N-of-1 Trial to Promote Beta-Blocker Titration in Heart Failure

August 11, 2026 updated by: Julie Lauffenburger, Brigham and Women's Hospital

N-of-1 Trials to Promote Patient-Centered Beta-Blocker Titration in Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction

In this study we seek to understand whether N-of-1 trials using a crossover withdrawal/reversal design with as many 2-week periods can be used to identify the highest tolerated beta-blocker dose for patients with Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction (HFrEF). To achieve this objective we will conduct a 2-arm randomized controlled trial of 50 participants, comparing intervention(N-of-1 trials) to enhanced usual care.

For participants randomized to the intervention, we will use collect data via validated patient-reported outcomes and then display this data on a visualization tool. This tool was iteratively developed for N-of-1 trials with patient input - a comparison of how the patient felt on different beta-blockers. If well-tolerated and the participant agrees to continue with dose escalation based on review of their data, the participant will take a higher dose for the next 2-week period; and the study team will again collect data on how they feel during this time. This approach of sharing end-of-period data with participants and subsequently escalating the dose (based on the participant's decision) for another 2-week period will continue until the guideline-directed target dose is reached or until the participant feels that their symptoms are limiting dose escalation. The N-of-1 intervention is purposefully structured to allow the participant to participate in as many periods (and as many dose combinations) as they wish until they are confident that they have reached their highest tolerated dose. This adaptive design for N-of-1 trials is intended to be patient-centered and patient-driven.

We will also conduct brief semi-structured interviews with intervention participants.

Participants randomized to enhanced usual care will not have access to patient-reported outcomes or the data visualization tool. Since attention can affect outcomes, we will "enhance usual care" by conducting phone calls at the same frequency as the intervention group.

Study Overview

Status

Enrolling by invitation

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

50

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

  • United States
    • New York
      • New York, New York, United States, 10065
        • New York Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Medical College of Cornell University

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

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Adults aged ≥60 years
  • Diagnosed with HFrEF (LVEF <40%)
  • Taking below 50% of guideline-based target β-blocker dose (guideline-based target doses: metoprolol 200mg daily; carvedilol 25mg BID; bisoprolol 10mg daily)

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Contraindication to beta-blocker including allergy
  • Treating physician disapproval of enrollment
  • Clinical instability

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: Health Services Research
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: N-of-1 Trials
N-of-1 trials using a crossover withdrawal/reversal design will allow for as many 2-week periods as needed to identify the highest tolerated beta-blocker dose
Behavioral: N-of-1 trials
N-of-1 trials using a crossover withdrawal/reversal design will allow for as many 2-week periods as needed to identify the highest tolerated beta-blocker dose
Active Comparator: Enhanced usual care
We will compare the intervention to an "enhanced usual care." Our study team will not provide guidance for dose titration (this will be at physician and patient discretion); and participants will not have access to PROs or the data visualization tool. Since attention can affect outcomes, we will "enhance usual care" by conducting phone calls at the same frequency as the intervention group.
Behavioral: Enhanced usual care
We will compare the intervention to an "enhanced usual care." Our study team will not provide guidance for dose titration (this will be at physician and patient discretion); and participants will not have access to PROs or the data visualization tool. Since attention can affect outcomes, we will "enhance usual care" by conducting phone calls at the same frequency as the intervention group.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Maximum beta-blocker dose achieved
Time Frame: 120 days
Our primary endpoint is the maximum beta-blocker dose achieved, in proportion to target dose.
120 days

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Proportion of participants taking >50% of target dose
Time Frame: 120 days
The secondary outcome will be the proportion of participants taking at least >50% of target beta-blocker dose.
120 days

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Brigham and Women's Hospital

Collaborators

National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Weill Medical College of Cornell 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)

July 31, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

March 5, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

March 5, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

March 18, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 18, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

March 24, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

August 13, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 11, 2026

Last Verified

August 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 2026P000457
  • 5P30AG064199-07 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

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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