Sodium nitrite has been demonstrated to promote new blood vessel growth, speed up wound healing and prevent tissue necrosis in animals. Since patients with PAD experience many of these problems, this study will seek to determine whether this drug, when given orally, could provide the same benefits to patients with PAD.
Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a manifestation of systemic atherosclerosis and a strong predictor of cardiovascular (CV) mortality. The systemic disease of atherosclerosis in these patients results in arterial stenoses in the arteries supplying the muscles of the lower extremities. During exercise, the stenoses limit the ability to increase blood flow, which leads to an oxygen supply/metabolic demand mismatch, a bio-energetic deficit, and subsequent muscle contractile dysfunction. Thus, the primary pathophysiology of PAD is related to the limitation in blood flow and abnormal hemodynamics (reduced tissue perfusion pressure and blood flow) of the lower limbs during exercise. Patients with PAD commonly present with symptoms of intermittent claudication (IC), often described by patients as a cramping, aching, or fatigue sensation in the calf muscles of the legs that occurs during physical activity. Notably, the symptom of claudication pain is due to exercise-induced ischemia in the muscles of the leg, causing a significant limitation of functional exercise capacity and adversely affecting quality of life. Sodium nitrite is being investigated as a potential new therapy for improving function in patients with PAD. The overall goal of this dose-ranging study is to evaluate the safety, pharmacokinetics, tolerability, and potential biological activity of multiple doses of oral sodium nitrite in patients with PAD. As described above, the primary pathophysiology of PAD is related to the limitation in blood flow of the lower extremities, resulting in limited exercise tolerance and decreased quality of life. PAD is highly prevalent in patients with diabetes, leading to poor outcomes and accelerated disease progression compared with non-diabetic counter-parts. A common feature of both patient groups is endothelial dysfunction, decreased NO bioavailability, and depletion of NO stores, a finding that may be compounded when PAD and diabetic conditions coexist. Sodium nitrite is an inorganic salt that is found and metabolized in vivo. At physiological concentrations, sodium nitrite is known to cause vasodilation, a feature which is enhanced in hypoxic or ischemic environments. The nitrite anion acts a NO reservoir and can be readily converted to active NO by a non-enzymatic reaction with deoxyhemoglobin, making it a unique candidate for potential therapeutic effect in ischemic tissues. Accordingly, this study is designed to assess the safety and tolerability of sodium nitrite as well as the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic relationship of sodium nitrite at two different doses versus placebo. Sodium nitrite's effects on endothelial function, a marker of NO bioactivity, and measures of functional walking capacity will also be assessed.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Enrollment
55
0, 40 or 80 mg twice each day for 10 weeks followed by a 1 week escalation of 2 times the dose.
University of Colorado Denver Health Sciences Center
Aurora, Colorado, United States
Emory University
Atlanta, Georgia, United States
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa, United States
Reporting of Adverse Events During 11 Week Treatment Period.
The primary objective of this clinical study is to evaluate the safety and tolerability of multiple doses of twice daily 40mg and 80mg sodium nitrite compared with placebo over a 10 week treatment period. Subjects will be asked to report any adverse events during the trial period, and blood pressure, methemoglobin levels and other blood chemistries will be assessed during the trial period for changes from baseline.
Time frame: 11 weeks
Assessment of Changes in Brachial Artery Flow-Mediated Dilation (FMD)at 10 Weeks From Baseline
Demonstrate the pharmacodynamic effect of sodium nitrite on changes in FMD by imaging before investigational product administration and 10 weeks after administration of investigational product but before dose escalation. FMD was measured at baseline and again after 10 weeks of treatment. The value at ten weeks was subtracted from the baseline value. A negative value represents a worsening of FMD while a positive value represents an improvement in FMD.
Time frame: 10 weeks
Assessment of Changes in Walking Distance.
Demonstrate the pharmacodynamic effect of sodium nitrite on changes in functional measures of walking distance. The distance a subject can walk in 6 minutes will be measured prior to the first administration of the investigational product and 10 weeks after taking the investigational product but before the dose escalation. Distance walked in 6 minutes was measured at baseline and again after 10 weeks of treatment. The distance walked at ten weeks was subtracted from the baseline distance walked. A negative value represents a worsening of walking distance while a positive value represents an improvement in walking distance.
Time frame: 10 weeks
Assessment of Improvement of Quality of Life Using the WIQ (Walking Impairment Questionnaire) and SF-36 Questionnaire.
Demonstrate the pharmacodynamic effect of sodium nitrite on changes in measures of claudication symptoms using Quality of Life questionnaires (WIQ \& RAND SF-36). The WIQ is a disease-specific instrument that measures community-based walking. The questionnaire consists of four subscales (pain severity, distance, speed, and stairs). The SF-36 is a set of 36 questions that the subject provides short answers on concerning general health issues that the subject chooses. Questionnaires were administered at baseline and again after 10 weeks of treatment. Scores from the individual sections were summed and divided by the maximal score for the section to obtain a percent score, ranging from 0 (inability to perform task) to 100 (no difficulty). The scores for each section at ten weeks was subtracted from the baseline scores for each section of the questionnaires. A negative represents declining function, a positive value represents improvement over the study period.
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University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
The Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland, Ohio, United States
University Hospitals
Cleveland, Ohio, United States
The Ohio State University
Columbus, Ohio, United States
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular Institute
Nashville, Tennessee, United States
Medical College of Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
Time frame: 10 weeks