DICE Study- Diastolic Improvement With Carvedilol & Empagliflozin in Patients With Cirrhosis

NCT ID: NCT07322237

Last Updated: 2026-01-07

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: PHASE4
• Total Enrollment: 400 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2026-01-01
• Study Completion Date: 2029-06-30

Brief Summary

1. This proposed double-blind placebo controlled randomized controlled trial incorporates recent advances in management of heart failure and portal hypertension using the SGLT-2 inhibitor i.e. EMPAGLIFLOZIN. The drug has been found to be useful in large trials on heart failure with preserved ejection fraction in the general population with improvement in MASLD progression, with improvement in body weight and hepatic steatosis but no change in liver fibrosis.

2. Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors have been shown to reduce the development and progression of heart failure in patients with type 2 diabetes and in those with heart failure and a reduced and preserved ejection fraction. In patients with cirrhosis safety of empagliflozin in a dose of 10 mg has been demonstrated.

3. Prevention of decompensation related events in cirrhosis is the key endpoint of any liver-directed therapy as the median survival in the compensated state exceeds 10 years but median survival in the decompensated state approximates 1.5 years. Previous data has demonstrated the risk of hepatic decompensation acute kidney injury and poor survival in patients with cirrhosis and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) i.e. LVDD a large subset of whom meet criteria for CCM.

Detailed Description

New diagnostic criteria for cirrhotic cardiomyopathy For the diagnosis of cirrhotic cardiomyopathy (CCM) we will use criteria proposed by the CCM consortium in 2020 with modification to take septal e' and E/e' readings. In accordance with the recent CCM criteria 'systolic dysfunction is defined as an ejection fraction (EF) of 50% or less or an absolute value of GLS <18%. LVDD grade will be determined if 3 of the following 4 criteria are met: early diastolic trans mitral flow to early diastolic mitral annular velocity (E/e') ≥15 left atrial volume index (LAVI) >34 mL/m2 septal early diastolic mitral annular velocity (e') <7 cm/second or tricuspid regurgitation (TR) maximum velocity >2.8 m/second in the absence of pulmonary hypertension (HTN) and the presence of measurable early to late diastolic trans mitral flow velocity (E/A) ratio (E/A >2 = grade 3 E/A 0.8-2 = grade 2)'. LVDD will be classified as "of indeterminate grade" when only 2 of the 4 criteria are met. The supporting criteria for diagnosis of LVDD are changes in cardiac chamber sizes electrophysiological abnormalities increased biomarkers like N terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-Pro BNP) and troponin I.

Conditions

Cirrhotic Cardiomyopathy; Empagliflozin; Cardiometabolic Risk Factors; Cirrhosis

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: QUADRUPLE

Study Groups

Experimental: Empagliflozin + Carvedilol-arm

Experimental: Empagliflozin + Carvedilol-arm

• Empagliflozin fixed dose of 10 mg per day in patients with or without diabetes for 1 year from randomization
• Carvedilol: Starting dose of 3.125 mg twice daily targeted upwards q 7 days to achieve target heart rate
• Standard Medical Therapy for liver disease as per clinician decision

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Empagliflozin + Carvedilol

Intervention Type: DRUG

Patient Recruitment:

The study participants are all cirrhosis patients receiving treatment at PGIMER Chandigarh. Eligible participants meeting LVDD criteria per the CCM Consortium 2020 consensus.

Carvedilol Dosing protocol in this study Patients will be given carvedilol in a starting dose of 3.125 mg twice daily. The dose will be titrated weekly to achieve a target heart rate of 50-60/ min taking care that side effects such as hypotension bronchospasm excessive bradycardia are not seen. The maximum dosage allowed as per prior trial data is 25 mg per day.

Empagliflozin Dosing protocol in this Study:

• All patients will receive a standard dose of Empagliflozin fixed dose of 10 mg per day in patients with or without diabetes.

Active Comparator: Carvedilol arm

• Carvedilol: Starting dose of 3.125 mg twice daily targeted upwards q 7 days to achieve target heart rate 10 mg placebo administered once daily.
• Standard Medical Therapy prescribed as per clinician decision

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Carvedilol

Intervention Type: DRUG

• Carvedilol: Starting dose of 3.125 mg twice daily targeted upwards q 7 days to achieve target heart rate 10 mg placebo pill
• Standard Medical Therapy

Interventions

Empagliflozin + Carvedilol

Patient Recruitment:

The study participants are all cirrhosis patients receiving treatment at PGIMER Chandigarh. Eligible participants meeting LVDD criteria per the CCM Consortium 2020 consensus.

Carvedilol Dosing protocol in this study Patients will be given carvedilol in a starting dose of 3.125 mg twice daily. The dose will be titrated weekly to achieve a target heart rate of 50-60/ min taking care that side effects such as hypotension bronchospasm excessive bradycardia are not seen. The maximum dosage allowed as per prior trial data is 25 mg per day.

Empagliflozin Dosing protocol in this Study:

• All patients will receive a standard dose of Empagliflozin fixed dose of 10 mg per day in patients with or without diabetes.

Intervention Type: DRUG

Carvedilol

• Carvedilol: Starting dose of 3.125 mg twice daily targeted upwards q 7 days to achieve target heart rate 10 mg placebo pill
• Standard Medical Therapy

Intervention Type: DRUG

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Age range of 18-65 years
• Cirrhosis as diagnosed by histology or clinical laboratory and USG findings
• LVDD (with EF>50%) on 2D echocardiography with TDI
• Written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria

• Age >65 years
• Serum Creatinine>2 mg/dl
• History of urinary tract /genital infections in last 3 months
• Patient on treatment with statin (one month before the study)
• Advanced Cirrhosis (MELD>20)
• Coronary artery disease
• Sick sinus syndrome/ Pacemaker valvular heart disease
• Cardiac rhythm disorder Peripartum cardiomyopathy
• Portopulmonary hypertension/ hepatopulmonary syndrome
• Transjugular intrahepatic porto systemic shunt (TIPS) insertion
• Hepatocellular carcinoma
• Pregnancy or lactation
• Patients with HIV or retroviral therapy
• Anemia Hb < 8gm/dl in females and < 9 gm/dl in males
• Acute variceal bleeding in last 6months.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 65 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Madhumita Premkumar

Additional Professor

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

PGIMER Chandigarh

Chandigarh, , India

Site Status: RECRUITING

Countries

India

Central Contacts

Madhumita Premkumar, MD DM

Role: CONTACT

drmadhumitap@gmail.com

01722754777

Madumita Premkumar

Role: CONTACT

01722754777

Facility Contacts

Prerna Sharma

Role: primary

hepatology.mpk@gmail.com

01722754777

Other Identifiers

PGI/IEC/2025/SPL-865

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id