Early Treatment of Borderline Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Associated With Systemic Sclerosis (SSc-APAH)

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Trial Design Patients with borderline PAH indicated by borderline mPAP values will be included in this single centre study. This clinical investigation is performed as a Proof-of-Concept (PoC) investigator initiated trial (IIT) using a prospective, randomized, double-blind, parallel group, placebo-controlled, phase IIA clinical study design. On their first visit their medical history will be obtained and physical examination will be conducted. Moreover, an electrocardiogram (ECG), laboratory testing (NT-proBNP, uric acid and other laboratory tests), echocardiography at rest and right heart catheterization will be carried out. If patients have been identified within the last 6 months before screening investigations by right heart catheterization, the measurements are considered valid as baseline investigations and will not be repeated. If patients fulfill the inclusion criteria and still suffer from borderline mPAP values they will be invited to join the study. The clinical investigations will begin within 28 days. The prospective study will comprise a 6 months study period (180 ±2 weeks) plus the screening phase up to 28 days and a follow-up phase of 30 ±7 days.

Detailed Description
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Treatment naïve patients with SSc-APAH will be included in the investigator initiated trial (IIT) to assess efficacy and safety of ambrisentan. As patients life-expectancy after diagnosis of untreated patients is only one year we put forward a screening to identify borderline PAH patients and treat them before PH manifests. Therapy with ambrisentan reached a significant improvement in SSc-IPAH patients (Galiè et al. 2008). In PAH mPAP improved about 15% due to ambrisentan (Klinger et al. 2011). Thus, especially patients with SSc-APAH have a high need for an early diagnosis and therapy. It is important to determine factors predictive of incident SSc-APAH and PH as well as the event rate of PAH and PH occurrence. Early identification and intervention with specific modern therapies as with ambrisentan may improve hemodynamic, symptoms, exercise capacity, quality of life and outcomes in this patient population, in particular in SSc-patients of borderline-PAH. It is considered reasonable that the development of manifest APAH might be preventable in this defined population with SSc and early pulmonary vascular changes. A reliable trial testing this latter hypothesis cannot be performed without critical evidence which defines the response to medical PAH-targeted therapy in borderline-PAH and the associated disease progression of manifest PAH. Due to the positive results in the treatment of patients with SSc-APAH, the initiation of this proof-of-concept study is justified. Previously identified patients with borderline PAH indicated by borderline mPAP values will be included in this single centre randomized, controlled, double-blind, parallel group, proof-of-concept (PoC) phase IIa IIT. If assessments necessary for screening have already been made under the screening for PH in Systemic sclerosis trial (non-drug trial, Ethics committee of Heidelberg # S360/2009), these examinations may be used for screening for this trial, as long as they have been performed within the given time frame of the screening period. On their first visit the patients' medical history will be obtained and physical examination will be conducted. Moreover, an electrocardiogram (ECG), laboratory testing (NT-proBNP, uric acid and other laboratory tests), echocardiography at rest and during exercise and right heart catheterization will be carried out. If patients fulfill the inclusion criteria and still suffer from borderline mPAP values they will be invited to join the study. Patients will be asked to sign the informed consent form (ICF) before the initial screening will be conducted. Randomization will be performed after a maximum of 28 days and medication or placebo will be provided. If patients have been identified within the last 6 months before baseline by right heart catheterization, the measurements are considered valid for the baseline visit to spare patients a repetition of this invasive procedure. Non-invasive measurements that are out of the time-frame have to be repeated for the study. An 1:1 oral ambrisentan: oral Placebo randomization will be performed. Patients will be randomized into either: A treatment arm with ambrisentan treatment (19 patients) A placebo arm (19 patients will receive placebo). Safety and tolerability will be controlled at each study visit until the end of study (day 180 ± 2 weeks). If necessary, the dose will be adapted. As to common practice of the clinic, the patient will adapt the dose according to tolerability and after consultation (by phone or personally) with one of the investigators.

Official Title
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Early Treatment of Borderline Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Associated With Systemic Sclerosis (SSc-APAH) A Randomized, Controlled, Double-blind, Parallel Group, Proof-of-concept Trial EDITA

Conditions
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Systemic Sclerosis, Pulmonary Hypertension

Intervention / Treatment
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* Drug: Ambrisentan
* Drug: Placebo


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: mPAP 21-24 mmHg, TPG > 11mmHg, PAWP <15 mmHg and/or Exercise induced elevated mPAP-values >30 mmHg, PAWP <18 mmHg; TPG >15 mmHg, as defined in Saggar et al. (2012) without left heart or severe lung disease or systemic arterial hypertension Adult patients having completed his/her 18th birthday Patients with definite diagnosis of Systemic Sclerosis using the scleroderma criteria of the American Rheumatism Association SSc-disease duration >3 years Able to understand and willing to sign the Informed Consent Form Negative pregnancy test at the start of the trial and appropriate contraception throughout the study for women with child-bearing potential. Exclusion Criteria: Any connective tissue diseases (CTD) other than SSc Pulmonary hypertension (PH) confirmed by right heart catheter (RHC) before enrolment, i.e. mPAP ≥25 mmHg at rest Patients presenting normal mPAP values, that is mPAP<21 mmHg at rest, ≤30 mmHg during exercise, PAWP >=15 mmHg at rest or <=18 mmHg during exercise Ongoing or a history of >2 weeks of continued use of therapies that are considered definitive PH treatment: endothelin receptor antagonists (ERA; e.g. bosentan, ambrisentan), phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5; e.g. sildenafil, tadalafil, vardenafil), prostanoids (e.g. epoprostenol, treprostinil, iloprost, beraprost) and soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator (e.g. Riociguat). Intermittent use of PDE5 inhibitors for male erectile dysfunction is permitted. Except for diuretics and corticosteroids medical treatment should not be expected to change 4 weeks prior inclusion into the study and during the entire 12-week study period. Known intolerance to ambrisentan or one of its excipients Clinically significant anemia (hemoglobin concentration of less than 75% of the lower limit of normal, LLN) Forced vital capacity (FVC) <60%, forced expiratory volume in first second (FEV1) <65% Severe interstitial lung disease, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis Renal insufficiency (glomerular filtration rate [GFR] <60 mL/min/1.73m2 for at least 3 months) Baseline values of hepatic aminotransferases (ALT and/or AST) >3 x upper limit of normal (ULN) Systolic blood pressure <85 mmHg; evidence of inadequately treated blood pressure >160/90 mmHg and/or blood pressure during exercise >220/120 mmHg Patients referred with clinically significant overt heart failure Clinically significant fluid retention Previous evidence or diagnosis of clinically relevant left heart disease, i.e. at least one of the following: Previous echocardiography with estimated left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction <50%, previous history of cardiogenic pulmonary edema, increased size of left atrium (>50 mm) Known significant diastolic dysfunction associated with clinical heart failure Known coronary disease or significant valvular heart disease Known congenital heart defects such as single ventricle, transposition, Eisenmenger Known hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or left ventricular hypertrophy (interventricular septum thickness (IVS) or posterior wall thickness (PWD) >1.2 cm) Participation in any clinical drug trial within 4 weeks prior to screening of this study and/or who is scheduled to receive another investigational medicinal product (IMP) during the course of this study Pregnancy or lactation

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Quadruple


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Ambrisentan Verum<br>Study medication will be ambrisentan 10 mg (starting with 5 mg in the beginning of the study and then up-titrated to 10 mg/day). | Drug: Ambrisentan<br>* Titration: As common practice of the clinic, the patient will adapt the dose from 5 mg to 10 mg after 1 to 4 weeks according to tolerability and after consultation (by phone or personally) with one of the investigators. Additionally, at each study visit the investigator needs to decide, based on the patient's well-being, patients´ assessment, safety parameters, and tolerance of ambrisentan, if the study medication should be modified. The respective decision (increase, maintain or decrease dose) must be documented. Maximum dose allowed: not to exceed 10 mg/day. Administration: Ambrisentan and placebo will be administered orally with or without food intake.<br>* Other names: ATC code: C02KX02;|
| Placebo Comparator: Placebo<br>Placebo tablet | Drug: Placebo<br>* Placebo tablet (one to two tablets corresponding to one to two verum tablets)<br>* Other names: Placebo tablet;|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mean Pulmonary Arterial Pressure Change From Baseline | Determine whether mean pulmonary arterial pressure of SSc patients with borderline - PAH (mPAP 21 24 mmHg, TPG >11 mmHg) can be reduced by 3 mm Hg (absolute change baseline vs. 6 months; equals 15%) following treatment with ambrisentan 10 mg/die (initiated with 5 mg/die and elevated up to 10 mg/die) over 6 months (primary endpoint) compared to baseline and placebo. | baseline, 6 months | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mean Pulmonary Arterial Pressure During Exercise Change From Baseline | Determine whether exercise induced elevated mean pulmonary arterial pressure-values (>30 mmHg without left heart or severe lung disease or systemic arterial hypertension) can be reduced by ambrisentan 10 mg/die over 6 months. | baseline, 6 months | 
| 6-Minute-walking Test |  | baseline, 6 months | 
| Borg Dyspnea Index | measured directly after 6 minute walking distance; The Borg dyspnea index is an standardized scale which reports the subjective feeling of exertion from 0 (no dyspnea) to 10 (maximal feeling of dyspnea). | baseline, 6 months | 
| Quality of Life (SF-36) Questionnaire | SF-36 Questionnaire; physical Summation score; All scores and subscores of the SF-36 questionnaire range from 0 (low quality of life) to 100 (high quality of life). The physical Summation score is a compound score including the physical dimensions of the SF-36. | baseline, 6 months | 
| Lung Function | DLCo (diffusing capacity or transfer factor of the lung for carbon monoxide (CO)) | baseline,6 months | 
| Lung Function | DLCo (diffusing capacity or transfer factor of the lung for carbon monoxide (CO)) | baseline, 6 months | 
| Lung Function | FVC (forced vital capacity) | baseline, 6 months | 
| Lung Function | FEV1 (forced expiratory volume in one second) | baseline, 6 months | 
| Lung Function | TLC (total lung capacity) | baseline, 6 months | 
| Lung Function | residual volume | baseline, 6 months | 
| Echocardiography | RA-area (right atrial area) | baseline, 6 months | 
| Echocardiography | RV-area (right ventricular area) | baseline, 6 months | 
| Echocardiography | TAPSE (tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion) | baseline, 6 months | 
| Echocardiography | sPAP (systolic pulmonary arterial pressure) | baseline, 6 months | 
| WHO-functional Class | The World Health Organization functional class includes four categories with Patients with Pulmonary Hypertension but without any resulting limitation of physical activity. Patients with Pulmonary Hypertension resulting in slight limitation of physical activity. Patients with Pulmonary Hypertension resulting in marked limitation of physical activity. Patients with pulmonary hypertension with inability to carry out any physical activity without symptoms. | baseline | 
| Hemodynamics | right atrial pressure | change from baseline to 6 months | 
| Hemodynamics | pulmonary vascular resistance | baseline, 6 months | 
| Hemodynamics | cardiac output (CO) | baseline, 6 months | 
| Hemodynamics | cardiac index (CI) | baseline, 6 months | 
| Hemodynamics | PAWP (pulmonary arterial wedge pressure) | baseline , 6 months | 
| Hemodynamics | venous oxygen saturation (SvO2) | baseline, 6 months | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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pulmonary hypertension, systemic sclerosis