Differential Vascular and Endocrine Effects of Valsartan/Sacubitril in Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction (VASCEND)

November 3, 2020 updated by: University of Zurich

Differential Vascular and Endocrine Effects of Valsartan/Sacubitril in Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction: A Double-blind Randomized Controlled Phase IV Trial (VASCEND)

The objective of this study is to evaluate whether valsartan/sacubitril leads to a superior improvement in endothelial function and endocrine status compared to valsartan alone.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Valsartan/sacubitril (Entresto®; LCZ696) is a first-in-class angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI) that has recently been approved for the treatment of chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). The drug consists of a 1:1 complex of the angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) valsartan and the neprilysin inhibitor sacubitril. In a recent randomized controlled trial in patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction (PARADIGM-HF), valsartan/sacubitril significantly reduced all-cause and cardiovascular mortality as well as hospitalizations for heart failure compared to enalapril. The precise reason why combined angiotensin receptor and neprilysin blockade is superior to ACE blockade is still unclear and knowledge of the mechanisms involved would provide further insight which patients with symptomatic heart failure will particularly benefit from valsartan/sacubitril. On the one hand, many of the peptides affected by neprilysin blockade act on vascular endothelial cells. On the other, neprilysin inhibition may induce significant endocrine changes with a shift to more favorable hormonal profile in HFrEF patients. Detailed studies on the vascular and endocrine effects of valsartan/sacubitril in humans are lacking so far. The investigators hypothesize that valsartan/sacubitril results in an incremental improvement of endothelial dysfunction and endocrine imbalance over valsartan in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

79

Phase

  • Phase 4

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

      • Zurich, Switzerland, 8091
        • University Heart Center Zurich

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

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Patients ≥ 18 years of age, male or female, with a diagnosis of symptomatic heart failure (NYHA class II-IV) per ESC heart failure guidelines
  2. LVEF ≤ 40%
  3. Established guideline-recommended therapy with an ACEI, ARB and a beta-blocker, as clinically indicated and tolerated, at stable doses for at least 3 weeks prior to inclusion.

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. History of hypersensitivity or allergy to any of the study drugs
  2. History of angioedema.
  3. Sitting systolic blood pressure <90 mmHg at Visit 1 (screening) or Visit 2 (randomization)
  4. Current acute decompensated HF (exacerbation of chronic HF manifested by signs and symptoms that may require intravenous therapy).
  5. Estimated GFR < 20 mL/min/1.73m2
  6. Serum potassium > 5.5 mmol/L at Visit 1 (screening) or Visit 2 (randomization).
  7. Acute coronary syndrome, stroke, transient ischemic attack, cardiac, carotid or other major CV surgery, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or carotid angioplasty within the 3 months prior to Visit 1.
  8. Coronary or carotid artery disease likely to require surgical or percutaneous intervention within the 3 months after Visit 1.
  9. Implantation of a cardiac resynchronization therapy device (CRTD) within 2 months prior Visit 1 or intent to implant a CRTD within next 3 months.
  10. History of heart transplant, on a transplant list or with ventricular assistance device (VAD).
  11. Presence of significant endocrine diseases.
  12. Presence of active acute infectious diseases.
  13. Known narrow-angle glaucoma
  14. Known epilepsy
  15. Cimino-shunt operation on both arms
  16. Pregnancy, intention thereof during study; lack of sufficient contraception; breastfeeding

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: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Valsartan/Sacubitril
Valsartan-Sacubitril 50mg/100mg twice daily, titrated to 200mg twice daily p.o. Duration of product administration: 3 months
tablet (double dummy)
Other Names:
  • Entresto®; LCZ696
Active Comparator: Valsartan
Valsartan 40mg/80mg twice daily, titrated to 160mg twice daily p.o Duration of product administration: 3 months
tablet (double dummy)
Other Names:
  • Diovan®

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Difference in flow-mediated vasodilatation (FMD)
Time Frame: Baseline, 3 months
Difference in flow-mediated vasodilatation (FMD, percent dilatation of brachial artery after blood pressure cuff occlusion) between the valsartan/sacubitril and valsartan group as assessed at the final study visit
Baseline, 3 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Difference in flicker-induced vasodilatation of retinal arterioles and venules
Time Frame: Baseline, 3 months
Baseline, 3 months

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Collaborators

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 (Actual)

May 4, 2017

Primary Completion (Actual)

September 5, 2020

Study Completion (Actual)

September 5, 2020

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

May 22, 2017

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 23, 2017

First Posted (Actual)

May 30, 2017

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

November 4, 2020

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

November 3, 2020

Last Verified

November 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

  • VASCEND

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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