Clinical Pharmacist-Led Cardiovascular Risk Assessment in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease (CRICKD)
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) · Cardiovascular (CV) Risk · Quality of Lifte · Medication Adherence
What this study involves
The registry does not currently label this study as recruiting. Ask about its status before planning a screening visit.
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Not applicable
- Age range
- 18 years - 74 years
- Sex eligible
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Participants
- 150 Actual
These are starting points, not an eligibility decision. The research team must review the full requirements.
About the research
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a long-term condition that can increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attacks and strokes. People with CKD often have other health conditions and take several medications, which can make following treatment plans challenging. Clinical pharmacists may help these patients by reviewing their medications, providing education, and supporting medication adherence and cardiovascular risk management.
This study evaluated the impact of a clinical pharmacist-led pharmaceutical care program on cardiovascular risk, medication adherence, and quality of life in hospitalized adults with CKD.
The study was conducted at a research and training hospital in Istanbul, Türkiye, with a planned six-month follow-up. A total of 150 patients were initially enrolled and assigned to either an intervention group or a control group. Due to deaths, withdrawal from the study, and loss to follow-up, 101 patients were included in the final analysis.
Patients in the control group received standard medical care. Patients in the intervention group received additional pharmaceutical care from a clinical pharmacist, including medication review, education about CKD and cardiovascular risk factors, counseling on medication adherence and lifestyle changes, and follow-up counseling.
The study assessed cardiovascular risk using a Framingham-based risk model. Medication adherence and health-related quality of life were evaluated using standardized questionnaires. Medication regimen complexity and relevant clinical measurements were also assessed.
The findings showed that cardiovascular risk scores decreased in both groups during the study period. Medication adherence increased in both groups, from 59.2% to 75.5% in the control group and from 75.0% to 88.5% in the intervention group. However, the difference in medication adherence between the groups at follow-up was not statistically significant. Quality-of-life scores were significantly higher in the intervention group at both baseline and follow-up. A weak negative correlation was observed between medication regimen complexity and quality of life, indicating that greater medication complexity was associated with lower quality-of-life scores.
Overall, the findings suggest that clinical pharmacist-led pharmaceutical care may support medication management in patients with CKD. However, the study did not demonstrate statistically significant differences between groups in medication adherence or cardiovascular risk outcomes. Further studies with larger samples and adequate follow-up are needed to clarify the effects of pharmacist-led interventions in this population.
Read the full description
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a long-term condition associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), including myocardial infarction and stroke. Cardiovascular risk in patients with CKD may be influenced by traditional risk factors, such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidaemia, smoking, and obesity, as well as by the clinical complexity associated with impaired kidney function and its treatment. Patients with CKD frequently have multiple comorbidities and require several medications, which may increase medication regimen complexity and create challenges for medication adherence and the management of cardiovascular risk factors.
Clinical pharmacists can contribute to the multidisciplinary care of patients with CKD by reviewing medication regimens, identifying medication-related problems, providing patient education, and supporting adherence to prescribed treatments and recommended lifestyle changes. However, the effects of integrating clinical pharmacist-led pharmaceutical care into the management of cardiovascular risk, medication adherence, and health-related quality of life among hospitalised patients with CKD require further evaluation.
This study evaluated a clinical pharmacist-led pharmaceutical care programme for hospitalised adults with CKD in the internal medicine clinic of a research and training hospital in Istanbul, Türkiye. The study used a controlled design with a six-month follow-up period. Patients in the intervention group received pharmaceutical care in addition to standard medical care, whereas patients in the control group received standard medical care.
The pharmaceutical care intervention was designed to support medication management and improve patients' understanding of CKD and cardiovascular risk factors. The clinical pharmacist reviewed patients' medication regimens and provided individualised education concerning CKD, cardiovascular risk factors, the importance of medication adherence, and lifestyle modifications. Educational and counselling activities addressed relevant lifestyle factors, including dietary recommendations and smoking cessation. Patients interested in stopping smoking were informed about the smoking cessation support services available through the Turkish Ministry of Health. Follow-up counselling was provided during the study period to reinforce educational messages and support the management of medication-related concerns.
The study assessed cardiovascular risk using a Framingham-based risk assessment model. Medication adherence was evaluated using the four-item Morisky-Green-Levine Medication Adherence Scale, and health-related quality of life was assessed using the 12-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12). Medication regimen complexity was evaluated using the Medication Regimen Complexity Index (MRCI). Relevant clinical characteristics and measurements, including blood pressure, kidney function, lipid profile, and hospitalisation, were also considered in evaluating patients' clinical status during follow-up.
The study aimed to determine whether the addition of clinical pharmacist-led pharmaceutical care was associated with changes in cardiovascular risk, medication adherence, and health-related quality of life over six months, compared with standard medical care. It also examined medication regimen complexity and its relationship with quality of life in this patient population.
The findings indicated that cardiovascular risk scores and medication adherence changed over the follow-up period in both groups. However, the between-group comparison of changes in cardiovascular risk scores did not demonstrate a statistically significant difference. Medication adherence increased in both groups, but the difference between groups at follow-up was not statistically significant. Quality-of-life scores were higher in the intervention group at baseline and at follow-up; therefore, these between-group differences should be interpreted in light of the baseline imbalance. Medication regimen complexity showed a weak negative correlation with quality-of-life scores, suggesting that greater regimen complexity was associated with lower reported quality of life.
This study provides an evaluation of clinical pharmacist involvement in the care of hospitalised patients with CKD and highlights the importance of considering medication management, treatment adherence, cardiovascular risk, and quality of life together. The findings should be interpreted in the context of the study design, the final analysed sample, and the differences observed between groups at baseline. Further studies with larger samples and appropriate study designs are needed to clarify the effects of pharmacist-led pharmaceutical care on cardiovascular risk and patient-reported outcomes in people with CKD.
Who may be able to participate?
The list below is the sponsor’s full registry wording. It can include conditions, prior treatment, test results and other requirements. A match in search does not mean you qualify.
Inclusion Criteria:
- Adults aged 18-74 years.
Patients diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD), including patients receiving dialysis.
Patients hospitalised in the internal medicine clinic.
Patients who agreed to participate in the study.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Patients with dementia or Alzheimer's disease.
Patients who did not agree to participate in the study.
Understand screeningTreatment, groups and participation
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- Assignment
- Random assignment
- Masking
- No masking
Clinical Pharmacist-Led Pharmaceutical Care
Participants in this group received standard medical care in addition to a clinical pharmacist-led pharmaceutical care program. The intervention included medication review, education about chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular risk factors, counselling on medication adherence, and advice on lifestyle modifications, including dietary recommendations and smoking cessation. Follow-up counselling was provided during the six-month study period.
Behavioral: Clinical Pharmacist-Led Pharmaceutical Care
Standard Medical Care (Control Group)
Participants in this group received standard medical care without the additional clinical pharmacist-led pharmaceutical care programme.
Other: Standard Medical Care (SMC)
Clinical Pharmacist-Led Pharmaceutical Care BEHAVIORAL
Participants received pharmaceutical care from a clinical pharmacist in addition to standard medical care. The intervention included medication review, education about chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular risk factors, counselling on medication adherence, and lifestyle advice, including dietary recommendations and smoking cessation support. Follow-up counselling was provided during the six-month study period.
Standard Medical Care (SMC) OTHER
Participants received standard medical care according to routine clinical practice, without the additional clinical pharmacist-led pharmaceutical care intervention.
What researchers are measuring
Outcome measures describe what is being studied. They are not proof that a treatment works.
Primary measures
Change in cardiovascular risk score from baseline to 6 months
Time frame: Baseline and 6 months
Cardiovascular risk scores were assessed at baseline and at the 6-month follow-up in both the clinical pharmacist-led pharmaceutical care group and the standard medical care group. The change in score was used to evaluate cardiovascular risk over the study period.
Secondary measures
Change in medication adherence from baseline to 6 months
Time frame: Baseline and 6 months
Medication adherence was assessed using the four-item Morisky-Green-Levine Medication Adherence Scale.
Change in health-related quality of life from baseline to 6 months
Time frame: Baseline and 6 months
Health-related quality of life was assessed using the 12-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12).
Change in medication regimen complexity from baseline to 6 months
Time frame: Baseline and 6 months
Medication regimen complexity was assessed using the Medication Regimen Complexity Index (MRCI).
Review the complete result tables and limitations in the official record.
Open official results ↗Research locations (1)
The overall study status and a local site’s status can differ. Confirm that location’s availability before traveling.
1 locations
Haydarpaşa Numune Eğitim ve Araştırma HastanesiIstanbul, üsküdar, Turkey (Türkiye)Status unknown
Study team and timeline
- Lead sponsor
- Marmara University
- Study start
- Jan 3, 2022 Actual
- Primary completion
- Jun 5, 2023 Actual
- Study completion
- Mar 15, 2024 Actual
- First posted
- Nov 10, 2026 Actual
- Last updated
- Nov 10, 2026 Actual
Official study contacts
No central contact is listed. Check the locations and the official record.
Official study title
Impact of Clinical Pharmacist-Led Cardiovascular Risk Assessment on Medication Adherence and Quality of Life in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease: A Randomised Controlled Study
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Source: ClinicalTrials.gov API v2. Information is submitted by sponsors and investigators. NLM does not approve the safety or science of all listed studies. Registry disclaimer.
Retrieved: Nov 11, 2026 · Last registry update: Nov 10, 2026