Organ shortage for transplant has necessitated use of kidneys from older donors, increasing
the chance that the kidney will not work immediately or for as long as expected. The
investigators gave the drug heme arginate (HA) to 20 kidney transplant patients in the first
24 hours after transplant, and showed that it may reduce kidney injury and is safe. The
investigators plan to conduct a large study recruiting 600 patients to determine whether HA
treatment increases the number of kidney transplants that work immediately. If successful, HA
may be introduced into clinical practice at the end of this study.
Patients will be invited to take part in the study once listed for a kidney transplant.
Further discussions will be had with them when admitted for transplant, and they will be
offered the opportunity to participate. Consent will not be taken until the patient is
admitted for transplantation. Following consent, participants will be randomised to receive
either 2 doses of the study drug, HA, or a salt water solution, one at the time of
transplant, and one approximately 24 hours later. Otherwise, treatment will be the same as
any other patient undergoing a kidney transplant. Information about recovery from surgery,
and specifically about kidney function, will be collected, but will not require additional
blood tests. The study period ends after the first 7 days post-transplant, although longer
term data will be collected from routine follow up appointments. Participants will be asked
to complete a simple quality of life questionnaire 3 times: just before transplant, at
approximately one week and three months after transplant.