Lifestyle Intervention In CKD (CKD-LIFE)

June 8, 2026 updated by: Duke University

Multi-component Lifestyle Intervention to Improve Outcomes in Chronic Kidney Disease

This research study will test whether a 12-week healthy lifestyle program offered through a cardiac rehabilitation center can help lower blood pressure and improve kidney health in adults with advanced chronic kidney disease. Participants will be randomly assigned to either routine kidney health education or take part in a program that includes healthy eating guidance, supervised exercise sessions, and wellness coaching. The goal of the study is to determine whether this program can improve blood pressure and other factors linked to worsening kidney disease.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet recruiting

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

This single-site randomized controlled trial will evaluate the blood pressure and kidney effects of a 12-week structured, cardiac rehabilitation-based lifestyle intervention in adults with advanced chronic kidney disease. Participants will be randomized to usual care or a multi-component, cardiac rehabilitation center-based lifestyle intervention, including diet modification, supervised exercise, and wellness counseling. The study aims to determine whether the intervention improves systolic blood pressure and related determinants of chronic kidney disease progression.

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 (Estimated)

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.
152

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.

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

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Black race; ≥18 years old
  • history of hypertension
  • SBP ≥120 or DBP ≥80 mm Hg average of three measurements at screening visit (per KDIGO recommended SBP target of <120 mm Hg)48
  • Stable anti-hypertensive medication regimen (i.e., no medication changes 4 weeks prior to enrollment);
  • eGFR of 15-44 ml/min/1.73m2 at screening visit
  • agreeable to randomization to either of the 2 study arms

Exclusion Criteria:

  • currently receiving or needing dialysis; having received or needing a kidney transplant
  • acute kidney injury at time of screening
  • average SBP ≥ 180 mm Hg or DBP ≥ 110 mm Hg at screening
  • Exaggerated systolic response during ETT (e.g., SBP >210 mmHg in men or >190 mmHg in women)
  • underweight (BMI <18.5 kg/m2)
  • planned weight loss surgery in 1 year
  • a score of 27 or higher on the BP medication adherence scale
  • cardiac condition that would preclude participation in aerobic exercise training, including severe ischemic heart disease (CCS Class 3 or 4 angina or evidence of ischemia at <85% heart rate reserve on screening treadmill testing), severe heart failure (NYHA Class 3 or 4), high grade arrhythmias, severe valvular heart disease
  • severe asthma or chronic obstructive lung disease
  • musculoskeletal or neurologic conditions that would preclude participation in aerobic exercise training
  • a major psychiatric disorder
  • illicit drug abuse
  • current alcohol consumption >14 drinks/week for men and >7 drinks/week for women
  • pregnant or planned pregnancy within 1 year
  • gastric bypass surgery within the last 2 years
  • a life-limiting comorbid medical condition, such as cancer.
  • physical limitation, gait instability, or need for continuous weight-bearing support that, in the opinion of study staff, would prevent safe completion of exercise treadmill testing

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: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel 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: Lifestyle Intervention
Participants receive CKD education plus a 12-week cardiac rehabilitation-based lifestyle program including supervised exercise, DASH-based diet counseling, and weight management.
Behavioral: Multi-component lifestyle intervention
Cardiac rehabilitation-based program including supervised exercise, DASH-based dietary counseling, and wellness support over 12 weeks.
Active Comparator: Usual Care
Participants receive CKD education only.
Behavioral: Usual Care Control
Routine medical care in addition to 1) one 30-minute counseling session with dietician and 2) an exercise prescription

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
Change in clinic systolic blood pressure (SBP)
Time Frame: Baseline, 3 months, 9 months
Three BP values obtained one minute apart will be obtained and averaged to define clinic BP for that time point.
Baseline, 3 months, 9 months

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
Change in DASH diet adherence score
Time Frame: Baseline, 3 months, 9 months
Completion of 24-hour dietary recalls using the Automated Self-Administered 24-hour (ASA24) Dietary Assessment Tool
Baseline, 3 months, 9 months
Change in 24-hour urinary sodium-to-potassium ratio
Time Frame: Baseline, 3 months, 9 months
one 24-hour urine sample will be collected to objectively assess diet adherence to the DASH diet using biomarkers, such as sodium and potassium
Baseline, 3 months, 9 months
Change in 6-minute walk test
Time Frame: Baseline, 3 months, 9 months
Participants will be instructed to walk as far as possible for six minutes along a flat, straight course, with standardized encouragement provided at set intervals in accordance with American Thoracic Society guidelines. The total distance walked (in meters) is recorded.
Baseline, 3 months, 9 months
Change in 24-hour urine albumin excretion
Time Frame: Baseline, 3 months, 9 months
Urine albumin and creatinine concentrations will be determined from one 24-hour urine collection to assess for albuminuria (or from random sample in the event 24-hour sample cannot be collected).
Baseline, 3 months, 9 months
Change in clinic diastolic blood pressure (DBP)
Time Frame: Baseline, 3 months, 9 months
Three BP values obtained one minute apart will be obtained and averaged to define clinic BP for that time point.
Baseline, 3 months, 9 months
Change in 24-hour systolic blood pressure (SBP)
Time Frame: Baseline, 3 months, 9 months
Blood pressure monitor will be provided to participants to take home. Monitor will be programmed to take BP measurements every 20-30 minutes during waking hours and every 30-60 minutes during the nighttime sleep period.
Baseline, 3 months, 9 months
Change in 24-hour diastolic blood pressure (DBP)
Time Frame: Baseline, 3 months, 9 months
Blood pressure monitor will be provided to participants to take home. Monitor will be programmed to take BP measurements every 20-30 minutes during waking hours and every 30-60 minutes during the nighttime sleep period.
Baseline, 3 months, 9 months

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.
Duke 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.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)

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: Crystal Tyson, M.D., Duke 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 (Estimated)

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.
July 14, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

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.
June 30, 2029

Study Completion (Estimated)

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.
June 30, 2030

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 2, 2026

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 2, 2026

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.
June 8, 2026

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.
June 10, 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.
June 8, 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.
May 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.
  • PRO00118256
  • 1R61HL178691 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

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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