@article{65128f4d00c842b29f306bd2c85f44e8,
title = "Design and methods of the NiCK study: Neurocognitive assessment and magnetic resonance imaging analysis of children and young adults with chronic kidney disease",
abstract = "Background: Chronic kidney disease is strongly linked to neurocognitive deficits in adults and children, but the pathophysiologic processes leading to these deficits remain poorly understood. The NiCK study (Neurocognitive Assessment and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Analysis of Children and Young Adults with Chronic Kidney Disease) seeks to address critical gaps in our understanding of the biological basis for neurologic abnormalities in chronic kidney disease. In this report, we describe the objectives, design, and methods of the NiCK study. Design/methods: The NiCK Study is a cross-sectional cohort study in which neurocognitive and neuroimaging phenotyping is performed in children and young adults, aged 8 to 25 years, with chronic kidney disease compared to healthy controls. Assessments include (1) comprehensive neurocognitive testing (using traditional and computerized methods); (2) detailed clinical phenotyping; and (3) multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to assess brain structure (using T1-weighted MRI, T2-weighted MRI, and diffusion tensor imaging), functional connectivity (using functional MRI), and blood flow (using arterial spin labeled MRI). Primary analyses will examine group differences in neurocognitive testing and neuroimaging between subjects with chronic kidney disease and healthy controls. Mechanisms responsible for neurocognitive dysfunction resulting from kidney disease will be explored by examining associations between neurocognitive testing and regional changes in brain structure, functional connectivity, or blood flow. In addition, the neurologic impact of kidney disease comorbidities such as anemia and hypertension will be explored. We highlight aspects of our analytical approach that illustrate the challenges and opportunities posed by data of this scope. Discussion: The NiCK study provides a unique opportunity to address key questions about the biological basis of neurocognitive deficits in chronic kidney disease. Understanding these mechanisms could have great public health impact by guiding screening strategies, delivery of health information, and targeted treatment strategies for chronic kidney disease and its related comorbidities.",
keywords = "Adolescents, Adults, Cardiovascular disease, Cerebrovascular disease, Children, Chronic kidney disease, Hypertension, Magnetic resonance imaging, Neurocognition, Neuroimaging, Neuropsychological",
author = "Hartung, {Erum A.} and Nina Laney and Kim, {Ji Young} and Ruebner, {Rebecca L.} and Detre, {John A.} and Liu, {Hua Shan} and Christos Davatzikos and Guray Erus and Doshi, {Jimit J.} and Schultz, {Robert T.} and Herrington, {John D.} and Jawad, {Abbas F.} and Moodalbail, {Divya G.} and Gur, {Ruben C.} and Port, {Allison M.} and Jerilynn Radcliffe and Hooper, {Stephen R.} and Furth, {Susan L.}",
note = "Funding Information: This project is funded, in part, under a Commonwealth Universal Research Enhancement grant with the Pennsylvania Department of Health, # SAP 4100054843. The Department specifically disclaims responsibility for any analyses, interpretations or conclusions. Dr. Hartung is supported by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) under Award Number KL2TR000139. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official view of NCATS or the NIH. Study data were collected and managed using REDCap electronic data capture tools hosted at The Children{\textquoteright}s Hospital of Philadelphia. REDCap (Research Electronic Data Capture) [41] is a secure, web-based application designed to support data capture for research studies, providing 1) an intuitive interface for validated data entry; 2) audit trails for tracking data manipulation and export procedures; 3) automated export procedures for seamless data downloads to common statistical packages; and 4) procedures for importing data from external sources. The Clinical and Translational Research Center at the Children{\textquoteright}s Hospital of Philadelphia is supported by the National Center for Research Resources and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, through Grants UL1RR024134 and UL1TR000003. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH. We would like to thank the patients and families who have participated in the study. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2015 Hartung et al.; licensee BioMed Central.",
year = "2015",
month = apr,
day = "30",
doi = "10.1186/s12882-015-0061-1",
language = "English",
volume = "16",
journal = "BMC Nephrology",
issn = "1471-2369",
publisher = "BioMed Central",
number = "1",
}
