# Transplant Regimen Adherence for Kidney Recipients by Engaging Information Technologies: The TAKE IT Trial

> **NIH NIH R01** · NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $620,884

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
We will evaluate a technology-enabled strategy designed to promote medication adherence, routinely
monitor regimen use, and mobilize appropriate transplant center resources to respond early to kidney
transplant (KT) recipients demonstrating inadequate adherence. Medication non-adherence is a leading
root cause of graft failure, and KT recipients have the highest reported rate of poor adherence (~35%) among
all organ transplant recipients. Despite many attempts, there have been few successful interventions evaluated
to date that have significantly improved KT recipients' regimen adherence and subsequent health outcomes
over time. Using evidence from our research team's extensive previous studies in other chronic disease
contexts, we will implement and comprehensively test a low cost, `low touch', thus highly scalable intervention:
the Transplant regimen Adherence for Kidney recipients by Engaging Information Technologies (TAKE IT)
strategy. The TAKE IT strategy leverages a transplant center's electronic health record a web-based patient
portal, and mobile technology to: 1) educate patients on their prescribed Rx regimens, 2) help them organize
their daily regimen schedule in the most efficient manner, 3) remind them via SMS text when to take their
medicine, 4) routinely monitor regimen use, and 5) provide care alerts to engage appropriate transplant center
clinical staff (e.g. pharmacist, social worker, nurse care coordinator) when medication concerns are detected.
All components of the TAKE IT strategy have been developed with prior NIH support, refined with `user' input
(patient, family, clinic staff), and their efficacy tested in non-transplant settings. Our primary aim is to: 1) test
the effectiveness of the TAKE IT strategy, compared to usual care, to improve KT recipients' treatment
knowledge, medication use, transplant-specific and chronic disease outcomes. Our secondary aims are to:
2) examine the persistence of any effects of the TAKE IT strategy on outcomes over 2 years among new and
established KT recipients, 3) evaluate the fidelity of each component of the TAKE IT strategy over time, and
investigate any patient, provider, or transplant center barriers to implementation, and 4) determine the costs of
delivering the TAKE IT strategy from a transplant center perspective. We will conduct a 2-arm, patient-
randomized controlled trial at two large, diverse transplant centers (Northwestern University; Mayo Clinic). 300
KT recipients within 3 months of transplant (`de novo') and 400 `established' patients between 18 and 36
months post-KT will be recruited and followed for 2 years. In-person interviews will be conducted at baseline,
6, 12, 18 and 24 months. Electronic health and pharmacy records will be ascertained to capture medication
adherence and clinical outcomes. Additionally, our team will closely evaluate the implementation of all
components of the TAKE IT strategy from launch through 2 years follow-up. We will further ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9906214
- **Project number:** 5R01DK110172-04
- **Recipient organization:** NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Daniela P Ladner
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $620,884
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-04-04 → 2022-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9906214

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9906214, Transplant Regimen Adherence for Kidney Recipients by Engaging Information Technologies: The TAKE IT Trial (5R01DK110172-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9906214. Licensed CC0.

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