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New conversation tool aims to improve End-of-Life care for kidney patients

NCT ID NCT04466865

Knowledge-focused Sponsor: University of Wisconsin, Madison Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study tested a communication tool called 'Best Case/Worst Case' for older adults with advanced kidney disease. Doctors were trained to discuss best, worst, and most likely outcomes for treatment options. The goal was to see if this approach helps patients receive more palliative care and make decisions that match their preferences. Over 400 patients from ten clinics took part, with follow-up for up to two years.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
Best Case/Worst Case communication tool training
What this could lead to
If this works, it could help doctors and patients have better conversations about treatment choices and end-of-life care, leading to more personalized care plans.
What could go wrong
This is a completed study testing a communication method, not a drug or cure. The tool may not change actual care or outcomes, and results may not apply to all settings.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

407 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Nov 2020

Finished

Feb 2026

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

60 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of less than or equal to 24 * Not currently on dialysis (participants are eligible if they have had intermittent dialysis in the past or have dialysis access in place but are not currently on dialysis) * Participants must meet one or more of the following criteria: age greater than 80, evidence from the medical record that the patient has comorbid illness such that the modified Charlson score is 4 or greater, or a negative response to the standard "Surprise Question" ("Would you be surprised if this patient died in the next year?") from the participant's nephrologist. Exclusion Criteria: * Currently on dialysis * Lack decision-making capacity * Do not speak English

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

chronic kidney disease chronic renal failure syndrome Communication communication disorder Death end stage renal failure kidney disorder wild type ABeta2M amyloidosis

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Communication Decision aid Decision making Decision support techniques Dialysis End of life End-stage renal disease Kidney diseases Kidney failure, chronic Late-stage renal disease Life-supporting treatments Nephrologists Palliative care Renal dialysis

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Columbia University

    New York, New York, 10027, United States

  • Department of Medicine, University of Vermont

    Burlington, Vermont, 05405, United States

  • Johns Hopkins University

    Baltimore, Maryland, 21287, United States

  • Medical College of Wisconsin

    Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53226, United States

  • Mount Sinai School of Medicine

    New York, New York, 10029, United States

  • Northwestern University

    Chicago, Illinois, 60611, United States

  • University of Colorado, Denver

    Denver, Colorado, 173364, United States

  • University of Michigan

    Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48105, United States

  • University of Pittsburgh

    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15260, United States

  • University of Washington

    Seattle, Washington, 98195, United States

  • West Virginia University

    Morgantown, West Virginia, 26506, United States

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