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Acute Effects of Oral Ketone Ester on Cardiac Function in Patients With COVID-19

Acute Effects of Oral Ketone Ester on Cardiac Function in Patients With COVID-19

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT04573764
Acronym
KetoCOVID
Enrollment
12
Registered
2020-10-05
Start date
2021-02-01
Completion date
2022-05-01
Last updated
2022-06-01

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

COVID-19

Brief summary

Based on Chinese studies, cardiac injury occurs in 20-30% of hospitalized patients and contributes to 40% of deaths. There are many possible mechanisms of cardiac injury in COVID-19 patients and increased myocardial oxygen demand and decreased myocardial oxygen supply are likely contributors to increased risk of myocardial infarction and heart failure. Interventions reducing the risk of cardiac injury are needed. Ketone bodies, such as 3-hydroxybutyrate and acetoacetate, can maintain ATP production in the heart and brain during starvation. It has been suggested that ketone bodies are more efficient substrates of energy metabolism than glucose, with a lower oxygen consumption per ATP-molecule produced. In addition, the reduction in hospitalizations due to heart failure observed in type 2 diabetes patients treated with sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors, is suggested to be partly attributable to increased levels of 3-hydroxybutyrate. Infusion with 3-hydroxybutyrate reaching a plasma level of approximately 3 mM had acute beneficial hemodynamic effects in patients with heart failure and in healthy controls in a study by Nielsen et al. Improved haemodynamics and reduced systemic oxygen consumption might be of great benefit in patients with COVID-19. The primary endpoint is left ventricular ejection fraction. Secondary endpoints are conventional echocardiography parameters, peripheral blood oxygen saturation, venous blood oxygen saturation and urine creatinine clearance. The study population are twelve previously hospitalized patients with COVID-19 The study design is a randomized placebo-controlled double-blinded crossed-over acute intervention study.

Interventions

DIETARY_SUPPLEMENTD-beta-hydroxybutyrate-(R)-1,3 butanediol monoester

The intervention is D-beta-hydroxybutyrate-(R)-1,3 butanediol monoester and will be bought commercially. As an example: One bottle of KetoneAid KE4 PRO with 60 ml contains 30 g D-beta-hydroxybutyrate-(R)-1,3 butanediol monoester. For more information please refer to: https://shop.ketoneaid.com/collections/all/products/ke4-pro. Placebo will be a taste-matched water solution provided by the company. The placebo solution and the active solution will be prepared in identic bottles and investigators will be blinded.

DIETARY_SUPPLEMENTPlacebo

Taste-matched water

Sponsors

Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator)

Intervention model description

Randomized placebo-controlled double-blinded crossed-over acute intervention study.

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

\- Patients previously hospitalized at hospitals of greater Copenhagen and the Zealand region with a laboratory confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 \> 18 years of age.

Exclusion criteria

* Persons not able to cooperate * Persons unable to understand and sign informed consent * Diagnosis with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease * Diagnosis with asthma * Active treatment with sodium-glucose transporter 2 inhibitors * eGFR \< 15 ml/min/1.73m2 * insulin-dependent diabetes

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Left Ventricular ejection fraction1 hourEchocardiography

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Global longitudinal strain1 hourEchocardiography
Cardiac output1 hourEchocardiography
Peripheral blood oxygen saturation5 minutesPulse oximetry
Venous blood oxygen saturation5 minutesblood gas analysis
Urine creatinine clearance12 hoursUrine will be collected during the two cross-over sessions and urine creatinine will be measured on these two volumes. Creatinine clearance in ml/min/1.73m2 will then be estimated and compared with plasma creatinine for estimating kidney function.

Countries

Denmark

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 12, 2026