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Epicardial Cardiac Fat-CT (EPIC-CT)

Epicardial Cardiac Fat Comparative Trial

Status
Recruiting
Phases
Phase 3
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT07297589
Acronym
EPIC-CT
Enrollment
136
Registered
2025-12-22
Start date
2025-12-30
Completion date
2027-03-31
Last updated
2026-01-02

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

Conditions

STEMI - ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction, Epicardial Fat

Keywords

Epicardial fat, STEMI, Semaglutide, Dapagliflozin

Brief summary

Both globally and nationally, heart disease remains the leading cause of death overall and across genders, with ischemic heart disease being the primary cause. It is now understood that multiple risk factors contribute to the development of this condition, notably type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity, especially an increase in visceral fat. Among these, the role of epicardial fat volume in the presence of atheromatous plaques in patients with coronary artery disease has been emphasized, along with the link between its volume and the risk of ischemic cardiovascular events. Consequently, recent decades have seen focused research on the potential of epicardial fat as a marker for major adverse cardiac events and on strategies to reduce its volume as a treatment goal for patients with risk factors. Selective sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors are drugs that, beyond their antihyperglycemic effect, have demonstrated cardiovascular benefits through various mechanisms, including a reduction in epicardial fat. This was supported by a previous study conducted by our research group, although no statistically significant difference was found. On the other hand, GLP-1 agonists are effective drugs for weight control in patients with severe obesity. However, little research has been done on their effect on more localized fat, such as epicardial fat.

Detailed description

This randomized, open-label clinical trial will assess the effects of dapagliflozin compared to semaglutide on epicardial fat in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction over a 12-month period. Epicardial fat will be measured by simple coronary tomography during initial hospitalization for infarction and after 12 months of treatment with both medications. It will include patients over 18 years old with STEMI and NSTEMI, with or without a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes and clinical obesity. Patients will be discharged following treatment guidelines, and their adherence to medication and tolerability will be monitored.

Interventions

10 mg of dapagliflozin daily for 12 months

Semaglutide 3 mg, gradually increasing to 14 mg every 24 hours for 12 months

Sponsors

Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social
Lead SponsorOTHER_GOV

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

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

Inclusion criteria

* Criteria for the fourth definition of acute myocardial infarction with and without ST-segment elevation. * Diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. * Initial serum high-sensitivity CRP value \> 2.0 mg/L. * Clinically obese. * LVEF \>50%.

Exclusion criteria

* Patients who have recently received immunosuppressive therapy * Patients with a history of ischemic heart disease * Known allergy to any of the medications used * Use of any of the study drugs more than 6 months prior to randomization * Patients experiencing diabetic ketoacidosis * Patients with hemodynamic instability (mean arterial pressure \<60 mmHg while on vasopressors) * Pregnant women * Patients with a history or current diagnosis of cancer * Patients with documented active infections, such as pneumonia or urinary tract infections * Patients with pancreatitis

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Epicardial fat12 monthsThe volume of epicardial fat will be measured using simple coronary tomography during hospitalization for STEMI and after 12 months of treatment with both drugs to evaluate the change.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Change in fasting glucose and HbA1c12 monthsThe impact of both interventions on changes in fasting glucose and HbA1c after 12 months of treatment will be assessed.
Change in LDL12 monthsThe effect of both interventions on LDL levels after 12 months of treatment will be evaluated.
Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE)12 monthsDuring patient follow-up, the occurrence of cardiac failure events, whether requiring hospitalization or not, along with new acute myocardial infarction, cardiovascular death, or stroke, will be evaluated.
Change in body weight12 monthsThe effect of both interventions on body weight, expressed in kilograms, will be evaluated after 12 months of treatment.

Countries

Mexico

Contacts

Primary ContactHilda Elizabeth Macías-Cervantes, Ph.D.
hildamacer@gmail.com4777174800
Backup ContactRodolfo Guardado-Mendoza, Ph.D.
guardamen@gmail.com4772674900

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026