Inflammation and Coronary Endothelial Function

NCT ID: NCT02366091

Last Updated: 2021-10-21

Study Results

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Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

PHASE2

Total Enrollment

111 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2015-01-31

Study Completion Date

2020-09-01

Brief Summary

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The investigators are studying whether anti-inflammatory agents can improve abnormal coronary artery function in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and abnormal coronary artery endothelial function.

Detailed Description

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Sometimes, in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), even though blood pressure is controlled, the patients are on cholesterol medication, not smoking, eating properly and have normal levels of physical activity; the investigators still see development of new blockages, progression of existing blockages, and sometimes even clinical events like heart attacks and strokes. Therefore, the investigators are always trying to find additional ways to decrease the progression of existing blockages and to prevent new ones.

What the investigators are studying in this program is the function of the coronary arteries and in particular the inner lining of the arteries called the endothelium. It has several important functions; one of them is that under conditions of stress it releases a substance called nitric oxide which increases the size of the artery and increases blood flow. When it is not functioning normally the artery does not increase as much and blood flow does not increase during stress.

The investigators study coronary artery function with magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI. MRI is a method of obtaining images of what is happening inside the body. MRI does not involve radiation, x-ray, and injection of contrast. The investigators can measure flow in the artery and the dimension of the artery at rest and with a handgrip stress and learn the extent to which the artery dilates and flow increases with the stress. The investigators believe that inflammation can interfere with normal function and that by decreasing inflammation abnormal endothelial function may be improved.

Methotrexate and colchicine are anti-inflammatory agents approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat arthritis and some other conditions. These drugs are not approved for use to suppress inflammation in patients with coronary artery disease and improve coronary artery endothelial function. The FDA is allowing the use of methotrexate, colchicine and/or their combination in this research study.

This study will involve 24 weeks of anti-inflammatory drugs and 3 Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans of the heart and other study procedures.

Conditions

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Coronary Artery Disease

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

FACTORIAL

Primary Study Purpose

OTHER

Blinding Strategy

TRIPLE

Participants Caregivers Investigators

Study Groups

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Methotrexate

Methotrexate 15 mg weekly by mouth and placebo for colchicine 1 tablet by mouth daily and folate 1 mg by mouth daily

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Methotrexate

Intervention Type DRUG

Administered to determine the effect of anti-inflammatory agents on coronary and systemic endothelial function in patients with coronary artery disease

Placebo

Intervention Type DRUG

Prepared by Johns Hopkins Investigational Drug Service to mimic methotrexate and colchicine.

Colchicine

Colchicine 0.6 mg daily by mouth and placebo for methotrexate 1 tablet weekly by mouth and folate 1 mg by mouth daily

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Colchicine

Intervention Type DRUG

Administered to determine the effect of anti-inflammatory agents on coronary and systemic endothelial function in patients with coronary artery disease.

Placebo

Intervention Type DRUG

Prepared by Johns Hopkins Investigational Drug Service to mimic methotrexate and colchicine.

Methotrexate & Colchicine

Methotrexate 15 mg by mouth weekly and colchicine 0.6 mg by mouth daily and folate 1 mg by mouth daily

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Methotrexate

Intervention Type DRUG

Administered to determine the effect of anti-inflammatory agents on coronary and systemic endothelial function in patients with coronary artery disease

Colchicine

Intervention Type DRUG

Administered to determine the effect of anti-inflammatory agents on coronary and systemic endothelial function in patients with coronary artery disease.

Placebo

Placebo for methotrexate 1 tablet by mouth weekly and placebo for colchicine 1 tablet by mouth daily and folate 1 mg by mouth daily

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Placebo

Intervention Type DRUG

Prepared by Johns Hopkins Investigational Drug Service to mimic methotrexate and colchicine.

Interventions

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Methotrexate

Administered to determine the effect of anti-inflammatory agents on coronary and systemic endothelial function in patients with coronary artery disease

Intervention Type DRUG

Colchicine

Administered to determine the effect of anti-inflammatory agents on coronary and systemic endothelial function in patients with coronary artery disease.

Intervention Type DRUG

Placebo

Prepared by Johns Hopkins Investigational Drug Service to mimic methotrexate and colchicine.

Intervention Type DRUG

Other Intervention Names

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Trexall Colcrys A substance containing no medication

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Participants of either gender who are 21 years of age (no upper age limit),
* History of prior Myocardial Infarction (MI), coronary revascularization, or coronary angiography or Multidetector Computer Tomography (MDCT) demonstrating at least one coronary artery with \>50% luminal stenosis and no plans for revascularization,
* Clinically stable for 3 months,
* Vascular inflammation based on elevated hsCRP (\>2mg L-1), or a clinical diagnosis of diabetes mellitus or metabolic syndrome (metabolic syndrome is defined by three or more of the following): Abdominal obesity (waist circumference: Men\>102 cm (\>40 in), Women \>88 cm (\>35 in)), Serum triglycerides ≥150 mg/dL (or taking medication to treat high triglycerides), HDL cholesterol: Men\<40 mg/dL, Women\<50 mg/dL (or taking medication to treat low HDL cholesterol), High blood pressure: ≥130/≥85 mm Hg (or taking medication to treat high blood pressure), or Fasting glucose: ≥100 mg/dL (or taking medication to treat high fasting glucose).
* Abnormal Coronary Endothelial Function (CEF) (change in CSA during IHE of \<0% of the resting value: by this we mean any decrease in CSA or no change (0%) from baseline during IHE),
* Permission of patient's clinical attending physician,
* Patients being treated with a statin.

Exclusion Criteria

* Patients unable to understand the risks, benefits, and alternatives of participation and give meaningful consent,
* Patients with contraindications to MRI such as implanted metallic objects (pre-existing cardiac pacemakers, cerebral clips) or indwelling metallic projectiles,
* Acute coronary syndrome within the prior three months,
* Pregnant women,
* Contraindications to methotrexate or colchicine as outlined by the American College of Rheumatology; including active bacterial infection, tuberculosis, or herpes zoster infection, leukopenia (\<4000/mm3), thrombocytopenia (\<135,000/mm3), elevation in hepatic transaminases (\>2x upper limit of normal), hepatitis B or C, moderate renal disease (estimated creatine clearance \<45ml/min), or planned surgery,
* Chronic inflammatory condition such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease,
* Interstitial lung disease or pulmonary fibrosis,
* HIV positive,
* Requirement for, or intolerance to, methotrexate or colchicine ,
* Intolerance to methotrexate, colchicine or folate,
* History of non-basal cell malignancy or treatment for lymphoproliferative disease in the past 5 years,
* Requirement for use of drugs that alter folate metabolism,
* History of alcohol abuse or unwillingness to limit consumption to \< 4 drinks per week,
* Women of childbearing potential or intention to breastfeed.
* Men who plan to father children during the study period; men who have sexual intercourse with women of childbearing potential must agree to use a condom,
* Chronic use of oral or IV steroid therapy or other immunosuppressive or biologic response modifiers,
* History of chronic pericardial effusion, pleural effusion or ascites,
* New York Heart Association Class IV heart failure.
Minimum Eligible Age

21 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)

NIH

Sponsor Role collaborator

Johns Hopkins University

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Robert G Weiss, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Johns Hopkins University

Locations

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Johns Hopkins Hospital

Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Site Status

Countries

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United States

References

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Everett BM, Pradhan AD, Solomon DH, Paynter N, Macfadyen J, Zaharris E, Gupta M, Clearfield M, Libby P, Hasan AA, Glynn RJ, Ridker PM. Rationale and design of the Cardiovascular Inflammation Reduction Trial: a test of the inflammatory hypothesis of atherothrombosis. Am Heart J. 2013 Aug;166(2):199-207.e15. doi: 10.1016/j.ahj.2013.03.018. Epub 2013 May 3.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 23895801 (View on PubMed)

Nidorf SM, Eikelboom JW, Budgeon CA, Thompson PL. Low-dose colchicine for secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2013 Jan 29;61(4):404-410. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2012.10.027. Epub 2012 Dec 19.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 23265346 (View on PubMed)

Hays AG, Hirsch GA, Kelle S, Gerstenblith G, Weiss RG, Stuber M. Noninvasive visualization of coronary artery endothelial function in healthy subjects and in patients with coronary artery disease. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2010 Nov 9;56(20):1657-65. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2010.06.036.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 21050976 (View on PubMed)

Hays AG, Stuber M, Hirsch GA, Yu J, Schar M, Weiss RG, Gerstenblith G, Kelle S. Non-invasive detection of coronary endothelial response to sequential handgrip exercise in coronary artery disease patients and healthy adults. PLoS One. 2013;8(3):e58047. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0058047. Epub 2013 Mar 11.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 23536782 (View on PubMed)

Hays AG, Kelle S, Hirsch GA, Soleimanifard S, Yu J, Agarwal HK, Gerstenblith G, Schar M, Stuber M, Weiss RG. Regional coronary endothelial function is closely related to local early coronary atherosclerosis in patients with mild coronary artery disease: pilot study. Circ Cardiovasc Imaging. 2012 May 1;5(3):341-8. doi: 10.1161/CIRCIMAGING.111.969691. Epub 2012 Apr 5.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 22492483 (View on PubMed)

Weiss RG, Bottomley PA, Hardy CJ, Gerstenblith G. Regional myocardial metabolism of high-energy phosphates during isometric exercise in patients with coronary artery disease. N Engl J Med. 1990 Dec 6;323(23):1593-600. doi: 10.1056/NEJM199012063232304.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 2233948 (View on PubMed)

Hays AG, Schar M, Bonanno G, Lai S, Meyer J, Afework Y, Steinberg A, Stradley S, Gerstenblith G, Weiss RG. Randomized Trial of Anti-inflammatory Medications and Coronary Endothelial Dysfunction in Patients With Stable Coronary Disease. Front Cardiovasc Med. 2021 Oct 15;8:728654. doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2021.728654. eCollection 2021.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 34722661 (View on PubMed)

Provided Documents

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Document Type: Study Protocol and Statistical Analysis Plan

View Document

Other Identifiers

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R01HL120905

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: secondary_id

View Link

IRB00047206

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id