Patients with stage IV and V chronic kidney disease and end stage renal disease requiring hemodialysis at University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Dialysis Clinics will be recruited from the UAB Vascular Access Clinic, which has been the site for recruitment of patients requiring new vascular access for the last 10 years.
The main purpose of this research study is to conduct a research study to determine if Sildenafil compared to placebo will improve the vascular health of arteries and veins before arteriovenous fistula creation (shunt) and how quickly your veins and arteries dilate and increase in blood flow after fistula creation. An arteriovenous fistula (shunt) is a connection between the artery and vein in the arm for dialysis use. Another purpose of this study is to determine if Sildenafil reduces the blood and tissue levels of oxidants prior to fistula creation. Oxidants are harmful substances in the body that damage the cells tissues, and organs.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE
Enrollment
4
Sildenafil, a phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor that enhances the effects of nitric oxide (NO), has been shown in experimental and clinical studies in cardiovascular disease to improve endothelial function and decrease vascular stenosis.
Placebo will be over encapsulated to identical to drug comparison
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama, United States
Change in Baseline and 2 Week FMD/VP Measurements Between Sildenafil Group and Placebo Group
For flow mediated dilation studies (FMD), the brachial artery diameter was measured by ultrasound at baseline. An automated floor pressure cuff was inflated on the upper arm to a suprasystolic pressure that was sustained for 5 minutes, and the brachial diameter measurement was repeated 55-65 seconds after releasing the cuff. FMD was calculated as the percentage change in arterial diameter from baseline. For venous occlusion plethysmography studies (VP), forearm volume was measured using a strain-gauge plethysmography device during application of an upper arm BP cuff at increasing but subsystolic pressures. Venous capacitance slope was estimated from the volume-pressure relationship and expressed as a percentage increase in volume per millimeters of mercury. The change at baseline and 2 weeks in these measurements between the sildenafil and placebo group will be assessed.
Time frame: 2 weeks
Number of Participants With a Change in Blood Flow Rate
Blood flow of the fistula at 6 weeks is measured with doppler ultrasound and values of the fistula artery and vein are obtained (ml/min). The difference in blood flow rates of the fistula artery and vein between the sildenafil treated group and placebo group will be assessed.
Time frame: 6 weeks
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