Improving Coronary Vascular Health in Women (INFORM_2)

September 2, 2026 updated by: Markella V. Zanni,M.D., Massachusetts General Hospital

ImproviNg Coronary Vascular Health in Women With Risk Factors fOR Myocardial Infarction Type 2 (INFORM-2)

Women with HIV have an increased risk of having a myocardial infarction (heart attack) as compared to women without HIV. One of the mechanisms underlying the increased risk of myocardial infarction among women with HIV may involve reduced ability to increase blood flow through large and small coronary arteries at times when increased flow of oxygen-carrying blood is needed. We are conducting a study randomizing women with HIV and either diabetes, chronic kidney disease, or both to health education alone or to health education plus referral to see either an Endocrinologist or a Nephrologist in a subspecialty clinic for consideration of treatment with medication in a class known as sodium glucose transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors. SGLT2 inhibitors are clinically approved for use in patients with diabetes or chronic kidney disease but have been shown to be underutilized in people with HIV. One of our key analytic aims will be to test if SGLT2 inhibitor therapy results in improved blood flow through the large and small coronary arteries among women with HIV and either diabetes, chronic kidney disease, or both but who have no history of myocardial infarction. A second aim will be to test if subspecialty clinic referral (with or without SGLT2 inhibitor therapy prescription) results in improved blood flow through the large and small coronary arteries among the same group.

Study Overview

Status

Status

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

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

Women with HIV have an increased risk of having a myocardial infarction (heart attack) as compared to women without HIV. One of the mechanisms underlying the increased risk of myocardial infarction among women with HIV may involve reduced ability to increase blood flow through large and small coronary arteries at times when increased flow of oxygen-carrying blood is needed. We are conducting a study randomizing women with HIV and either diabetes, chronic kidney disease, or both to health education alone or to health education plus referral to see either an Endocrinologist or a Nephrologist in a subspecialty clinic for consideration of treatment with medication in a class known as sodium glucose transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors. SGLT2 inhibitors are clinically approved for use in patients with diabetes or chronic kidney disease but have been shown to be underutilized in people with HIV. Prior to randomization, to confirm eligibility, participants will have undergone history, physical, lab tests, and cardiac positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scanning to confirm that there is a measure of impairment in stimulated blood flow through the large and small arteries of the heart. Randomized participants in both groups will be followed for 6 months and then will undergo repeat history, physical, laboratory testing, and repeat cardiac PET/CT scanning. One of our key analytic aims will be to test if SGLT2 inhibitor therapy results in improved blood flow through the large and small coronary arteries among women with HIV and either diabetes, chronic kidney disease, or both but who have no history of myocardial infarction. A second aim will be to test if subspecialty clinic referral (with or without SGLT2 inhibitor therapy prescription) results in improved blood flow through the large and small coronary arteries among the same group. We will also investigate effects of SGLT inhibitor therapy (and, separately, of subspecialty clinic referral) on fat tissue around the heart, as well as on blood and urine-based markers of metabolic disease and inflammation.

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 (Estimated)

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.
80

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.
  • Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

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

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Massachusetts
      • Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02114
        • Recruiting
        • Massachusetts General Hospital
        • Contact:
          • Markella Zanni, MD

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

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • female sex-at-birth
  • self-report of HIV on stable antiretroviral therapy ≥180 days
  • age 45 -75 years
  • at least 1 of the following 3 conditions: i) type 2 diabetes mellitus ii) estimated glomerular filtration rate 30-60 ml/min/1.73 m2 iii) urine albumin to creatinine ratio >30 mg/g
  • coronary flow reserve <2.5 or stress myocardial blood flow <2.5 on screening cardiac positron emission tomography/computed tomography

Exclusion Criteria:

  • current SGLT2 inhibitor use
  • known allergy to SGLT2 inhibitor use
  • type 1 diabetes or ketoacidosis prone diabetes (diabetes with a history of ketoacidosis)
  • self-reported history of polycystic kidney disease
  • self-reported history of myocardial infarction, stroke, or coronary revascularization
  • stable or unstable angina
  • self-reported history of heart failure
  • hemoglobin A1c ≥8.5% at screen
  • uncontrolled hypertension at screen, defined as systolic blood pressure ≥180 mm Hg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥110 mm Hg
  • estimated glomerular filtration rate <30 ml/min/1.73 m2
  • currently receiving hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis
  • CD4 <400 cell/mm3
  • current treatment with systemic (oral, IV, IM or intra-articular) steroids or anti-inflammatory/immune suppressant therapies (excluding topical therapies, UV therapy, ASA-derivatives, or NSAIDs) for any indication, including kidney disease
  • pregnancy or breastfeeding
  • known allergy to 13N Ammonia/82Rubidium or to Regadenoson/Adenosine
  • concurrent enrollment in conflicting research study
  • self-reported history of recurrent urinary tract-infections (≥2 urinary tract infections within 6 months or ≥3 within a year) and/or recurrent vaginal yeast infections (≥2 vaginal yeast infections within 6 months or ≥3 within a year)
  • currently receiving 24-hour-a-day home oxygen therapy

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: Prevention
  • 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.
Experimental: Health education plus subspecialty clinic referral for consideration of SGLT2 inhibitor therapy
Participants randomized to this study arm will receive health education and will be referred to establish clinical care in either the MGH Lipid and Metabolism Clinic or the MGH Renal Clinic for consideration of SGLT2 inhibitor therapy. By study design (inclusion criteria), participants will have a clinical indication for SGLT2 inhibitor therapy (either diabetes or chronic kidney disease). SGLT2 inhibitor therapy (e.g. empagliflozin 10 mg by mouth daily or dapagliflozin 10 mg by mouth daily) may or may not be prescribed by the subspecialty clinician as part of routine clinical care, according to the clinician's clinical judgement. Participants will also receive health education.
Other: Health Education
Health Education
Other: Health Education
Participants randomized to this study arm will receive health education alone.
Other: Health Education
Health Education
Other: Subspecialty clinic referral
This intervention will entail referred to establish clinical care in either the MGH Lipid and Metabolism Clinic or the MGH Renal Clinic for consideration of SGLT2 inhibitor therapy. SGLT2 inhibitor therapy (e.g. empagliflozin 10 mg by mouth daily or dapagliflozin 10 mg by mouth daily) may or may not be prescribed by the subspecialty clinician as part of routine clinical care, according to the clinician's clinical judgement.

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
Coronary Flow Reserve
Time Frame: 24 weeks
Change in coronary flow reserve by cardiac positron emission tomography
24 weeks
Ectopic Adipose Tissue
Time Frame: 24 weeks
Change in ectopic adipose tissue reserve by cardiac computed tomography
24 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
Kidney-related biomarkers
Time Frame: 24 weeks
Urine and serum biomarkers related to kidney health and disease
24 weeks
Metabolic biomarkers
Time Frame: 24 weeks
Urine and serum biomarkers relating to metabolism (including glucose and lipid metabolism)
24 weeks
Immune/inflammatory biomarkers
Time Frame: 24 weeks
Urine and serum biomarkers relating to inflammation and immune activation
24 weeks
HIV-specific parameters
Time Frame: 24 weeks
Serum variables relating to HIV disease (such as HIV-1 viral load, CD4 T cell count, CD8 T cell count)
24 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.
Massachusetts General Hospital

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: Markella V Zanni, MD, MGH/HMS

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.
April 17, 2025

Primary Completion (Estimated)

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.
March 1, 2029

Study Completion (Estimated)

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 1, 2029

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).
February 19, 2025

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.
February 19, 2025

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.
February 25, 2025

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.
September 8, 2026

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.
September 2, 2026

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.
October 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

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.
  • 2024P001952
  • R01HL170905 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

Plans are for IPD to be shared to the NIH BioLINCC data repository.

IPD Sharing Time Frame

Data will be made available 12 months after study completion and will remain available for a duration of time consonant with NIH policies.

IPD Sharing Access Criteria

Access criteria are as per the NIH BioLINCC data repository.

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL
  • ICF

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

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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