Purpose

The primary objective of this study is to determine the impact of two interventions against insulin resistance on the composite endpoint of 10% improvement in baseline six minute walk distance or improvement in World Health Organization (WHO) functional class in humans with pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH).

Condition

Eligibility

Eligible Ages
Over 18 Years
Eligible Genders
All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
No

Inclusion Criteria

• Adults aged 18 or older. - Diagnosed with idiopathic, heritable, or drug- or toxin-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) according to World Health Organization consensus recommendations. - Stable PAH-specific medication regimen for three months prior to enrollment. Subjects with only a single diuretic adjustment in the prior three months will be included. Adjustments in IV prostacyclin for side effect management are allowed. - Subjects must own a Bluetooth capable modern smartphone capable of receiving and sending text messages and an active data plan. - WHO Functional Class I-III - Ambulatory

Exclusion Criteria

  • Prohibited from normal activity due to wheelchair bound status, bed bound status, reliance on a cane/walker, activity-limiting angina, activity-limiting osteoarthritis, or other condition that limits activity - Pregnancy - Diagnosis of PAH etiology other than idiopathic, heritable, or associated with drugs or toxins - FEV1> or = 65% predicted AND normal chest imaging - WHO Functional class IV heart failure - Requirement of > 1 diuretic adjustment in the prior 30 days - Preferred form of activity is not measured by an activity tracker (swimming, ice skating, stair master, or activities on wheels such as bicycling or rollerblading) - Type I diabetes mellitus - Prior diagnosis of cirrhosis - Untreated hypo- or hyper-thyroidism - estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) by modification of diet in renal disease (MDRD) <60 milliliters per minute (mL/min)

Study Design

Phase
Phase 2
Study Type
Interventional
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention Model
Factorial Assignment
Intervention Model Description
This is a phase II, 2x2 factorial randomized, blinded trial testing metformin versus placebo and a mHealth intervention (mHealth) versus usual care of 12 weeks.
Primary Purpose
Treatment
Masking
Triple (Care Provider, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Masking Description
The investigators propose a phase II, 2x2 factorial randomized, blinded trial testing metformin versus placebo and a mobile health intervention (mHealth) versus usual care of 12 weeks.

Arm Groups

ArmDescriptionAssigned Intervention
Active Comparator
Metformin + mHealth Intervention
Patients will receive active ingredient medicine with mHealth texting platform, which are messages designed to facilitate self-awareness, reinforce step targets, and link physical activity with a reward or memorable cue. Subjects will receive metformin 500mg. Patients will titrate the medication as follows: 500mg po daily x 5 days, 500mg po twice a day (BID) x 5 days, 500mg po three times a day (TID) x 5 days,1000mg po BID x 69 days (12 weeks total).
  • Drug: Metformin
    Metformin is a drug has been on the market for several decades and is considered first line therapy for diabetes mellitus type 2.
  • Device: mHealth Intervention
    Our Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) compliant texting platform is linked to the Fitbit Application Program Interface. Real time activity data will be transmitted from the subject's smartphone to our mHealth platform via cellular network.Subjects assigned to the texting arm will receive 3 texts/day in sync with their preferred morning, lunch, and evening leisure schedule, which is defined at enrollment. These texts will use personal, disease-specific, and provider information to deliver 2 types of messages customized to the current step count and sent in equal proportion. Messages are designed to facilitate self-awareness, reinforce step targets, and link physical activity with a reward or memorable cue.
Placebo Comparator
Placebo + Usual Care
Patient will receive non active medicine and routine medical care.
  • Drug: Placebo
    A treatment with no active ingredients or therapeutic effect.
  • Device: Usual Care
    Our HIPPA compliant texting platform is linked to the Fitbit Application Program Interface. Real time activity data will be transmitted from the subject's smartphone to our mHealth platform via cellular network.
Active Comparator
Metformin + Usual Care
Patient will receive active ingredient medicine with routine medical care. Subjects will receive metformin 500mg. Patients will titrate the medication as follows: 500mg po daily x 5 days, 500mg po BID x 5 days, 500mg po TID x 5 days,1000mg po BID x 69 days (12 weeks total).
  • Drug: Metformin
    Metformin is a drug has been on the market for several decades and is considered first line therapy for diabetes mellitus type 2.
  • Device: Usual Care
    Our HIPPA compliant texting platform is linked to the Fitbit Application Program Interface. Real time activity data will be transmitted from the subject's smartphone to our mHealth platform via cellular network.
Placebo Comparator
Placebo + mHealth Intervention
Patient will receive non active medicine and the mHealth texting platform, which are messages designed to facilitate self-awareness, reinforce step targets, and link physical activity with a reward or memorable cue.
  • Drug: Placebo
    A treatment with no active ingredients or therapeutic effect.
  • Device: mHealth Intervention
    Our Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) compliant texting platform is linked to the Fitbit Application Program Interface. Real time activity data will be transmitted from the subject's smartphone to our mHealth platform via cellular network.Subjects assigned to the texting arm will receive 3 texts/day in sync with their preferred morning, lunch, and evening leisure schedule, which is defined at enrollment. These texts will use personal, disease-specific, and provider information to deliver 2 types of messages customized to the current step count and sent in equal proportion. Messages are designed to facilitate self-awareness, reinforce step targets, and link physical activity with a reward or memorable cue.

More Details

Status
Active, not recruiting
Sponsor
Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Study Contact

Detailed Description

The investigators propose to test the hypothesis that interventions to improve insulin resistance will improve exercise capacity and World Health Organization (WHO) functional class in PAH. The investigators propose three specific aims to test this 1) A prospective 2x2 factorial design 12-week clinical trial of metformin or placebo and activity intervention or usual care to assess effect on six minute walk and WHO functional class, 2) Assessment of the interventions in Aim 1 in a subset of patients on right ventricle (RV) and peripheral muscle function and lipid content and markers of pulmonary vascular disease to define how these interventions may work in PAH and 3) Identify and prospectively test peripheral blood markers of metformin response in PAH. The broad goals of this work are to demonstrate the efficacy and mechanisms of interventions against insulin resistance in PAH and to identify which patients are most likely to benefit from these interventions, moving to precision medicine in PAH. The investigators are planning a factorial design trial. Patients will be randomized twice. The first is metformin or placebo and is quadruple randomized. The second is mobile health (mHealth) intervention via texts or standard of care and is not blinded to the patients, but is to the investigator and thus is triple randomized.

Notice

Study information shown on this site is derived from ClinicalTrials.gov (a public registry operated by the National Institutes of Health). The listing of studies provided is not certain to be all studies for which you might be eligible. Furthermore, study eligibility requirements can be difficult to understand and may change over time, so it is wise to speak with your medical care provider and individual research study teams when making decisions related to participation.