Clinical trial NCT06295523: Heat Waves and the Elderly With COPD
Official title: Heat Waves and the Elderly With COPD: Reducing Thermal and Cardiovascular Consequences
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: RECRUITING
Phase: NA
Conditions: COPD
Aging
Hyperthermia
Keywords: COPD
heat wave
thermoregulation
Lead sponsor: University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: American Heart Association
First posted: 2024-03-06
Enrollment: 44
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 65
Standard ages: OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: CROSSOVER
Primary purpose: OTHER

Brief summary: The purpose of this study is to investigate thermoregulatory responses in older individuals with COPD.

Detailed description: Heat waves are the leading cause of death among natural disasters in the United States.

Elderly individuals are disproportionately more likely to become ill or die during heat waves. While the elderly have a reduced ability to regulate their body temperature,8-10 hospitalizations and deaths in this population during heat waves are primarily due to cardiovascular and/or respiratory complications, not solely hyperthermia. While previous research has primarily focused on the thermal and cardiovascular consequences of healthy aging, very little research has focused on the physiological responses to heat exposure in older individuals with chronic disease, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Notably, epidemiological data suggests that pulmonary complications are a leading cause of heat wave-related hospitalizations in older adults with a diagnosis of COPD, yet nothing is known regarding the physiological mechanisms by which those with COPD are most susceptible to heat waves. To fill this important gap, the investigators will identify the physiological responses that occur in this population, relative to healthy age-matched individuals, during two unique heat wave simulations.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* 65 years old or older
* Diagnosis of COPD

Exclusion Criteria:

* Known heart disease
* Other chronic medical conditions requiring regular medical therapy including cancer, diabetes, uncontrolled hypertension, and uncontrolled hypercholesterolemia etc
* Abnormality detected on routine screening suggestive of provokable ischemia or previously undetected cardiac disease or resting left bundle branch block on screening electrocardiogram
* Current smokers
* Participant with a body mass index ≥31 kg/m2

Primary outcomes:
measure: Core body temperature
timeFrame: Prior to and throughout each simulated heat wave exposure, an average of 480 minutes
measure: Forced expiratory volume (FEV1)
timeFrame: Prior to, during, and after each simulated heat wave exposure, approximately 10 min each
measure: Forced vital capacity (FVC)
timeFrame: Prior to, during, and after each simulated heat wave exposure, approximately 10 min each
measure: FEV1/FVC ratio
timeFrame: Prior to, during, and after each simulated heat wave exposure, approximately 10 min each
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Dallas
country: United States
facility: Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas
state: Texas
Study officials:
References: