Clinical trial NCT04849806: Sympathetic Nerve Activity Predictors in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Official title: Dissecting the Nature and Determinants of Sympathetic Nerve Activity in Patients With COPD
Study type: OBSERVATIONAL
Overall status: RECRUITING
Conditions: COPD
Sympathetic Nervous System Diseases
Catecholamine; Overproduction
Lead sponsor: RWTH Aachen University
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2021-04-19
Enrollment: 80
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Observational model: CASE_CONTROL
Time perspective: PROSPECTIVE
Sampling method: PROBABILITY_SAMPLE
Study population: COPD patients (n=60) Controls (n=20) COPD patients without an established cardiovascular disease will be enrolled and the extent, nature and mechanism of SNA increase compared with healthy controls matched in a 3:1 ratio for age, sex and body mass index (BMI).

Brief summary: The project will be pursued in our respiratory, autonomic nervous system physiology laboratory (Respiratory, autonomic nervous system physiology laboratory, Department of Pneumology and Intensive Care Medicine, RWTH Aachen University Hospital; Head of Department: Professor Michael Dreher).

Overactivity of the sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) axis with "centrally" increased heart rate and peripheral vasoconstriction is a known phenomenon in patients with systolic heart failure (HF) and has recently been described in patients with primary lung disease as seen in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

However, systematic analyses on this clinically relevant topic are currently lacking.

Thus, using a comprehensive, multimodal approach and state-of-the-art technology, this research project is designed to determine the extent and nature of increased SNA in COPD (AIM 1) and evaluate the underlying mechanisms (AIM 2).

The project will address the following hypotheses:

1. In COPD, concomitant obstructive sleep apnea is independently associated with increased SNA.
2. Precapillary pulmonary hypertension (PH), inspiratory muscle dysfunction and systemic inflammation describe a COPD phenotype characterised by increased SNA with a different subtype.

Detailed description: The project will be pursued in our respiratory, autonomic nervous system physiology laboratory (Respiratory, autonomic nervous system physiology laboratory, Department of Pneumology and Intensive Care Medicine, RWTH Aachen University Hospital; Head of Department: Professor Michael Dreher).

Overactivity of the sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) axis is a known phenomenon in patients with systolic heart failure (HF) and has recently been described in patients with primary lung disease as seen in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Thus, insights into the nature of and factors involved in increased SNA in COPD are urgently needed.

Potentially obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) with not only repetitive obstructions but also additional hypoxia and poor sleep quality additively increase SNA in COPD. In addition, inspiratory muscle dysfunction (if adequately measured by magnetic diaphragm stimulation studies and comprehensive diaphragm ultrasound) with related hypercapnia, pulmonary hypertension (PH) and systemic inflammation all likely also impact on SNA in COPD.

However, systematic analyses on this clinically relevant topic are currently lacking.

Thus, using a comprehensive, multimodal approach and state-of-the-art technology, this research project is designed to determine the extent and nature of increased SNA in COPD (AIM 1) and evaluate the underlying mechanisms (AIM 2). The project will address the following hypotheses:

1. In COPD, concomitant OSA with poor sleep is independently associated with increased SNA,.
2. PH, inspiratory muscle dysfunction and systemic inflammation describe a COPD phenotype characterised by increased SNA, manifesting differently.

To test these hypotheses COPD patients without an established cardiovascular disease will be enrolled and the extent, nature and mechanism of SNA increase compared with healthy controls matched in a 3:1 ratio for age, sex and body mass index (BMI).

Invasive assessment of muscle SNA to the point of single unit recordings with analysis of single postganglionic sympathetic firing, and hence SNA drive to the peripheral vasculature, is the gold standard for quantification of SNA in humans but is only available in a few centres worldwide because it is costly, time consuming and requires a high level of training.

A small substudy will investigate the short term acute treatment effects of non-invasive ventilation and oxygen supplementation on SNA in patients with COPD.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Age ≥ 18
* Ability and willingness to give informed consent to participate in the study

Exclusion Criteria:

* Atrial fibrillation
* Active pacing of the heart by a cardiac pacemaker (i.e. no intrinsic heart rate)
* Clinically pre-established cardiovascular disease (e.g. arterial hypertension or systolic heart failure)
* In-patient stay in the hospital within the last 4 weeks prior to the study examination date

Primary outcomes:
measure: Assessments of the sympathetic nerve activity axis (Non invasive)
timeFrame: 2 years
measure: Assessments of the sympathetic nerve activity axis (Invasive)
timeFrame: 2 years
Secondary outcomes:
measure: OSA severity
timeFrame: 2 years
measure: Determination of PH and right HF severity
timeFrame: 2 years
measure: Comprehensive lung function and inspiratory muscle function testing as previously described by our group
timeFrame: 2 years
measure: Assessment of systemic inflammation
timeFrame: 2 years
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Aachen
country: Germany
facility: RWTH Aachen University
Study officials:
affiliation: RWTH Aachen University
name: Michael Dreher, Professor
role: STUDY_DIRECTOR
affiliation: RWTH Aachen University
name: Jens Spiesshoefer, MD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
affiliation: RWTH Aachen University
name: Binaya Regmi, MD
role: STUDY_CHAIR
References:
citation: Spiesshoefer J, Becker S, Tuleta I, Mohr M, Diller GP, Emdin M, Florian AR, Yilmaz A, Boentert M, Giannoni A. Impact of Simulated Hyperventilation and Periodic Breathing on Sympatho-Vagal Balance and Hemodynamics in Patients with and without Heart Failure. Respiration. 2019;98(6):482-494. doi: 10.1159/000502155. Epub 2019 Aug 28.
citation: Spiesshoefer J, Herkenrath S, Henke C, Langenbruch L, Schneppe M, Randerath W, Young P, Brix T, Boentert M. Evaluation of Respiratory Muscle Strength and Diaphragm Ultrasound: Normative Values, Theoretical Considerations, and Practical Recommendations. Respiration. 2020;99(5):369-381. doi: 10.1159/000506016. Epub 2020 May 12.
citation: Spiesshoefer J, Henke C, Herkenrath S, Brix T, Randerath W, Young P, Boentert M. Transdiapragmatic pressure and contractile properties of the diaphragm following magnetic stimulation. Respir Physiol Neurobiol. 2019 Aug;266:47-53. doi: 10.1016/j.resp.2019.04.011. Epub 2019 Apr 25.
citation: Dreher M, Neuzeret PC, Windisch W, Martens D, Hoheisel G, Groschel A, Woehrle H, Fetsch T, Graml A, Kohnlein T. Prevalence Of Chronic Hypercapnia In Severe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Data From The HOmeVent Registry. Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis. 2019 Oct 18;14:2377-2384. doi: 10.2147/COPD.S222803. eCollection 2019.