Kidney Beam-A Cost-Effective Digital Intervention to Improve Mental Health

There is inequity in the provision of physical rehabilitation services for people living with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The Kidney BEAM trial evaluated the clinical value and cost effectiveness of a physical activity digital health intervention (DHI) in CKD.

In a single-blind, 11 center, randomized controlled trial, 340 adult participants with CKD were randomly assigned to either the Kidney BEAM physical activity DHI or a waitlist control. This study assessed the difference in the Kidney Disease Quality of Life Short Form 1.3 Mental Component Summary (KDQoL-SF1.3 MCS) between intervention and control groups at 6-months, and cost-effectiveness of the intervention.

At 6-months, there was a significant difference in mean adjusted change in KDQoL MCS score between Kidney BEAM and waitlist control (intention-to-treat adjusted mean: 5.9 [95% confidence interval, CI: 4.4-7.5] arbitrary units [AU], P < 0.0001), and a 93% and 98% chance of the intervention being cost-effective at a willingness-to-pay threshold of £20,000 and £30,000 per quality-adjusted life year gained.

The Kidney BEAM physical activity DHI is a clinically valuable and cost-effective means to improve mental health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in people with CKD (trial registration no. NCT04872933).