Endothelial Dysfunction, Oxidative Stress
Conditions
Keywords
Hemodialysis, fibrinolysis, oxidative stress, systemic inflammatory reaction, endothelial dysfunction, carotid intima media thickness (IMT, angiotensin receptor blockade, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibition
Brief summary
The purpose of the study is to see how two classes of blood pressure medications,angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (Ace inhibitors) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), differ in their long term effects on certain chemicals in the body and on the carotid arteries.
Detailed description
More than 400,000 individuals with chronic kidney disease undergo hemodialysis each year in the United States. Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality in these patients. Conventional risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD) do not adequately explain this increased mortality, whereas biomarker of oxidative stress and inflammation correlate with clinical outcomes. Even with the use of biocompatible membranes, hemodialysis induces a systemic inflammatory reaction characterized by complement activation, leukocyte activation and the generation of reactive oxygen species and cytokines. Oxidative stress and inflammation promote endothelial dysfunction, a predictor of atherosclerotic cardiovascular events. The purpose of the study is to test the hypothesis that angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition and angiotensin receptor blockade differ in their long term effects on biomarkers of fibrinolysis, oxidative stress,inflammation and on carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), a predictor of cardiovascular events, in patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing maintenance hemodialysis. Endogenous Bradykinin (BK) contributes to the hypotensive and pro-fibrinolytic effects of ACE inhibitors. It has been determined that endogenous BK contributes to the vasodilator effects of acute and chronic ACE inhibition. Studies have found that BK stimulates vascular tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) release through a BK B2 receptor-dependent, nitric oxide (NO) and cyclooxygenase-independent pathway. Hemodialysis patients demonstrates endothelial dysfunction. Data suggests that t-PA release may be attenuated during stimulation of the endogenous kallikrein-kinin system by hemodialysis. Intra-arterial infusion of BK increases vascular release of F2- isoprostanes, markers of oxidative stress, BK infusions also increase net release of the inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6). Preliminary data raise the possibility that activation of the endogenous kallikrein-kinin system during dialysis could promote inflammation in individuals with chronic kidney disease who are treated with an ACE inhibitor. Cardiopulmonary bypass activates the endogenous kallikrein-kinin system and causes a systemic inflammatory response. Like hemodialysis, cardiopulmonary bypass activates the endogenous kallikrein-kinin system, increasing BK concentrations. In smokers, who like hemodialysis patients exhibit endothelial dysfunction, the t-PA response to BK was attenuated during cardiopulmonary bypass. ACE inhibition enhances fibrinolysis and decreases inflammation following cardiopulmonary bypass. The short-term effect of both ACE inhibition and angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) receptors on markers of fibrinolysis and inflammation during dialysis are currently being studied. Circulating BK concentrations are increased during hemodialysis in individuals treated with an ACE inhibitors compared to those treated with an AT1 receptor blocker. Bradykinin receptor blockade and the fibrinolytic and inflammatory response to hemodialysis. It is hypothesized that subjects with CAD, the t-PA response to hemodialysis will be blunted compared to that measured in subjects without evidence of CAD, whereas the inflammatory response wil be similar or enhanced.
Interventions
Sponsors
Study design
Eligibility
Inclusion criteria
* Age 18 years or older * On thrice weekly chronic hemodialysis for at least 6 months * Clinically stable, adequately dialyzed \[single-pool Kt/V \> 1.2 or Urea Reduction Ratio (URR) \> 65%\] thrice weekly, with polysulphone membrane for at least 3 consecutive months prior to study
Exclusion criteria
* History of functional transplant less than 6 months prior to study * Use of immunosuppressive drugs within 1 month prior to study * History of active connective tissue disease * History of acute infectious disease within one month prior to study * AIDS (HIV seropositivity is not an
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Interleukin-6 (IL-6) | baseline and 18 months | IL-6 is a sensitive laboratory assay for serum levels of interleukin-6, which is a pro-inflammatory cytokine used to evaluate the inflammatory response. |
Countries
United States
Participant flow
Recruitment details
This study was conducted at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center and at the University of Washington between January 2010 and June 2015.
Pre-assignment details
There is a 3-week period between enrollment and assignment to treatment group. This washout period is to ensure that no blood pressure medicines (ARBs or ACE inhibitors) are left in the body. Although 123 subjects were enrolled, only 78 were assigned to a treatment group (45 subjects were screen failures).
Participants by arm
| Arm | Count |
|---|---|
| Valsartan 80 mg of valsartan (ARB) taken orally on a daily basis for 1 week followed by 160 mg of valsartan taken orally on a daily basis for 18 months | 25 |
| Ramipril 2.5 mg of ramipril (ACE inhibitor) taken orally on a daily basis for 1 week followed by 6 mg of ramipril taken orally on a daily basis for 18 months | 27 |
| Placebo matching placebo taken orally on a daily basis for 1 week followed by matching placebo taken orally on a daily basis for 18 months | 26 |
| Total | 78 |
Withdrawals & dropouts
| Period | Reason | FG000 | FG001 | FG002 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Study | Adverse Event | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| Overall Study | Death | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Overall Study | kidney transplant | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Overall Study | Lost to Follow-up | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Overall Study | Physician Decision | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| Overall Study | Pregnancy | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Overall Study | Protocol Violation | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Overall Study | Withdrawal by Subject | 1 | 6 | 3 |
Baseline characteristics
| Characteristic | Valsartan | Total | Placebo | Ramipril |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age, Continuous | 53 years STANDARD_DEVIATION 13 | 52 years STANDARD_DEVIATION 12 | 49 years STANDARD_DEVIATION 9 | 53 years STANDARD_DEVIATION 13 |
| Ethnicity (NIH/OMB) Hispanic or Latino | 3 Participants | 10 Participants | 1 Participants | 6 Participants |
| Ethnicity (NIH/OMB) Not Hispanic or Latino | 22 Participants | 68 Participants | 25 Participants | 21 Participants |
| Ethnicity (NIH/OMB) Unknown or Not Reported | 0 Participants | 0 Participants | 0 Participants | 0 Participants |
| Race (NIH/OMB) American Indian or Alaska Native | 0 Participants | 0 Participants | 0 Participants | 0 Participants |
| Race (NIH/OMB) Asian | 0 Participants | 0 Participants | 0 Participants | 0 Participants |
| Race (NIH/OMB) Black or African American | 13 Participants | 44 Participants | 15 Participants | 16 Participants |
| Race (NIH/OMB) More than one race | 0 Participants | 0 Participants | 0 Participants | 0 Participants |
| Race (NIH/OMB) Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander | 0 Participants | 0 Participants | 0 Participants | 0 Participants |
| Race (NIH/OMB) Unknown or Not Reported | 2 Participants | 8 Participants | 2 Participants | 4 Participants |
| Race (NIH/OMB) White | 10 Participants | 26 Participants | 9 Participants | 7 Participants |
| Region of Enrollment United States | 25 participants | 78 participants | 26 participants | 27 participants |
| Sex: Female, Male Female | 11 Participants | 28 Participants | 9 Participants | 8 Participants |
| Sex: Female, Male Male | 14 Participants | 50 Participants | 17 Participants | 19 Participants |
Adverse events
| Event type | EG000 affected / at risk | EG001 affected / at risk | EG002 affected / at risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| deaths Total, all-cause mortality | — / — | — / — | — / — |
| other Total, other adverse events | 19 / 25 | 15 / 27 | 15 / 26 |
| serious Total, serious adverse events | 8 / 25 | 9 / 27 | 9 / 26 |
Outcome results
Interleukin-6 (IL-6)
IL-6 is a sensitive laboratory assay for serum levels of interleukin-6, which is a pro-inflammatory cytokine used to evaluate the inflammatory response.
Time frame: baseline and 18 months
Population: Based on our power calculations, we needed 210 subjects to complete the study to be able to detect an effect. Given that only 37 subjects completed the study (18% of goal), no formal analyses were performed. Specifically, data were not collected for this assessment for any of the participants enrolled in the study.