Targeting Central Pulsatile Hemodynamics in Chronic Kidney Disease

Heart failure (HF) is an epidemic and is a major burden on the US healthcare system. The most common cardiovascular endpoint is HF. Thus, novel interventions to prevent HF in chronic kidney disease (CKD) are highly desirable. This study will assess: the variability in the response to isosorbide mononitrate (ISMN) therapy; the degree of change in central hemodynamics and cardiac endpoints through analysis of changes in left ventricle (LV) mass, diffuse myocardial fibrosis, and myocardial systolic and diastolic function.

This is a open label, parallel arm, randomized study of ISMN with or without vitamin C to improve exercise capacity and LV remodeling in CKD. Twenty subjects with CKD will be enrolled in this study and three different daily doses of sustained release isosorbide mononitrate (SR-ISMN) will be administered over time accompanied by a random administration of vitamin C in half of the subjects (500 mg three times daily). Before administration of SR-ISMN, baseline assessments will be performed. These include arterial tonometry, Doppler echocardiography, reflection magnitude measurements, a bicycle exercise test, activity monitoring, cardiac MRI, 24-hour blood pressure monitoring, and blood drawing. After these assessments, a dose of 30 mg of SR-ISMN will be administered daily (either with or without vitamin C) for the first week, 60 mg SR-ISMN for the second week, and 120 mg for the third week. After each week, blood pressure and central hemodynamics will be assessed. The third week visit also includes the bicycle exercise study and initiating the long term dose (60 or 120 mg) of SR-ISMN. In the long-term phase, blood pressure and hemodynamics are assessed at 12-weeks post initiation of the study medication(s). After 24 weeks we will perform the final assessment, which includes the same tests performed during the baseline assessment. Enrollment will take place at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and the Penn Presbyterian Medical Center.