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Sympathetic Nerve Activity Predictors in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Sponsor: RWTH Aachen University
Summary
The project will be pursued in our respiratory, autonomic nervous system physiology laboratory (Respiratory, autonomic nervous system physiology laboratory, Department of Pneumology and Intensive Care Medicine, RWTH Aachen University Hospital; Head of Department: Professor Michael Dreher). Overactivity of the sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) axis with "centrally" increased heart rate and peripheral vasoconstriction is a known phenomenon in patients with systolic heart failure (HF) and has recently been described in patients with primary lung disease as seen in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, systematic analyses on this clinically relevant topic are currently lacking. Thus, using a comprehensive, multimodal approach and state-of-the-art technology, this research project is designed to determine the extent and nature of increased SNA in COPD (AIM 1) and evaluate the underlying mechanisms (AIM 2). The project will address the following hypotheses: 1. In COPD, concomitant obstructive sleep apnea is independently associated with increased SNA. 2. Precapillary pulmonary hypertension (PH), inspiratory muscle dysfunction and systemic inflammation describe a COPD phenotype characterised by increased SNA with a different subtype.
Official title: Dissecting the Nature and Determinants of Sympathetic Nerve Activity in Patients With COPD
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
18 Years - Any
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
135
Start Date
2022-05-10
Completion Date
2028-12
Last Updated
2026-01-28
Healthy Volunteers
Yes
Interventions
Assessments of the sympathetic nerve activity axis
For assessment sympathovagal balance (SVB), HRV and dBPV will be analysed using a 3-lead electrocardiogram (sampling rate 1000Hz) and a continuous non-invasive arterial blood pressure signal (CNAP® technology, sampling rate 100Hz). HRV (ms2 based on continuously recorded variability in RR intervals) and (diastolic) BPV (expressed as mmHg2 based on continuously recorded variability in diastolic BP) will be computed by time domain analysis and by frequency domain analysis and presented as the high frequency component (HF; 0.15-0.4 Hz), low frequency component (LF; 0.04-0.15 Hz), their relative ratio (LF/HF), and the very low frequency component (VLF; 0.0-0.04 Hz) for both HRV and dBPV . Muscle SNA will be recorded via a tungsten microelectrode carefully placed in the peroneal nerve. Plasma catecholamines will also be assessed.
OSA severity
OSA is defined as apnoea-hypopnoea index \[AHI\] \>15/h and obstructive apnoea index \[OAI\] \>5/h) and sleep architecture
Determination of PH and right HF severity
(defined as tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion ≤14 mm) and pulmonary arterial pressure (PAsys) using transthoracic echocardiography
Comprehensive lung function and inspiratory muscle function testing.
Respiratory Muscle strength and function testing as previously established by our group and Assessment of daytime hypoxia (PaO2 \<55 mmHg) and hypercapnia (PaCO2 \>45 mmHg) using capillary blood gas analysis.
Assessment of systemic inflammation
Based on blood samples taken.
Locations (1)
RWTH Aachen University
Aachen, Germany