Kidney Transplant RejectionsmartNTxNCT05897047
The smartNTx Trial:Telemedical Management Versus Standard Aftercare in Kidney Transplant Recipients (KTR)
A study testing Additional interventional telemedical management in people with Kidney Transplant Rejection and Kidney Transplant Failure, run by University of Erlangen-Nürnberg Medical School at 2 sites in Germany.
Trial summary
The smartNTx trial: Prospective, randomized controlled trial (RCT) to investigate additional interventional telemedical management versus standard aftercare in kidney transplant recipients (KTR). Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 1 year to 99 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Kidney Transplant Rejection, Kidney Transplant Failure
- What is being tested?
- Additional interventional telemedical management
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 391 participants
- Where
- 2 sitesGermany
- Study dates
- 15 May 2023to 30 Jul 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 1 year to 99 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Kidney transplantation within last 12 months
- Treatment with tacrolimus
- Routine aftercare planned at KTC
- Ability to use a smartphone or tablet or with help of someone close by
- For children < 12 years parents have to take over the use of the smartphone
- Patients who are willing and able to participate in the study and from whom written informed consent has been obtained prior to study participation or pediatric patients with parenteral consent
- Ability to communicate in German or English
- Adequate and stable renal function (eGFR > 30 ml/min, Proteinuria < 1g/g creatinine) eGFR will be determined according to CKD-EPI for adults [81] or Schwartz formula for children [82]
Who cannot join
- Patient with mental dysfunction or inability to comply with the study protocol or pediatric patients whose parents cannot comply with the study protocol
- Any significant diseases or clinically significant findings, including psychiatric and behavioral problems, medical history and/or physical examination findings that would in the opinion of the investigator preclude the patient from participating in the study
- History of alcohol or drug abuse with less than 6 months of sobriety
- Participation in any other interventional clinical trial less than 1 month before participation in this study
- Patients who have been institutionalized by official or court order
- Patients with a combined kidney transplant or multi-organ recipients (other solid organ (e.g. pancreas) or bone marrow)
Show all 11Show fewer
- Presence of DSA with MFI > 1000 at time of transplantation
- Recurrence of underlying kidney disease (e.g. focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) or atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS)
- Patient with active malignancy post-transplant with the exception of local, non-invasive, fully excised, cutaneous basal cell carcinoma, cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, or cervical carcinoma in situ
- Patients with clinically symptomatic congestive heart failure (CHF) or symptomatic coronary artery disease
- Patients with documented (either by serology and/or nuclear acid testing (NAT) clinically active infections (e.g. with a known hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV), HIV, CMV or BK virus infection).
Trial locations and contacts
2 sites in 1 country.
Germany2 sites
Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Berlin, Bavaria, 10117
University Hospital Essen
Essen
About this study
Official title: The smartNTx Trial: A Prospective, Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) to Investigate Additional Interventional Telemedical Management Versus Standard Aftercare in Kidney Transplant Recipients (KTR)
The smartNTx trial: Prospective, randomized controlled trial (RCT) to investigate additional interventional telemedical management versus standard aftercare in kidney transplant recipients (KTR).
STUDY PURPOSE: To demonstrate that additional interventional telemedical management will lead to a higher chance for long-term graft survival, increase adherence, quality of life (QoL), and reduce complications and healthcare costs after kidney transplantation.
Read the detailed description
This is a 1-year, prospective, randomized, 2-armed, parallel group multicenter trial in 3 German Kidney Transplant Centers (KTCs) to demonstrate that additional and continuous interventional telemedical management will lead to a better composite endpoint of 7 key outcome variables (hospitalizations, length of hospitalization, development of a de-novo donor specific antibody (DSA), medication adherence, tacrolimus intra-patient variability, blood pressure control and renal function after kidney transplantation). All patients will receive the same routine posttransplant aftercare. Patients in the interventional arm will receive a predefined additional telemedical management including regular telemedicine visits and automatic data transfer (e.g. vital signs, well-being, medication plan laboratory data and chat) between the patient at home and KTC through a certified smartphone application (comjoo business solutions GmbH, Berlin, Germany). Furthermore, home nephrologists of patients in the interventional arm are invited to participate in automatic data transfer of key variables (such as vital signs, laboratory data) with KTC. A separate telemedicine team will constantly review the incoming data according to a predefined protocol and eventually contact the patient and/or the home nephrologist in order to start appropriate interventions.
- Being tested
- Additional interventional telemedical management
- Keywords
- Aftercare, Telemedical Management
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Additional interventional telemedical managementCombination product
Predefined additional telemedical management including regular telemedicine visits and automatic data transfer (e.g. vital signs, well-being, medication plan laboratory data and chat) between the patient at home and KTC through a certified smartphone application.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention group "Additional telemedical management" | Experimental | Patients in the interventional arm will receive a predefined additional telemedical management including regular telemedicine visits and automatic data transfer (e.g. vital signs, well-being, medication plan laboratory data and chat) between the patient at home and KTC through a certified smartphone application. Receives: Combination Product: Additional interventional telemedical management |
| Control group "Routine posttransplant aftercare" | No intervention | Patients in the control group will receive routine posttransplant aftercare. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Medication adherence
According to BAASIS questionnaire at month 12
Measured: 12 months
Unplanned hospitalizations
yes/no during study period
Measured: 12 months
Length of unplanned hospitalization
More/less than 10 nights during study period
Measured: 12 months
Development of de-novo DSA
yes/no at month 12
Measured: 12 months
Tacrolimus intra-patient variability
Above/below 30% between month 6 to 12
Measured: 12 months
Blood pressure control
normal/abnormal 24h-RR profile at month 12
Measured: 12 months
Renal function
suboptimal renal function (eGFR < 45 ml/min at month 12
Measured: 12 months
Secondary outcomes (6)
Reduced graft losses (result evalution)
Documentation of graft losses at all visits - Month 3, 6, 9, 12
Measured: 12 months
Better prognosis of the iBox score (result evalution)
Documentation of the prognosis of the AI during visit 5, month 12
Measured: 12 months
Improvement in quality of life (result evalution)
Change in quality of life over 12 months (PROMIS 29 questionnaire) at month 0, 3, 6, 9, 12 (visit 1 to 5).
Measured: 12 months
Improving disease management (process evalution)
Change in disease management over 12 months (PAM13 questionnaire) at month 0, 3, 6, 9, 12 (visit 1 to 5)
Measured: 12 months
Acceptance of the new restoration among patients (process evalution)
Survey using established questionnaires and rating and satisfaction with care (own development) at Visit 4, 5 (month 9; 12)
Measured: 12 months
Acceptance of the new restoration among service providers (process evalution)
Survey using established and newly developed questionnaires, as well as analyzes for usage behavior, including Grade and Assess Predictive tools. Benefit assessment of the data- and AI-supported Decision support (in-house development).
Measured: 12 months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted9 Jun 2023
- Study start15 May 2023
- Primary completion30 Apr 2026
- Study completion30 Jul 2026
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Kidney Transplant RejectionStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of Erlangen-Nürnberg Medical SchoolThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Prospective, two-armed randomized controlled trial (RCT)
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 391 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Erlangen-Nürnberg Medical School
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Charite University, Berlin, Germany, University Hospital, Essen
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Mario Schiffer, Prof. Dr., Principal investigator, Uniklinikum Erlangen
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05897047
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 01NVF21116
- Other IDs
- 0673
- Acronym
- smartNTx
- Status last verified
- Aug 2026
- First submitted
- 15 May 2023
- Last updated
- 1 Sep 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
Schiffer M, Pape L, Wolff JK, Gertges R, Visconti V, Reichert K, Pfau A, Dieterle A, Sauerstein K, Kribben A, Boss K, Karaterzi S, Nensa F, Winneckens P, Cypko M, Duettmann W, Zukunft B, Schrezenmeier E, Naik MG, Halleck F, Roller R, Moller S, Amft O, Budde K. The SmartNTx-study: a prospective, randomized controlled trial to investigate additional interventional telemedical management versus standard aftercare in kidney transplant recipients. Front Nephrol. 2025 Jun 19;5:1591962. doi: 10.3389/fneph.2025.1591962. eCollection 2025.
PubMed 40612527
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 1 Sep 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The smartNTx Trial: A Prospective, Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) to Investigate Additional Interventional Telemedical Management Versus Standard Aftercare in Kidney Transplant Recipients (KTR)
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05897047
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- smartNTx / 01NVF21116
- Keywords
- Aftercare, Telemedical Management
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 391 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University of Erlangen-Nürnberg Medical SchoolUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Charite University, Berlin, Germany, University Hospital, Essen
- Study start
- 15 May 2023 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 30 Apr 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 30 Jul 2026 (actual)
- First posted
- 9 Jun 2023 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The smartNTx trial: Prospective, randomized controlled trial (RCT) to investigate additional interventional telemedical management versus standard aftercare in kidney transplant recipients (KTR).
STUDY PURPOSE: To demonstrate that additional interventional telemedical management will lead to a higher chance for long-term graft survival, increase adherence, quality of life (QoL), and reduce complications and healthcare costs after kidney transplantation.
Detailed description
This is a 1-year, prospective, randomized, 2-armed, parallel group multicenter trial in 3 German Kidney Transplant Centers (KTCs) to demonstrate that additional and continuous interventional telemedical management will lead to a better composite endpoint of 7 key outcome variables (hospitalizations, length of hospitalization, development of a de-novo donor specific antibody (DSA), medication adherence, tacrolimus intra-patient variability, blood pressure control and renal function after kidney transplantation). All patients will receive the same routine posttransplant aftercare. Patients in the interventional arm will receive a predefined additional telemedical management including regular telemedicine visits and automatic data transfer (e.g. vital signs, well-being, medication plan laboratory data and chat) between the patient at home and KTC through a certified smartphone application (comjoo business solutions GmbH, Berlin, Germany). Furthermore, home nephrologists of patients in the interventional arm are invited to participate in automatic data transfer of key variables (such as vital signs, laboratory data) with KTC. A separate telemedicine team will constantly review the incoming data according to a predefined protocol and eventually contact the patient and/or the home nephrologist in order to start appropriate interventions.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- Prospective, two-armed randomized controlled trial (RCT)
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention group "Additional telemedical management" | Experimental | Combination Product: Additional interventional telemedical managementPatients in the interventional arm will receive a predefined additional telemedical management including regular telemedicine visits and automatic data transfer (e.g. vital signs, well-being, medication plan laboratory data and chat) between the patient at home and KTC through a certified smartphone application. |
| Control group "Routine posttransplant aftercare" | No intervention | –Patients in the control group will receive routine posttransplant aftercare. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 1 year to 99 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (8 listed)
- Kidney transplantation within last 12 months
- Treatment with tacrolimus
- Routine aftercare planned at KTC
- Ability to use a smartphone or tablet or with help of someone close by
- For children < 12 years parents have to take over the use of the smartphone
Key exclusion criteria (11 listed)
- Patient with mental dysfunction or inability to comply with the study protocol or pediatric patients whose parents cannot comply with the study protocol
- Any significant diseases or clinically significant findings, including psychiatric and behavioral problems, medical history and/or physical examination findings that would in the opinion of the investigator preclude the patient from participating in the study
- History of alcohol or drug abuse with less than 6 months of sobriety
- Participation in any other interventional clinical trial less than 1 month before participation in this study
- Patients who have been institutionalized by official or court order
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Additional interventional telemedical managementPredefined additional telemedical management including regular telemedicine visits and automatic data transfer (e.g. vital signs, well-being, medication plan laboratory data and chat) between the patient at home and KTC through a certified smartphone application. | Combination product | Intervention group "Additional telemedical management" |
Primary outcome
Medication adherence
Time frame: 12 months
According to BAASIS questionnaire at month 12
Unplanned hospitalizations
Time frame: 12 months
yes/no during study period
Length of unplanned hospitalization
Time frame: 12 months
More/less than 10 nights during study period
Development of de-novo DSA
Time frame: 12 months
yes/no at month 12
Tacrolimus intra-patient variability
Time frame: 12 months
Above/below 30% between month 6 to 12
Blood pressure control
Time frame: 12 months
normal/abnormal 24h-RR profile at month 12
Renal function
Time frame: 12 months
suboptimal renal function (eGFR < 45 ml/min at month 12
6 secondary outcomes
Reduced graft losses (result evalution)
Time frame: 12 months
Better prognosis of the iBox score (result evalution)
Time frame: 12 months
Improvement in quality of life (result evalution)
Time frame: 12 months
Improving disease management (process evalution)
Time frame: 12 months
Acceptance of the new restoration among patients (process evalution)
Time frame: 12 months
Acceptance of the new restoration among service providers (process evalution)
Time frame: 12 months
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 1 Sep 2026.
- Background: PubMed 40612527Schiffer M, Pape L, Wolff JK, Gertges R, Visconti V, Reichert K, Pfau A, Dieterle A, Sauerstein K, Kribben A, Boss K, Karaterzi S, Nensa F, Winneckens P, Cypko M, Duettmann W, Zukunft B, Schrezenmeier E, Naik MG, Halleck F, Roller R, Moller S, Amft O, Budde K. The SmartNTx-study: a prospective, randomized controlled trial to investigate additional interventional telemedical management versus standard aftercare in kidney transplant recipients. Front Nephrol. 2025 Jun 19;5:1591962. doi: 10.3389/fneph.2025.1591962. eCollection 2025.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Mario Schiffer, Prof. Dr. principal investigator
Uniklinikum Erlangen
2 sites in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Additional interventional telemedical management in people with Kidney Transplant Rejection and Kidney Transplant Failure, run by University of Erlangen-Nürnberg Medical School at 2 sites in Germany.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 8 inclusion and 11 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 1 Sep 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 2 sites in Germany. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Medication adherence (time frame: 12 months). The study lists 7 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT05897047, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 1 Sep 2026.