Aliskiren on Retinal Vasculature Treatment Study
ARTS
Randomized, Double Blind, Active-controlled, Parallel Study to Analyse Effects of the Combination of Aliskiren and Valsartan on the Vascular Structure and Function of Retinal Vessels
1 other identifier
interventional
56
1 country
2
Brief Summary
Hypertension affects approximately one fourth of the world population and therefore contributes substantially to the worldwide burden of cardiovascular (CV) disease and end-organ damage. Changes in small artery structure characterized by an increased wall-to-lumen ratio (WLR) are characteristic feature of target organ damage in hypertension. Of clinical importance, structural arteries of small subcutaneous arteries have been shown to be of prognostic significance, with adverse prognosis in subjects with higher WLR. However, the assessment of arteriolar structure from biopsies of subcutaneous tissue is invasive and impractical in clinical practice. A new approach focuses on retinal arteriolar structural parameters by using scanning laser Doppler flowmetry (SLDF) with automatic full-field perfusion imaging analyses (9). This approach allows the non-invasive assessment of both the outer diameter (OD) and inner diameter (ID) of retinal arterioles in vivo and, thus, analyses vascular remodeling of retinal arterioles by calculating WLR = (OD - ID) / ID). A crucial role in the efforts of prevention of end-organ damage plays the renin angiotensin system (RAS). The increased mechanical strain on the vasculature at a higher BP can cause injury to the endothelial wall. Activation of the RAS increases BP and stimulates a local inflammatory response to repair the injury. Long-term or repeated response to injury leads to endothelial dysfunction and microvascular damage, and hence end-organ damage. Combining RAS inhibitors may provide greater end-organ protection than use of either class alone. However, ONTARGET has failed to show superiority of the dual RAS blockade (ACE-I and ARB) in patients at high cardiovascular risk. The combination of ARBs and direct renin inhibitors (DRIs) emerged as the only available, valid and innovative option for blocking the RAS at two different sites (sequential blockade). Indeed, AVOID study and ALLAY study demonstrated that the DRI aliskiren has additional and to some extent blood pressure independent effects on albuminuria and left ventricular hypertrophy, both signs of subclinical organ damage in hypertension, respectively. However, no data are available with respect to the effects of ARBs and DRIs on vascular properties in the short and long term To close this gab we focus in this study on vascular structural and functional changes since vascular adaptation to high blood pressure occurs in the early phase of hypertensive disease.
Trial Health
Trial Health Score
Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach
participants targeted
Target at below P25 for phase_3
Started May 2010
Typical duration for phase_3
2 active sites
Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.
Trial Relationships
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Study Timeline
Key milestones and dates
Study Start
First participant enrolled
May 1, 2010
CompletedFirst Submitted
Initial submission to the registry
March 17, 2011
CompletedFirst Posted
Study publicly available on registry
March 18, 2011
CompletedPrimary Completion
Last participant's last visit for primary outcome
June 1, 2013
CompletedStudy Completion
Last participant's last visit for all outcomes
June 1, 2013
CompletedJanuary 12, 2018
January 1, 2018
3.1 years
March 17, 2011
January 11, 2018
Conditions
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcomes (1)
To investigate the combined effect of aliskiren and valsartan on vascular structure, assessed by wall to lumen ratio of retinal arterioles, in hypertensive patients.
WLR = (outer diameter - inner diameter) / inner diameter) of retinal arterioles
After 8 weeks of treatment with aliskiren versus placebo
Study Arms (2)
Aliskiren
ACTIVE COMPARATORPlacebo
PLACEBO COMPARATORInterventions
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if:
- Male or female aged 18 to 75 years (females of child bearing potential must be using adequate contraceptive precautions)
- Females of childbearing potential or within two years of the menopause must have a negative urine pregnancy test at enrolment visit
- Patients with mild to moderate uncomplicated essential hypertension with a trough mean sitting DBP ≥ 90 mmHg and/or SBP ≥ 140 mmHg or pretreated arterial hypertension
- Written informed consent
- Agreement to attend all study visits as planned in the protocol
- Agreement to perform routinely self home blood pressure measurements as well as keep a blood pressure diary throughout the study and to inform the investigator if BP exceeds cutt off criteria given in the ICF
You may not qualify if:
- In the investigator's opinion the patient can not be withdrawn from their current antihypertensive medication
- Secondary hypertension (e.g. patients with hyperaldosteronism, pheochromocytoma, renal artery stenosis, renal parenchymal disease, coarctation of the aorta, Cushing's disease syndrome)
- Severe essential hypertension (systolic blood pressure ≥ 180 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 110 mmHg) or treatment resistant hypertension (3 antihypertensive drugs and still SBP ≥ 140mmHg and/or DBP ≥ 90mmHg)
- History of hypertensive encephalopathy or intracerebral hemorrhage
- Diabetes mellitus Type 1 or Type 2
- History of epilepsia (no retinal exam possible)
- Eye cataract (no retinal exam possible)
- History of the following within the last six months: myocardial infarction, unstable angina pectoris, percutaneous coronary intervention, heart failure
- Presence of significant renal, respiratory, hepatic, gastrointestinal, endocrine or metabolic, immunological, haematological or oncological, neurological and psychiatric diseases or dysfunction
- Impaired renal function as shown by estimated GFR (abbreviated MDRD formula) \< 45 ml/min/1.73 m2
- Impaired hepatic function as shown by transaminases higher than three times the upper normal limit
- Known allergy or a known intolerance to any ARB or Aliskiren
- Females who are pregnant or lactating or who are not on an adequate contraception (Pearl-Index ≥ 1 %)
- Use of any investigational drug within 28 days before study entry
- Patients previously enrolled into the study
- +6 more criteria
Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.
Sponsors & Collaborators
Study Sites (2)
Clinical Research Unit, Department of Nephrology and Hypertension, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg
Erlangen, 91054, Germany
Clinical Research Unit, Department of Nephrology and Hypertension, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg
Nuremberg, 90471, Germany
Related Publications (3)
Jumar A, Ott C, Kistner I, Friedrich S, Schmidt S, Harazny JM, Schmieder RE. Effect of aliskiren on vascular remodelling in small retinal circulation. J Hypertens. 2015 Dec;33(12):2491-9. doi: 10.1097/HJH.0000000000000735.
PMID: 26398851RESULTBosch A, Schmid A, Ott C, Kannenkeril D, Karg MV, Ditting T, Veelken R, Uder M, Schmieder RE. Copeptin Levels in Patients With Treatment-Resistant Hypertension Before and 6 Months After Renal Denervation. Am J Hypertens. 2020 Feb 22;33(2):182-189. doi: 10.1093/ajh/hpz155.
PMID: 31555795DERIVEDBosch AJ, Harazny JM, Kistner I, Friedrich S, Wojtkiewicz J, Schmieder RE. Retinal capillary rarefaction in patients with untreated mild-moderate hypertension. BMC Cardiovasc Disord. 2017 Dec 21;17(1):300. doi: 10.1186/s12872-017-0732-x.
PMID: 29268712DERIVED
MeSH Terms
Conditions
Interventions
Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Study Officials
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Roland E Schmieder, MD
University of Erlangen-Nürnberg
Study Design
- Study Type
- interventional
- Phase
- phase 3
- Allocation
- RANDOMIZED
- Masking
- DOUBLE
- Who Masked
- PARTICIPANT, INVESTIGATOR
- Purpose
- TREATMENT
- Intervention Model
- PARALLEL
- Sponsor Type
- OTHER
- Responsible Party
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
- PI Title
- Prof. Dr. med.
Study Record Dates
First Submitted
March 17, 2011
First Posted
March 18, 2011
Study Start
May 1, 2010
Primary Completion
June 1, 2013
Study Completion
June 1, 2013
Last Updated
January 12, 2018
Record last verified: 2018-01