Wozniak LA, Short H, Davison SN, Klarenbach S, Buzinski R, Walsh M, Johnson JA. EMPATHY
Patient-reported outcome measures in the care of in-centre hemodialysis patients Journal of Patient-Reported Outcomes Davison SN, Klarenbach S, Manns B, Schnick-Makaroff K, Buzinski R, Corradetti B, Short H, Johnson JA. EMPATHY
Mapping the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System-Revised: Renal to the EQ-5D-5L in patients with chronic kidney disease Quality of Life Research Wen J, Jin X, Al Sayah F, Short H, Ohinmaa A, Davison SN, Walsh M, Johnson JA. EMPATHY
Patient, Caregiver, and Provider Perspectives on Improving Information Delivery in Hemodialysis: A Qualitative Study Canadian Journal of Kidney Health and Disease Ferreira da Silva P, Talson MD, Finlay J, Rossum K, Soroka KV, McCormick M, Desjarlais A, Vorster H, Fontaine G, Sass R, James M, Sood MM, Tong A, Pannu N, Tennankore K, Thompson S, Tonelli M, Bohm C. Triple I
Voicing Individual Concerns for Engagement in Hemodialysis (VOICE-HD): A Mixed Method, Randomized Pilot Trial of Digital Health in Dialysis Care Delivery Canadian Journal of Kidney Health and Disease Thompson S, Schick-Makaroff K, Bello A, Tonelli M, Wiebe N, Buzinski R, Courtney M, Szigety S, Shah N, Bohm C. Triple I
Development and Preliminary Psychometric Testing of an Adult Chronic Kidney Disease Self-Management (CKD-SM) Questionnaire Canadian Journal of Kidney Health and Disease Smekal MD, Donald M, Beanlands H, Straus S, Herrington G, Waldvogel B, Sparkes D, Delgado M, Bello A, Hemmelgarn BR Self-Management
Management of severe polyuria in idiopathic Fanconi syndrome Pediatric Nephrology Filler G, Geda R, Salerno F, Zhang YC, de Ferris MED, McIntyre CW NaMRI
Animal, Human, and 23 Na MRI Imaging Evidence for the Negative Impact of High Dietary Salt in Children Current Pediatric Reports Filler G, Salerno F, McIntyre CW, de Ferris MED NaMRI
A Quality Improvement Intervention to Enhance Access to Kidney Transplantation and Living Kidney Donation (EnAKT LKD) in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease: Clinical Research Protocol of a Cluster-Randomized Clinical Trial Canadian Journal of Kidney Health and Disease Yohanna S, Naylor KL, Mucsi I, McKenzie S, Belenko D, Blake PG, Coghlan C, Dixon SN, Elliott L, Getchell L, Ki V, Nesrallah G, Patzer RE, Presseau J, Reich M, Sontrop JM, Treleaven D, Waterman AD, Zaltzman J, Garg AX Living Donor
Patient Perspectives on Integrating Risk Prediction Into Kidney Care: Opinion Piece Canadian Journal of Kidney Health and Disease Sparkes D, Lee L, Rutter B, Harasemiw O, Thorsteinsdottir B, Tangri N KFRE
Program Report: Can-SOLVE CKD Network Presents an Inclusive Method for Developing Patient-Oriented Research Tools Canadian Journal of Kidney Health and Disease Getchell LE, Fowler E, Reich M, Allu S, Boucher C, Burns K, Desjarlais A, L’Esperance A, Elliott M, Robinson-Settee H, Chiu HH, Rosenblum ND, Settee C, Murdoch A, Dew S, Green A, Franson L, Bernstein E, Sparkes D, Turner C, Fernandez N, Sapir-Pichhadze R. Training & Mentorship Committee
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescents and young adults living with type 2 diabetes Canadian Journal of Diabetes Carino M, Quill Z, Gabbs M, Sellers E, Hamilton J, Pinto T, Jetha M, Ho J, Alecio OG, Dart A, Wicklow B iCARE
Functional Sodium MRI Helps to Measure Corticomedullary Sodium Content in Normal and Diseased Human Kidneys Radiology Akbari A, Lemoine S, Salerno F, Marcus TL, Duffy T, Scholl TJ, Filler G, House AA, McIntyre CW. NaMRI
Protocol for a Process Evaluation of the Quality Improvement Intervention to Enhance Access to Kidney Transplantation and Living Kidney Donation (EnAKT LKD) Cluster-Randomized Clinical Trial Canadian Journal of Kidney Health and Disease Yohanna S, Wilson M, Naylor KL, Garg AX, Sontrop JM, Belenko D, Elliott L, McKenzie S, Macanovic S, Mucsi I, Patzer R, Voronin I, Lui I, Blake PG, Waterman AD, Treleaven D, Presseau J. Living Donor