Remote symptom assessment and management via mobile app for adults with chronic kidney disease in Vietnam (SAM-CKD programme): a randomised feasibility trial protocol

INTRODUCTION: Adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD) experience a wide range of symptoms that significantly lower their health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Using mobile-based applications for symptom assessment and management has the potential to alleviate the symptom burden of CKD and improve patient outcomes. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This is a randomised feasibility trial to assess the feasibility, acceptability, usability and potential effects of a remote symptom assessment and management (SAM-CKD) 6 week programme delivered via a mobile application. Adults aged 18 years or older with CKD grade 4 or 5 (including those on dialysis) will be randomly assigned to the SAM-CKD programme or usual care. Primary outcomes assess the intervention's feasibility, acceptability and usability. Secondary outcomes are changes in CKD symptoms and HRQoL between baseline, 3 weeks and 6 weeks later. Data analysis involves descriptive and intention-to-treat analyses. The study will be undertaken between December 2025 and March 2026. The findings will inform whether an effective trial is feasible and whether the study design and/or its methods need modification. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval was granted by the Vin University and Griffith University Human Research Ethics Committee. Results will be disseminated at the participating hospital and CKD patient groups and shared via peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT07186361.