Plant-based Diet for Kidney Transplant Recipients

NCT ID: NCT06186843

Last Updated: 2025-09-05

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

25 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2024-02-29

Study Completion Date

2026-06-01

Brief Summary

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The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate cardiometabolic and inflammatory parameters in kidney transplant recipients after transitioning to a plant-based diet (PBD). The main aims of the study are as follows:

* To test the feasibility of transiting renal allograft recipients who are \> 3 months post-transplant to a PBD
* To study the effect of a PBD on cardiometabolic parameters in kidney transplant recipients
* To assess the effect of a PBD on peripheral blood Th17/Treg ratio and systemic inflammation in kidney transplant recipients

Participants will be asked to:

* Complete a 2-week investigator-designed PBD transition program
* Follow a PBD for a minimum of 16 weeks
* Consent for blood draws, urine samples, and fecal samples along with physical exams
* Complete intermittent food frequency questionnaires and quality of life questionnaires
* Periodically meet with investigators and other study participants

Researchers will compare baseline measurements with future measurements for each participant.

Detailed Description

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Patients will initially be identified through electronic medical record screening.

Eligible patients will be approached in clinic and informed about the study. Patients who agree to participate will sign the informed consent document to complete enrollment.

Phase 1: Dietary Training (weeks 1-2). Patients receive instruction from a Nephrologist, who is experienced in PBDs and medical student investigators about transitioning to a plant-based diet. Patients will complete a 2 week training program consisting of presentations, videos, informational documents, and group sessions. The program is designed such that at the 2 week point, participants will feel comfortable purchasing, cooking, and eating plant-based foods.

Phase 2: Intervention (weeks 3-18). Patients will consume a PBD under supervision for 16 weeks. Each participant will receive weekly phone calls from the study team and there will be monthly large in-person group sessions.

During Phase 2, there will be an optional, but highly recommended, in person group session that occurs every month. These sessions are designed to facilitate conversations and connections between participants. The sessions will help create a sense of community amongst participants. The group sessions will entail answering participants' questions, having discussions about challenges, and breakout groups will be used so participants can talk in a smaller group environment.

Phase 3: Unsupervised PBD (weeks 19-26). Patients will continue to be followed without dietary supervision.

Dietary compliance will be assessed via food frequency questionnaires (Nutrition Quest) at baseline and weeks 18 and 26. In addition, weekly 1 day food recalls will be collected from participants.

All participants will undergo physical examination at baseline and assessment of interval medical history, medication reconciliation, clinical examination, anthropometric studies (Body mass index (BMI), abdominal circumference and mid-arm circumference) at baseline and weeks 18 and 26 of the study.

Blood, urine, and stool samples will be collected and analyzed at baseline and weeks 10, 18 and 26 of the study.

Two 5 mL vials of blood will be drawn per visit (10 mL) (at baseline, 10, 18, 26 weeks). 40 mL of blood total throughout the study.

Per visit, one 5 mL vial of blood will be used for peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) prep for flow cytometry. The other 5 mL vial of blood will be used for enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA).

30-50 mL of urine will be collected at each visit and processed for urinalysis.

Stool samples will be used to evaluate the composition of the gastrointestinal microbiome.

Conditions

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Kidney Disease, Chronic Transplant Complication Hypertension Diabetes Mellitus Metabolic Syndrome Inflammation Kidney Transplant Failure Dietary Habits

Study Design

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Allocation Method

NA

Intervention Model

SINGLE_GROUP

A single group of kidney transplant recipients will transition to a plant-based diet and be followed for 24 weeks.
Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

NONE

There will be no masking.

Study Groups

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Plant-based diet

The group will follow a plant-based diet. Compliance will be checked with dietary questionnaires.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Plant-based diet

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

A two week training program will be completed which consists of information, resources and activities that will help participants transition to a plant-based diet. Each day of the program, participants will engage with material that provides information about how a plant-based diet can improve health outcomes, how to cook plant-based meals, what to shop for when eating plant-based, and other information that will help participants become comfortable with this dietary change. In addition, each participant will have a virtual, weekly check-in with one of the investigators. Finally, participants will be encouraged to attend a once monthly group session with all participants.

Interventions

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Plant-based diet

A two week training program will be completed which consists of information, resources and activities that will help participants transition to a plant-based diet. Each day of the program, participants will engage with material that provides information about how a plant-based diet can improve health outcomes, how to cook plant-based meals, what to shop for when eating plant-based, and other information that will help participants become comfortable with this dietary change. In addition, each participant will have a virtual, weekly check-in with one of the investigators. Finally, participants will be encouraged to attend a once monthly group session with all participants.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* \> 3 months post-kidney transplant
* On style immunosuppressive medication
* Without evidence of active infection/ inflammatory conditions
* Estimated glomerular filtration rate \> 45ml/min/1.73 m\^2
* English speaking
* Reliable internet access

Exclusion Criteria

* Acute/ chronic allograft rejection
* History of non-compliance
* Advance heart failure
* Liver disease
* Pregnancy
* Malignancy
* Chronic Infection
* Currently following a plant-based diet
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

80 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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George Washington University

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Muralidharan Jagadeesan

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Muralidharan Jagadeesan, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

George Washington University

Locations

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Transplant Institute

Washington D.C., District of Columbia, United States

Site Status

Countries

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United States

References

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Other Identifiers

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KTX-PBD-001

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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