Overview
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With some studies, you will need to attend the research facility, normally
one of the main US vet schools. However, distance participation is possible
with some of the studies.
Pros
and Cons of Participating in Research Studies
There are often
some advantages to participating in research studies. Your cat will
usually receive a number of tests, such as bloodwork or ultrasound, for
free. Sometimes you receive other types of payment, such as cash or free
food. And of course your cat will receive whatever treatment is being
tested for free. This may even be a treatment that is not yet commercially
available. Plus participating in research can help develop treatments that
help other cats in the future.
On the
downside, you will usually have to find the time to go for regular check
ups, which are sometimes as often as weekly, and for some studies your cat
will need to be hospitalised. You also need to be
aware that your cat may receive a placebo, i.e. a dummy treatment that
does not contain the active ingredient. If, for example, you are
participating in a trial of a treatment for nausea, 50% of the cats
participating will usually receive the treatment, but the other 50% will
be receiving a placebo. You will not normally know which group your cat is
in, so your cat might be suffering from nausea and receiving nothing to
help.
University of Missouri Veterinary Health Center
explains more about how clinical trials work and the implications
of taking part in them.
Studies in
the USA
There are thirty
accredited vet schools in the USA, but not all of them conduct studies into
feline health. I check them all at intervals to see what research they are
conducting. Below I list the current trials I am aware of that may be of
use to CKD cats.
American Veterinary Medical Association
maintains a database of trials across the USA and Canada.
Current Studies in
the USA
Anaemia
Gene Study
CKD cats
are prone to developing anaemia because the kidneys produce a hormone
(erythropoietin) which stimulates the bone marrow to make red blood cells,
but damaged kidneys find it hard to do this, so anaemia results. There are
treatments currently available, including the use of
human erythropoietin, but they have potential downsides, so there is
interest in finding safer alternatives.
ScoutBio
is running a trial for a gene treatment for CKD-related anaemia at a
number of locations throughout the USA. The study requires one
injection, which it is hoped will enable the cat's body to start
producing erythropoietin again so the anaemia resolves permanently. The
cat will be monitored for 70 days following the injection.
A much earlier trial,
Expression of erythropoietin in cats treated with
a recombinant adeno-associated viral vector
(2005) Walker MC, Mandell TC, Crawford PC, Simon Gg, Cahill KS,
Fernandes PJ, MacLeod JN, Byrne BJ & Levy JK American Journal of
Veterinary Research 66(3) pp450-456, gave "intramuscular
injections of of a recombinant adeno-associated virus serotype 2 (rAAV2)
vector containing feline erythropoietin cDNA" into ten healthy seven
week old kittens (poor babies). One of the kittens developed
PRCA, a potential
problem with erythropoietin too; kittens receiving lower doses had no
response; whereas some of the kittens developed HCT levels (a measure of
anaemia) that were too high, and removing the part of the muscle where
the injection was given did not resolve the problem in every case. I
presume this new trial is not anticipating such problems but you might
wish to talk to the relevant parties before pursuing this option.
Animal Medical Center, New York City
Pilot
study to assess the safety and effectivenees of a novel injectable gene therapy
(SB-001) for cats with chronic kidney disease-associated
anemia that replaces the function of feline erythropoietin
AMC describes this study as "utilizing feline DNA transgene construct expressing
erythropoeitin for the treatment of chronic kidney disease associated
anemia in cats." I believe it is part of the
ScoutBio trial
discussed above.
NC
State University College of Veterinary
Medicine
Pilot study to evaluate the effectiveness and field
safety of SB-001 for the treatment of anemia associated with chronic kidney
disease in cats
This is described as "a new therapy." It is a one-off injection followed
by monitoring for 70 days, so
I believe it is part of the
ScoutBio trial
discussed above.
The trial closes on 1 August 2021.
Feline
Erythropoietin for Anaemia
This study is looking at a form of feline erythropoietin, unlike the
studies above which are implanting a gene.
Your cat will receive an injection of feline erythropoietin every week
for the first four weeks, then rechecks and further injections as
appropriate every two weeks for the next eight weeks. If your cat
achieves a PCV of 35%, the frequency of the injections may be reduced.
For the next three months your cat will be checked monthly. All costs
and blood tests associated with the trial are covered, and if your cat
completes the full 24 weeks of the trial, you will receive US$500.
The study is running at three universities but they have slightly
different participation criteria.
University of Georgia
Dose-ranging efficacy study in cats with non-regenerative anemia due to chronic kidney
disease (IRIS stages 2 and 3)
University of
California at Davis
New treatment for anemia associated with chronic kidney disease in
cats
This study appears to be largely the same as the feline erythropoietin
trial at the Universities of Georgia and Minnesota. One potential
stumbling block is that cats receiving daily fluid therapy are not
eligible.
University of
Minnesota
Feline free study
This study appears to be largely the same as the feline erythropoietin
trial at the Universities of Georgia and California at Davis. Cats
receiving daily fluid therapy are not eligible.
Omeprazole at
NC
State University
Evaluation of the effect of omeprazole on clinical
signs in cats with chronic kidney disease
Omeprazole is a proton pump inhibitor which may be used in cats with
appetite loss, nausea and vomiting. The study aims to assess the
effectiveness of omeprazole in CKD cats for reducing these symptoms.
There is more information about omeprazole
here.
Enrolment ends on 31 July 2020.
Antibiotic
(enrofloxacin or Baytril) and CKD:
University of California at Davis
Antibiotics and kidney disease in cats
This study is looking at whether cats with CKD eliminate
enrofloxacin (Baytril) more slowly than healthy cats. The cat will
receive one injection of enrofloxacin and will have to stay overnight
for testing purposes.
Variations in Bloodwork: Oregon State
University
Variation in serum chemistry analytes in
cats with chronic kidney disease
This study
is looking at how routine bloodwork varies in CKD cats. Your cat would
receive weekly blood tests for six weeks.
Aluminium
Concentrations:
Ohio State University
Aluminum concentrations in cats with kidney
disease
Since phosphorus levels often rise in CKD cats, treatments called
phosphorus binders are often necessary, and one commonly used phosphorus
binder is aluminium hydroxide. There is some
concern about the possible risk of aluminium toxicity
in cats using aluminium hydroxide based binders, but it is not known
what is a normal aluminium level in cats. This study aims to ascertain
normal blood aluminium levels in healthy cats and CKD cats, and check
the effect of aluminium hydroxide binders on blood aluminium levels.
Enrolment ends on 01 February 2021
Aluminium Food Cans:
Ohio State University
Effect of aluminum food cans on cats with kidney disease
Since phosphorus levels often rise in CKD cats, treatments called
phosphorus binders are often necessary, and one commonly used phosphorus
binder is aluminium hydroxide. There is some
concern about the possible risk of aluminium toxicity
in cats using aluminium hydroxide based binders. This study
aims to determine blood aluminium levels in CKD cats to see if diet
influences them.
Enrolment ends on 01 February 2021.
Amyloidosis: University of Missouri
Lyons Feline Genetics Laboratory at the University
of Missouri
A research project in the USA and Europe where you can
provide blood or buccal samples from Siamese and Oriental cats to assist
with research into feline amyloidosis.
Prof Maria Longeri
University of Milan
maria.longeri@unimi.it
Studies in Countries Other Than the USA
See immediately
above for details of the amyloidosis study which is available in Europe.
Please see
below for information about
studies at the Royal Veterinary College in the UK.
Donations to Feline
CKD Research
Buttons Feline Kidney
Research Fund
Buttons Feline Kidney Research Fund
is a fund set up to finance CKD research by
Dr Jessica Quimby,
the leading researcher into CKD in cats. Dr Quimby was previously at Colorado State University and
is now at Ohio State University, where the fund
is based.
Foundation for Feline
Renal Research
The Foundation for Feline Renal Research
is currently funding two studies at the Royal Veterinary College in
the UK;
Unravelling the genetic basis of blood pressure and
kidney function in the cat is a
2018 update on the first study.
Exploring the role of chronic inflammation in the
pathogenesis of feline chronic kidney disease reports
on a newer study launched in 2019.