The Effect of Medium-chain Fatty Acids on Cardiac Function (MediHeart)

April 3, 2025 updated by: Bente Kiens, University of Copenhagen

The effect of an acute intake of medium-chain fatty acids on heart function measured by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) will be measured in individuals with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and in matched healthy controls with normal heart function. This aim will be investigated in a cross-over study including two visits: acute intake of medium-chain fatty acid or long-chain fatty acid as control. In addition, the effect of acute medium-chain fatty acid compared with long-chain fatty acid intake on whole-body lipid and glucose metabolism will be investigated..

The hypothesis is that acute consumption of medium-chain fatty acid will improve cardiac function in patients with heart failure.

Study Overview

Detailed Description

The study will be conducted as a block-randomized cross-over study in participants with heart failure (HFrEF) (n=10) and in healthy age- and BMI-matched participants with normal heart function (n=13) as control group. The participants will undergo two experimental days separated by a two to four weeks wash-out period. At the test days, participants will consume cocoa milk added 0.5g/kg body weight of medium-chain fatty acid oil or long-chain fatty acid oil as control. Two days prior to metabolic testing, participants will consume a controlled diet. The controlled diet will be handed out to the participant.

Initially, potential participants are invited to an information meeting and after informed consent a screening is performed. Following inclusion, one of two identical test days are conducted consuming either medium-chain fatty acids or long-chain fatty acids in a randomized order. The participants will arrive after a 4 h period with no intake of food and drinks except water, and by passive transport (train, bus or car). After 30 min of rest in the supine position, venflon catheters are inserted into the right and left antecubital vein. After insertion of the catheters, fasting venous blood samples are drawn (20 ml in total) from one of the catheters for analysis of ketones, glucose, insulin, C-peptide, fatty acids, triacylglycerol, lipidomics and concentration of hepatokines. ECG monitoring is initiated. Thereafter, the first basal CMR will be performed.

After the basal blood sampling and scanning, the participants consume the cocoa-drink with 60g medium-chain fatty acid or 60g long-chain fatty acid and remains resting for the following 4 hours. Venous blood samples (15 ml) are obtained at 0, 30, 60, 80 and 135 min In total, up to 110 ml blood is obtained during the test day. At 90 min, the CMR will be repeated. At the end of the test day, the participant is served a meal. The duration of the test day is 4 hours. After a wash-out period of 2-4 weeks the test day will be repeated with consumption of the other fatty acid type.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

23

Phase

  • 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

      • Copenhagen, Denmark, 2100
        • University of Copenhagen

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

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria for patients:

  • Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction; I. Left ventricular ejection fraction ≤45% and optimal, stable HFrEF treatment according to guidelines II. Functional classification New York Heart Association class II-III.
  • No uncorrected cardiac valvular disease
  • No signs or symptoms of myocardial infarction within the previous 3 months
  • No permanent of persistent arterial fibrillation.

For controls:

• No use of medications with influence on heart function

Exclusion Criteria: For all participants:

  • Diabetes, kidney or liver disease.
  • Contraindications to CMR, e.g., abdominal height exceed limitations of the MR- scanner, pacemaker, stent, neurostimulator, or other electronic device implanted, implanted metal devices, severe claustrophobia, or physiological diseases
  • Pregnant, lactating or planning to become pregnant within the study period
  • To ensure safety, no gadobutrol contrast can be administrered to participants with severe reduced kidney function, indicated by glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 30 ml/min/1.73m2, accessed from the obtained screening blood sample or from the Patient Record. In such cases, potential participants will be excluded from the study.
  • Blood donation during and < 3 month prior to study
  • Simultaneous participation in other clinical trials
  • Inability, physically or mentally, to comply with the procedure required by the study protocol ad evaluated by the primary investigator, study manager or clinical responsible

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: Non-Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Meal test in patients
Effect of medium-chain fatty acids on heart function measured by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) in individuals with heart failure.
The intake of an oil comprising of either medium -chain fatty acids or long-chail fatty acids
Experimental: Meal test in healthy individuals
Acute intake of a meal comprising either MCT of LCT in healthy individuals and the effects onheart function.
Acute intake of MCT and LCT in healthy individuals in a cross-over design

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Heart function
Time Frame: 0-5 weeks
To investigate the effect of acute medium-chain fatty acids intake on heart function assessed by cardiac output (l/min) measured by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) in individuals with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and in matched healthy controls with normal heart function.
0-5 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Measure of Ketones
Time Frame: 0-5 weeks
Measure the effects of acute medium-chain fatty acid intake on plasma ketone concentration ( in mmol/l) as compared with long-chain fatty acid intake in individuals with and without heart failure.
0-5 weeks
Plasma Glucose
Time Frame: 0-5 weeks
measure of plasma glucose concentration (in mmol/l) after the intake of medium-chain fatty acids as compared with the intake of long-chain fatty acids in individuals with and without heart failure
0-5 weeks
Measure of plasma lipids
Time Frame: 0-5 weeks
measure of plasma triacylglycerol content in mmol/l after the intake of medium-chain fatty acids as compared with the intake of long-chain fatty acids in individuals with and without heart failure.
0-5 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Bente Kiens, University of Copenhagen

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)

August 20, 2024

Primary Completion (Actual)

April 1, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

April 1, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

April 9, 2024

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 1, 2024

First Posted (Actual)

May 3, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

April 6, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 3, 2025

Last Verified

April 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • MediHeart

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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