NCT03905083

Brief Summary

The overall objective of this study is to fulfill the Pilot study (miRNA and Myokines Acutely-expressed During Exercise) goal to Investigate the excretion of skeletal muscle-derived miRNA and myokines in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension during acute exercise that are biologically active and modulate skeletal muscle function during exercise. Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), is characterized by the proliferation of endothelial and smooth muscle cells within the precapillary pulmonary vasculature, if untreated results in increased pulmonary vascular resistance and death. The hallmark perivascular infiltrates in PAH contain inflammatory macrophages and lymphocytes resulting in endothelial dysfunction and involves the dysregulation of distinct inflammatory mechanisms. Idiopathic PAH (iPAH) and scleroderma-associated PAH (SSc-PAH), are related by similar clinical and pathophysiologic features. Patients with PAH experience a central cardiovascular limitation to exercise. Despite effective treatment with pulmonary vasodilators, many resting PAH (rPAH) patients continue to experience exercise intolerance. PAH is increasingly acknowledged as a systemic disease, beyond abnormalities of the pulmonary vasculature. Although other contributions to exercise intolerance in PAH exist, skeletal muscle dysfunction significantly impacts exercise tolerance. The molecular mechanisms behind skeletal muscle dysfunction in PAH remain unclear. Provocative testing with invasive cardiopulmonary exercise testing challenges the cardio-pulmonary-vascular and skeletal muscle systems and elicits a cascade of physiologic events not measurable at rest. Myokines are circulating mediators released from skeletal muscle in an endocrine-like fashion in disease and health influencing many factors but not limited to systemic inflammation, immunity and endothelial function. Myokines have not been well described in PAH. Preliminary data indicate that myokines play important, yet still undescribed, roles in this disease. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNA molecules, which negatively regulate gene expression via repressing translation and degrading messenger RNAs through sequence-specific binding. There is a growing literature regarding the biological activity of extracellular miRNAs in PAH and in aerobic exercise. miR-126 has been implicated in skeletal muscle dysfunction in PAH, while miR-133 is skeletal muscle-specific but unlike miR-126 it is not yet implicated in skeletal muscle dysfunction in PAH.

Trial Health

30
At Risk

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Trial has exceeded expected completion date
Timeline
Completed

Started Dec 2021

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
withdrawn

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

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

February 25, 2019

Completed
1 month until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

April 5, 2019

Completed
2.7 years until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

December 1, 2021

Completed
1.3 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

March 15, 2023

Completed
3 months until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

June 15, 2023

Completed
Last Updated

March 3, 2022

Status Verified

February 1, 2021

Enrollment Period

1.3 years

First QC Date

February 25, 2019

Last Update Submit

February 15, 2022

Conditions

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

  • To evaluate the impact of released miRNA/myokines on the skeletal muscle in PAH patients.

    We will be able to measure the levels of miRNA by doing RNA sequencing and then To evaluate the impact of released miRNA/myokines on the skeletal muscle in PAH patients.Protein and transcript levels will be confirmed using Western blots and real-time PCR

    At the time of the procedure

  • To evaluate the impact of formal exercise training on the skeletal muscle

    Muscle biopsy for miRNA and myokine assessment will be performed for this outcome. Total RNA and protein extracted from quadriceps muscle biopsies will be used to measure RNA and protein expression. We will perform a secretome analysis utilizing the Mass Spectrometry Lab at the University of Pittsburgh for an unbiased assessment of muscle-secreted myokines in our subjects. RNA sequencing and then Protein and transcript levels will be confirmed using Western blots and real-time PCR

    At the time of the procedure

  • To evaluate the impact of formal exercise training on the pulmonary vasculature system

    This will be done by measuring hemodynamics during invasive cardiopulmonary exercise test. We will correlate miRNA and myokines released from the skeletal muscle with measures of oxygen delivery and extraction in the muscle and oxygen consumption - calculated from arterial and pulmonary artery blood gasses and invasive hemodynamics. Oxygen delivery to peripheral tissues is determined by (Q ) ̇x CaO2. Oxygen extraction is Ca-vO2. Oxygen consumption is continuously measured by iCPET as( V) ̇O2. Systemic oxygen extraction ratio is determined by (Ca-vO2)/ CaO2

    At the time of the procedure

Study Arms (2)

Exercise rehab

EXPERIMENTAL

Investigators aim to evaluate how exercise training may provide beneficial effects on the skeletal muscle and/or pulmonary vasculature in select subjects with pulmonary arterial hypertension, scleroderma or mixed connective tissue disease or patients with exercise pulmonary arterial hypertension

Other: Exercise Rehab

No exercsie rehab

NO INTERVENTION

Some participants will not be assigned to do exercise rehab so we would be using them as a control arm to intervention group

Interventions

Participants who do the Exercise Rehab will engage in up to four center-based exercise rehab sessions each week for approximately 12 weeks; each session lasting roughly 1-hour with a stimulus (exercise) phase and a mix of warm up and cool down. Cycle ergometer and treadmill exercise may be used.

Exercise rehab

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years+
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • Patients undergoing a RHC/iCPET procedure at the UPMC Presbyterian Hospital Catheterization Lab.
  • years of age or older
  • Able to read and understand the informed consent.
  • Subjects who have signed the iCPET registry consent.

You may not qualify if:

  • Pregnant women
  • people under 18
  • Who are unable to read and understand the informed consent.
  • Subjects prescribed anticoagulant therapy

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15213, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Hypertension, PulmonaryLung DiseasesRespiratory Tract Diseases

Study Officials

  • Michael Risbano, MD

    University of Pittsburgh

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
0

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
NON RANDOMIZED
Masking
NONE
Purpose
BASIC SCIENCE
Intervention Model
SINGLE GROUP
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
PI Title
Head, Clinical Operations for Pulmonary Hypertension

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

February 25, 2019

First Posted

April 5, 2019

Study Start

December 1, 2021

Primary Completion

March 15, 2023

Study Completion

June 15, 2023

Last Updated

March 3, 2022

Record last verified: 2021-02

Data Sharing

IPD Sharing
Will not share

Our IPD plan would include: 1. The use of a controlled access approach, using a transparent and robust system to review requests and provide secure data access through asking data requester to fill up formal application that would give details on how this data would be used. 2. Seeking consent for sharing IPD from the clinical trial participants with adequate assurance that patient privacy and confidentiality can be maintained. 3. Establishing an approach to resource the sharing of IPD which would include support from trial funders, sponsor organizations and users of IPD.

Locations