Description
End-stage renal disease (ESRD) is a severe form of chronic kidney disease that is an incurable health failure that is widespread in developed countries. The main factors behind a steady growth of ESRD patients are the ageing of the population and the growing number of people suffering from health problems like diabetes and obesity around the world. In 2014, there are 3.1 million patients worldwide suffering from ESRD; about 2.5 million of them receive renal replacement therapy in the form of dialysis. The project goal is derived from the fact that there is no comprehensive method available for online monitoring of uremic toxins for the end stage renal disease (ESRD) therapy quality assessment. Hence, the objective of this open call project is to develop an online dialysis sensor that offers an improved method for the detection of toxic waste removal from blood and enables to adjust the treatment. As an outcome, a new sensor based method is developed to offer enhanced possibilities for dialysis monitoring and quality assessment and therefore to improve patients’ life quality and expectancy.
Summary of project results
Optofluid Technologies was developing an on-line sensor for patients with kidney failure. Such patients need to go to clinics 3 times per week for 4 hours and their missing kidney function is substituted with dialysis machines. Research carried out by Tallinn University of Technology found a way to potentially monitor dialysis patients with on-line sensor which would prolong patient’s life by 20% and increase their quality of life. Based on that knowledge Optofluid Technologies built a proof of concept prototype which worked in lab but needed to be tested in hospitals. With the help of Norway Grants Optofluid Technologies was able to carry out clinical trials in hospitals and also improve hardware and software of the sensor. The results of clinical trials were excellent and thanks to Norway Grants big step forward was made. Next steps of the company is to deal with regulatory, production and integration issues and as it is common with complicated technologies then it is required more than 30 different people or competencies to contribute full or part-time to take this invention to hospitals. If all goes as planned then more that 2 million dialysis patients in the world will live longer and have better quality of life thanks to the on-line sensor.
Summary of bilateral results
First Sensing AS contributed their knowledge in data analysis and signal validation to help project promoter with all aspects that required implementing the software components necessary in the product development process. First Sensing AS was responsible for several tasks, including optimization of the optical algorithms and validation of the performance of the developed sensor. The main achievement was improved knowledge, understanding and accuracy of complex algorithms.