The ability to mount an effective immune response declines with age, leaving the elderly increasingly susceptible to infectious diseases and cancer. Rapamycin, an FDA approved drug to prevent transplant rejection, increases the lifespan and healthspan of mice and ameliorates age-related declines in immune responsiveness, cancer survival, and cognition in laboratory animals. Investigators are conducting a translational trial to test whether rapamycin also improves life functions in humans focusing on elderly persons (aged 70-95). Substudy E will evaluate the Rapamycin and Cardiac Function.
The main study has completed and results are reported (NCT02874924) Purpose of Sub-study E - Rapamycin and cMRI to evaluate cardiac function: The over-arching hypothesis is that RAPA treatment will effect simultaneous improvement in parameters known to be negatively impacted by aging. For example, systemic inflammation is higher in older individuals and contributes to the development of age-related pathologies affecting both the heart and the vasculature. In particular, evidence indicates that aging-associated alterations in inflammatory and pro-fibrotic pathways are critically involved in the etiology of age-related declines. The study team hypothesize that mTOR antagonism with RAPA will improve detrimental age-related pathologies affecting the heart in elderly humans.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
20
Taken orally 1mg daily for 8 weeks
Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital
San Antonio, Texas, United States
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas, United States
Systolic Function
Test whether RAPA improves systolic function in elderly subjects. Cardiac MRI will be measured before and after 8 weeks of RAPA administration using 3T MRI. From collected MRI data, the study team will quantify change in systolic volumes.
Time frame: Baseline to 8 weeks
Diastolic Function
Test whether RAPA improves diastolic function in elderly subjects.Cardiac MRI will be measured before and after 8 weeks of RAPA administration using 3T MRI. From collected MRI data, the study team will quantify change in diastolic volumes.
Time frame: Baseline to 8 weeks
Aortic Cross-Sectional Area
Test whether RAPA increases aortic compliance in elderly subjects. Aortic MRI will be measured before and after 8 weeks of RAPA using 3T MRI. The study team will quantify distal descending aortic cross-sectional area to assess aortic function/compliance effects.
Time frame: Baseline to 8 weeks
Aortic Distensibility
Test whether RAPA increases aortic compliance in elderly subjects. Aortic MRI will be measured before and after 8 weeks of RAPA using 3T MRI. The study team will quantify change in distal descending aortic distensibility to assess aortic function/compliance effects.
Time frame: Baseline to 8 weeks
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