Home-based Leg Heat Therapy (HHT)

February 27, 2023 updated by: Raghu Motaganahalli, Indiana University

Home-based Leg Heat Therapy for Patients With Symptomatic Peripheral Arterial Disease

The objective of this study is to evaluate the benefits of participating for 8 weeks in a home-based daily treatment with heat therapy (HT) or a thermoneutral control intervention, as assessed by vascular function, walking tolerance and quality of life.

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

Heat therapy (HT) is an emerging non-invasive approach that has been shown to enhance vascular function of the leg in old individuals. The objective of this randomized, controlled study is to evaluate the benefits of participating for 8 weeks in a home-based daily treatment with heat therapy (HT) or a thermoneutral control intervention, as assessed by vascular function, walking tolerance and quality of life. The central hypothesis of this study, based on preliminary data, is that exposure to HT will enhance the oxygenation of calf muscles during exercise and as a result, the onset of pain will be delayed and walking performance will be enhanced. The duration (8 weeks) was chosen based on the recent report of Brunt and co-workers that the improvement in endothelial function promoted by repeat HT in sedentary individuals peaks at 8 weeks following the onset of treatment. Heat Therapy will be applied daily for 90 minutes using water-circulating 'pants' connected to a water pump. Outcomes will be assessed at the halfway point (end of week 4), at the completion of the intervention (end of week 8) and 4 weeks after the end of the intervention (week 12).

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.
34

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
    • Indiana
      • Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, 46202
        • IU Heath Methodist

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

40 years to 75 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Men and women with a stable symptomatic PAD for ≥6 months
  • Ankle brachial index <0.9 in at least one leg
  • Age between 40 and 80 years

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Uncontrolled Diabetes (HbA1C > 8.5 measured within 3 months prior to date of consent)
  • Wheelchair bound
  • Use of a walking aid (i.e. cane, crutches, walker, motorized chair)
  • Critical limb ischemia (ischemic rest pain or ischemia-related non healing wounds or tissue loss
  • Impaired thermal sensation in the legs
  • Exercise-limiting comorbidity
  • Chronic Heart Failure stages C and stage D (Stage C: structural heart disease is present and symptoms have occurred; Stage D: presence of advanced heart disease with continued heart failure symptoms requiring aggressive medical therapy)
  • Morbid obesity BMI > 35 or unable to fit into water-circulating pants
  • Open wounds or ulcers on the extremity
  • Prior amputation
  • Lower extremity revascularization, major orthopedic surgery, cardiovascular event, or coronary revascularization in the previous three months
  • Planned revascularization or major surgery during the next six months
  • Plans to change medical therapy during the duration of the study
  • Active treatment for cancer
  • Chronic kidney disease (eGFR <30 by MDRD or Mayo or Cockcroft-Gault formula).
  • HIV positive, active HBV or HCV disease.
  • Presence of any clinical condition that makes the patient not suitable to participate in the trial.
  • Unable to walk on the treadmill

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: Single

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.
Sham Comparator: Sham treatment
Participants were dressed in water-circulating trousers that are connected to a pump. Water at 91.4 degrees F was circulated through the pants for 90 minutes daily for 8 weeks..
Device: Control/Sham Treatment
Thermoneutral water will be circulated through water-circulating trousers to maintain skin temperature at baselines levels daily for 90 minutes for 8 weeks.
Active Comparator: Heat Therapy
Participants were dressed in water-circulating trousers that are connected to a pump. Water at 110 degrees F will be circulated through the pants for 90 minutes daily for 8 weeks.
Device: Heat Therapy
Water at 110 degrees F will be circulated through water-circulating trousers daily for 90 minutes for 8 weeks.

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 6-min Walk Distance
Time Frame: 8 weeks
Change in 6-min walk distance from baseline to the 8-week follow-up
8 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Treadmill Peak Walking Time
Time Frame: 8 weeks
Change in treadmill peak walking time from baseline to 8-week follow-up
8 weeks
Change in Peak Calf Blood Flow
Time Frame: 8 weeks
Change in peak calf blood flow during reactive hyperemia from baseline to the 8-week follow-up
8 weeks
Change in Leg Cutaneous Vascular Conductance
Time Frame: 8 weeks
Change in cutaneous vascular conductance from baseline to the 8-week follow-up
8 weeks
Change in the Vascular Quality of Life Questionnaire-6 Score
Time Frame: 8 weeks
Change in Vascular Quality of Life Questionnaire-6 score from baseline to the 8-week follow-up. The total VASCUQOL score is the average score of questions answered and ranges from 1 (worst QOL) to 7 (best QOL)
8 weeks
Change in the Short Form 36 Physical Functioning Score
Time Frame: 8 weeks
Change in the physical functioning subscale score from baseline to the 8-week follow-up. Each item is scored on a 0 to 100 range so that the lowest and highest possible scores are 0 and 100, respectively. Scores represent the percentage of total possible score achieved. A high score defines a more favorable health state.
8 weeks

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.
Indiana University

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.
Roseguini, Bruno, PhD

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: R Motaganahalli, Indiana University

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)

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.
January 14, 2019

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.
June 21, 2021

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.
June 21, 2021

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).
November 23, 2018

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.
November 30, 2018

First Posted (Actual)

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.
December 4, 2018

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.
March 1, 2023

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.
February 27, 2023

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.
February 1, 2023

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.
  • 1801755556

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

Yes

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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