Reduced Contractile Reserve: a Therapeutic Target in Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction(HFpEF)

April 9, 2019 updated by: University of Wisconsin, Madison

Reduced Contractile Reserve: a Therapeutic Target in Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) accounts for over 50% of heart failure cases in the United States, affecting a primarily elderly population. No treatment has been shown to affect mortality in HFpEF, which is more than 50% at five years a hospitalization. This project explores the underlying cardiovascular physiology of patients with HFpEF with the goal of identifying new therapeutic targets that would allow improved treatment of this devastating disease.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a difficult disease to diagnose due to nonspecific symptoms and clinical findings. The disease occurs in the elderly, who often have other illnesses and signs of aging that make diagnosis of heart failure more difficult. Recently, it has been suggested that HFpEF, which has primarily been thought to be a diastolic disease, is in fact multifactorial, with elements of abnormal systolic function and increased vascular stiffness playing a role in disease pathology. No treatment has been shown to reduce the high mortality of the disease. However, few studies have evaluated this population of patients during periods of increased physiologic stress, despite the consistent clinical presentation of impaired exercise tolerance with few symptoms at rest. This study explores the multifactorial physiology of HFpEF, with a detailed investigation of the specificity of abnormalities in contractile reserve and vascular stiffness for this disease, and exploration of the modifiability of these abnormalities. The techniques used are non-invasive, involving echocardiographic evaluation of cardiac function, and measurement of arterial stiffness using tonometry. The first aim of the study is to explore the specificity of a potential diagnostic test for HFpEF by investigating the change in ejection fraction before and after β-adrenergic stimulation with low-dose dobutamine in HFpEF compared to other groups important to distinguish clinically, specifically patients with shortness of breath due to pulmonary disease, and those with hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy without clinical heart failure. In the second aim, the study will investigate the ability of the calcium channel blocker, amlodipine, to restore normal contractile responses of the myocardium. In the third aim, the role of arterial stiffness in drug responses in HFpEF will be explored. It is anticipated that improved understanding of the complex physiology of this multifactorial disease gained through this study will lead to more rational design of large clinical trials studying promising agents for HFpEF that impact not only diastolic function, but contractile reserve and arterial properties as well.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
14

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Wisconsin
      • Madison, Wisconsin, United States, 53705
        • UW - Madison

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

14 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Male or female; Age 18 or older.
  • Left ventricular ejection fraction ≥ 50%.
  • Symptomatic heart failure or appropriate comparator group criteria
  • Informed consent signed by the subject

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Symptoms of active ischemia.
  • Moderate or severe mitral or aortic stenosis, or severe aortic insufficiency.
  • Serum creatinine > 3.0 or chronic hemodialysis.
  • Known chronic hepatic disease; defined as aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels > 3.0 times the upper limit of normal as read at the local lab.
  • Severe renal dysfunction, i.e. glomerular filtration rate (GFR) <30 ml/min.
  • Atrial fibrillation
  • Myocardial infarction within the last year
  • Coronary bypass surgery within the last 6 months
  • Stroke within the last 6 months
  • Known aortic aneurysm
  • Contra-indication to withdrawal of beta blocker or antihypertensive medications
  • Resting or orthostatic hypotension (SBP < 90 mmHg)
  • Any gastrointestinal disorder which would interfere with drug absorption
  • Any significant valvular heart disease, including prior multiple valve replacement.
  • Pericardial Disease
  • Infiltrative or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
  • Cor pulmonale
  • Unstable coronary disease
  • Pregnancy
  • Any condition which may prevent the subject from adhering to the study protocol, as determined by the investigator

Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction

  • Clinical evidence of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, as manifest by at least 2 symptoms or signs, including dyspnea on exertion or at rest, orthopnea, jugular venous distention or hepatojugular reflux, rales or edema.
  • Controlled systolic BP (< 150 mmHg on the day of study)

Pulmonary Disease Group

  • Known obstructive airways disease with objective documentation of an isolated obstructive defect by pulmonary function testing.
  • No history of heart failure.
  • No history of cardiovascular disease, with the exception of hypertension or hyperlipidemia
  • History and physical examination free of signs and symptoms of heart failure, including elevated jugular venous pressure, hepatojugular reflux, rales or edema.
  • Baseline echocardiographic examination without evidence of heart failure, including systolic dysfunction of the LV or RV, or evidence of more than mild diastolic dysfunction on non-invasive assessment.

HTN/LVH Group

  • Known history of hypertension.
  • Echocardiographic evidence of left ventricular hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction.
  • No history or physical examination evidence of heart failure, including excessive dyspnea on exertion, dyspnea at rest, orthopnea, PND, jugular venous distention, hepatojugular reflux, rales or edema.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Triple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: HFpEF
25 patients with clinically diagnosed heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, confirmed by Framingham criteria, with EF > 50% and without evidence of active ischemia or known severe CAD, valvular or pericardial disease, infiltrative or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, cor pulmonale, severe pulmonary disease, or primary renal disease. Subjects will receive amlodipine, oral administration for a period of 12 weeks.
Drug: Dobutamine
IV administration at the initial study visit (all groups) and at the final study visit for the drug intervention arm (HFpEF group only). Administration of low-dose dobutamine at 5mcg/kg/min and 10mcg/kg/min for periods of approximately 30minutes/dose for purposes of performing a low-dose stress exam on the heart.
Drug: Amlodipine
Participants will be randomized to treatment with either amlodipine 5 mg daily or placebo, in double-blind fashion, 25 patients in each group. 12 week oral administration of 5mg/day, uptitrated to 10mg/day, determined by PI.
Experimental: Pulmonary Disease
20 patients with pulmonary disease and no clinical evidence of cardiovascular disease
Drug: Dobutamine
IV administration at the initial study visit (all groups) and at the final study visit for the drug intervention arm (HFpEF group only). Administration of low-dose dobutamine at 5mcg/kg/min and 10mcg/kg/min for periods of approximately 30minutes/dose for purposes of performing a low-dose stress exam on the heart.
Experimental: LVH/HTN
20 subjects with known left ventricular hypertrophy and clinically diagnosed hypertension without the diagnosis of heart failure.
Drug: Dobutamine
IV administration at the initial study visit (all groups) and at the final study visit for the drug intervention arm (HFpEF group only). Administration of low-dose dobutamine at 5mcg/kg/min and 10mcg/kg/min for periods of approximately 30minutes/dose for purposes of performing a low-dose stress exam on the heart.
Placebo Comparator: HFpEF placebo
25 patients with clinically diagnosed heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, confirmed by Framingham criteria, with EF > 50% and without evidence of active ischemia or known severe CAD, valvular or pericardial disease, infiltrative or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, cor pulmonale, severe pulmonary disease, or primary renal disease. Subjects will be administered a placebo for a period of 12 weeks.
Drug: Dobutamine
IV administration at the initial study visit (all groups) and at the final study visit for the drug intervention arm (HFpEF group only). Administration of low-dose dobutamine at 5mcg/kg/min and 10mcg/kg/min for periods of approximately 30minutes/dose for purposes of performing a low-dose stress exam on the heart.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in ejection fraction with 5mcg/kg/min dobutamine
Time Frame: day 0 and 12 week study visit
The primary outcome variable in this analysis will be change in ejection fraction from baseline at the 5 mcg dobutamine dose.
day 0 and 12 week study visit
Change in pulse wave velocity
Time Frame: 12 week study visit
Change in carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) with 12 weeks of therapy with amlodipine or placebo will be the primary outcome variable.
12 week study visit

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University of Wisconsin, Madison

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Nancy K Sweitzer, MD, PhD, UW-Madison

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
April 1, 2011

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
December 1, 2013

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 1, 2013

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
May 5, 2011

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
May 16, 2011

First Posted (Estimate)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
May 17, 2011

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
April 11, 2019

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
April 9, 2019

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
April 1, 2019

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • H-2010-0061
  • R21HL106103-01 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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