Effect of Citrate Dialysate on Vascular Calcification

April 15, 2026 updated by: Charles O'Neill, Emory University
The goal of this study is to determine whether hemodialysis with citrate slows the progression of vascular calcification. Participants will be dialyzed with one of two standard dialysis solutions, one with and one without citrate, for 12 months and then switched to the other solution for 12 months. Vascular calcification will be measured on mammograms that will be performed at 6-month intervals and additional blood samples will be obtained at 6-month intervals.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Vascular calcification is a significant problem in dialysis patients that leads to poor outcomes. Currently there is no therapy that directly addresses this problem. Some of the dialysis solutions (dialysates) currently in use contain citrate, a potent inhibitor of calcium precipitation. In particular, citrate can bind to nascent hydroxyapatite crystals and prevent their propagation. Blood citrate levels are greater after dialysis with citrate dialysates than with non-citrate dialysates, which could slow vascular calcification. However, this has never been investigated. Prior research has shown that arterial calcification can be easily detected and reliably measured on routine digital mammograms, with sufficient sensitivity to follow progression. Mammography is more sensitive in detecting arterial calcification than other imaging and associated with far less radiation and cost. This will allow the researchers to detect differences between citrate and non-citrate dialysates in a safe and convenient way. Participants will be dialyzed with one of two standard dialysis solutions, one with and one without citrate, for 12 months and then switched to the other solution for 12 months. Vascular calcification will be measured by mammography every 6 months. The endpoint will be the difference in the rate of progression of breast arterial calcification (BAC) between dialysis with citrate and non-citrate dialysates.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
54

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Georgia
      • Atlanta, Georgia, United States, 30318
        • Emory Dialysis at Northside
      • Atlanta, Georgia, United States, 30331
        • Emory Dialysis at Greenbriar
      • Decatur, Georgia, United States, 30033
        • Emory Dialysis at North Decatur
      • Decatur, Georgia, United States, 30034
        • Emory Dialysis at Candler

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • hemodialysis patients with BAC on mammograms

Exclusion Criteria:

  • current warfarin use
  • severe hyperparathyroidism (likely to undergo parathyroidectomy in the next 2 years)
  • difficulty controlling serum calcium (likely to require changes in dialysate calcium concentration in the next 2 years)
  • life expectancy < 2 years
  • prisoners
  • inability to give consent

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: Non-Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Citrate Dialysate then Standard Dialysate
Participants receiving hemodialysis using a citrate acid concentrate dialysate for the first year of the study, then receiving hemodialysis using a non-citrate acid concentrate dialysate (standard dialysate) for the second year of the study.
Device: Citrate Dialysate
Dialysate is generated during dialysate from two concentrates (acid concentrate and bicarbonate concentrate) mixed with treated water. When used, citrate is provided in the acid concentrate. The acid concentrate with citrate is approved for this use by the FDA and will be used according to standard procedures without altered dialysis machine settings.
Other Names:
  • Citrasate
Device: Standard Dialysate
Dialysate is generated during dialysate from two concentrates (acid concentrate and bicarbonate concentrate) mixed with treated water. The acid concentrate without citrate is approved for this use by the FDA and will be used according to standard procedures without altered dialysis machine settings.
Other Names:
  • Naturalyte
Active Comparator: Standard Dialysate then Citrate Dialysate
Participants receiving hemodialysis using a non-citrate acid concentrate dialysate for the first year of the study, then receiving hemodialysis using a citrate acid concentrate dialysate for the second year of the study.
Device: Citrate Dialysate
Dialysate is generated during dialysate from two concentrates (acid concentrate and bicarbonate concentrate) mixed with treated water. When used, citrate is provided in the acid concentrate. The acid concentrate with citrate is approved for this use by the FDA and will be used according to standard procedures without altered dialysis machine settings.
Other Names:
  • Citrasate
Device: Standard Dialysate
Dialysate is generated during dialysate from two concentrates (acid concentrate and bicarbonate concentrate) mixed with treated water. The acid concentrate without citrate is approved for this use by the FDA and will be used according to standard procedures without altered dialysis machine settings.
Other Names:
  • Naturalyte

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Length of Calcified Artery Segments
Time Frame: 3 measurements during 12 months of treatment for each study period (up to 24 months for both years of the study)
Rate of progression of breast arterial calcification (BAC) is calculated by linear regression of 3 mammograms over one year in each treatment arm (Months 0, 6 and 12 versus Months 12, 18 and 24). Progression of calcification is quantified as the length of calcified artery segments per year, measured in millimeters. Slower progression of vascular calcification, indicated by lower values, is a desirable outcome.
3 measurements during 12 months of treatment for each study period (up to 24 months for both years of the study)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Serum Ionized Calcium (iCa)
Time Frame: Pre-HD and Post-HD during each study period (up to 24 months for both years of the study)
Blood samples were drawn to assess mineral metabolism prior to hemodialysis (HD) and after HD. The values are the mean milligrams (mg) of ionized calcium per deciliter (dL) of blood from two measurements during each study period.
Pre-HD and Post-HD during each study period (up to 24 months for both years of the study)
Serum Magnesium (Mg)
Time Frame: Pre-HD and Post-HD during each study period (up to 24 months for both years of the study)
Blood samples were drawn to assess mineral metabolism prior to and after hemodialysis (HD). The values are mean milligrams (mg) of magnesium per deciliter (dL) of blood from two measurements during each study period.
Pre-HD and Post-HD during each study period (up to 24 months for both years of the study)
Plasma Citrate
Time Frame: Pre-HD and Post-HD during each study period (up to 24 months for both years of the study)
Blood samples were drawn to assess mineral metabolism prior to hemodialysis (HD) and after HD. The values are the mean from two measurements during each study period.
Pre-HD and Post-HD during each study period (up to 24 months for both years of the study)

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Emory University

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Fresenius Medical Care Renal Therapies Group (FMCRTG)

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: W. Charles O'Neill, MD, Emory University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
May 27, 2021

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
March 18, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
March 18, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
June 30, 2021

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 30, 2021

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
July 9, 2021

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
May 5, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
April 15, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • STUDY00002119

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

De-identified individual participant data collected during this trial may be made available for sharing with other researchers.

IPD Sharing Time Frame

Sharing will begin after publication of results from this study.

IPD Sharing Access Criteria

Individual participant data will be made available to researchers who provide a methodologically sound proposal in order to achieve aims in the approved proposal. Proposals should be directed to Dr. O'Neill at woneill@emory.edu.

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

Yes

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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