Inhaled Nitric Oxide and Inhaled Prostacyclin After Cardiac Surgery for Heart Transplant or LVAD Placement

Combined Inhaled Nitric Oxide and Inhaled Prostacyclin After Cardiac Surgery for Heart Transplantation and for Left Ventricular Assist Device Placement

Research study evaluating the individual and combined effects of inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) and inhaled prostacyclin (iPGI2), on the function of the right heart after surgery for either heart transplant or for left ventricular assist device (LVAD) placement. The investigators hope to learn if these two medications, when given together after surgery, improve right heart function by lowering blood vessel pressures in the lungs. The investigators hope to learn if the combined effects of these two medications are better than either medication used alone. Participants were selected as a possible participant in this study because right heart problems are common during and after surgery for heart transplant and for LVAD placement. In addition, iNO is always given during and after these two types of surgeries at Stanford to help improve how the right heart functions.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Heart Failure
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Nitric Oxide; Drug: Prostacyclin

Detailed Description

The study will begin once the participant arrives in the cardiothoracic intensive care unit (CTICU) after heart surgery for either heart transplant or LVAD placement. As is standard of care after these types of surgeries, the participant will arrive in the CTICU with a breathing tube already in place, receiving iNO, and connected to a breathing machine. The participant will be receiving relaxing medication in an intravenous line provided by the cardiac anesthesiologist and the CTICU physicians. The participant will be unaware of the study period while the participant is sedated. Data will be collected from the monitor screen connected to the participant's arterial and venous lines, and if placed, LVAD monitor. These data are:

Central venous pressure (CVP) Mean arterial pressure (MAP) Mean pulmonary artery pressure (MPAP) Cardiac Index (CI) Systemic vascular resistance (SVR) Pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) Right ventricular stroke work index (RVSWI) LVAD Flow LVAD Pulsatility Index (PI)

These data will be collected at five different time periods during the first eight hours after surgery.

1. Time zero. Data will be collected after surgery upon your arrival to the CTICU while receiving iNO.
2. After two hours of iNO treatment data will be collected. iPGI2 will then be combined with the current iNO.
3. After two hours of combined iNO and iPGI2 treatment, data will be collected. iNO will then be stopped.
4. After two hours of iPGI2 treatment data will be collected. iNO will be restarted.
5. After two hours of combined iNO and iPGI2 treatment, data will be collected. The study ends after this data collection time.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 14
• Phase: Phase 4

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • California
    • Stanford, California, United States, 94305
      • Stanford Hospital and Clinics

Participation Criteria

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:

• Adult cardiac surgical patients scheduled to undergo either heart transplantation or LVAD placement

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients with prior documented allergic reactions or intolerance to either nitric oxide or prostacyclin will be excluded. Patients not undergoing heart transplantation or LVAD placement will be excluded.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Combined nitric oxide and prostacyclin; iNO (20 ppm continuously) and iPGI2 (0.05 micrograms/kg/min continuously)	Drug: Nitric Oxide; inhaled nitric oxide; Other Names: INOmax; Drug: Prostacyclin; inhaled prostacyclin; Other Names: inhaled flolan; epoprostenol; inhaled PGI2

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Pulmonary Hypertension	Pulmonary hypertension was measured as mean of Mean Pulmonary Artery Pressure for initial 8 hours after admission to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). MPAP value ≥25 mmHg (resting) indicates pulmonary hypertension state.	8 hours (upon arrival at ICU, and after 4 successive 2 hour treatments with 1. iNO only, 2. iNO+iPGI2 (1st), 3. iPGI2 only, and 4. iNO+iPGI2 (2nd))

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Right Heart Dysfunction	Right Heart Dysfunction was measured as mean of Right Ventricular Stroke Work Index (RVSWI) for the initial 8 hours after admission to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). RVSWI is measured as the difference in mean pulmonary artery pressure (MPAP) and central venous pressure (CVP), divided by the cardiac index (CI): [(MPAP-CVP) / CI]. Normal range for RVSWI is 5-10 g/m.	8 hours (upon arrival at ICU, and after 4 successive 2 hour treatments with 1. iNO only, 2. iNO+iPGI2 (1st), 3. iPGI2 only, and 4. iNO+iPGI2 (2nd))
Systemic Vascular Resistance (SVR)	Systemic Vascular Resistance (SVR) was measured as mean of Systemic Vascular Resistance (SVR) for the initial 8 hours after admission to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Normal range for SVR is 800-1200 dynes/sec/cm5.	8 hours (upon arrival at ICU, and after 4 successive 2 hour treatments with 1. iNO only, 2. iNO+iPGI2 (1st), 3. iPGI2 only, and 4. iNO+iPGI2 (2nd))
Central Venous Pressure (CVP)	Central Venous Pressure (CVP) was measured as mean of CVP for the initial 8 hours after admission to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Normal range for CVP is 3-8 mmHg.	8 hours (upon arrival at ICU, and after 4 successive 2 hour treatments with 1. iNO only, 2. iNO+iPGI2 (1st), 3. iPGI2 only, and 4. iNO+iPGI2 (2nd))
Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP)	Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP) was measured as mean of MAP for the initial 8 hours after admission to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Normal range for MAP is 70-110 mmHg.	8 hours (upon arrival at ICU, and after 4 successive 2 hour treatments with 1. iNO only, 2. iNO+iPGI2 (1st), 3. iPGI2 only, and 4. iNO+iPGI2 (2nd))
Heart Rate	Heart Rate was measured as mean of Heart Rate for the initial 8 hours after admission to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Normal range for heart rate is generally 60 to 100 beats per minutes in adults, but this can vary.	8 hours (upon arrival at ICU, and after 4 successive 2 hour treatments with 1. iNO only, 2. iNO+iPGI2 (1st), 3. iPGI2 only, and 4. iNO+iPGI2 (2nd))

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Stanford University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Andrew J Powers, MD

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Khan TA, Schnickel G, Ross D, Bastani S, Laks H, Esmailian F, Marelli D, Beygui R, Shemin R, Watson L, Vartapetian I, Ardehali A. A prospective, randomized, crossover pilot study of inhaled nitric oxide versus inhaled prostacyclin in heart transplant and lung transplant recipients. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2009 Dec;138(6):1417-24. doi: 10.1016/j.jtcvs.2009.04.063.
• De Wet CJ, Affleck DG, Jacobsohn E, Avidan MS, Tymkew H, Hill LL, Zanaboni PB, Moazami N, Smith JR. Inhaled prostacyclin is safe, effective, and affordable in patients with pulmonary hypertension, right heart dysfunction, and refractory hypoxemia after cardiothoracic surgery. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2004 Apr;127(4):1058-67. doi: 10.1016/j.jtcvs.2003.11.035.
• Potapov E, Meyer D, Swaminathan M, Ramsay M, El Banayosy A, Diehl C, Veynovich B, Gregoric ID, Kukucka M, Gromann TW, Marczin N, Chittuluru K, Baldassarre JS, Zucker MJ, Hetzer R. Inhaled nitric oxide after left ventricular assist device implantation: a prospective, randomized, double-blind, multicenter, placebo-controlled trial. J Heart Lung Transplant. 2011 Aug;30(8):870-8. doi: 10.1016/j.healun.2011.03.005. Epub 2011 Apr 29.
• Antoniou T, Prokakis C, Athanasopoulos G, Thanopoulos A, Rellia P, Zarkalis D, Kogerakis N, Koletsis EN, Bairaktaris A. Inhaled nitric oxide plus iloprost in the setting of post-left assist device right heart dysfunction. Ann Thorac Surg. 2012 Sep;94(3):792-8. doi: 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2012.04.046. Epub 2012 Jun 23.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): October 1, 2012
• Primary Completion (Actual): October 1, 2013
• Study Completion (Actual): October 1, 2013

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: October 26, 2012
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 29, 2012
• First Posted (Estimate): October 30, 2012

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): October 9, 2017
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 5, 2017
• Last Verified: October 1, 2017

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Heart Transplantation; heart failure; hypertension, pulmonary; heart failure, right-sided; heart-assist devices
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Heart Diseases; Cardiovascular Diseases; Heart Failure; Physiological Effects of Drugs; Neurotransmitter Agents; Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action; Antihypertensive Agents; Vasodilator Agents; Autonomic Agents; Peripheral Nervous System Agents; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; Protective Agents; Bronchodilator Agents; Anti-Asthmatic Agents; Respiratory System Agents; Antioxidants; Free Radical Scavengers; Endothelium-Dependent Relaxing Factors; Gasotransmitters; Nitric Oxide; Epoprostenol; Tezosentan
• Other Study ID Numbers: 25471

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: Yes
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No