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Sympathetic Activity and Cardiometabolic Complications

Completed
Conditions
Catecholamine; Overproduction
Metabolic Syndrome
Hypertensive Heart Disease
Hypertensive Kidney Disease
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2
Catecholamine; Secretion
Hypertension,Essential
Registration Number
NCT04495231
Lead Sponsor
University of Turin, Italy
Brief Summary

Recent studies on catecholamine physiology have shown a direct correlation with arterial hypertension, overcoming the exclusive role in the diagnosis and follow-up of chromaffin tumors.

Nevertheless, in literature, few studies explore and reveal the utility of testing metanephrines for the evaluation of sympathetic activity and its associated cardiometabolic complications in patients with essential hypertension.

Detailed Description

Catecholamines (noradrenaline, adrenaline and dopamine) are adaptive and maladaptive stress hormones.

In the classic "fight or flight" mechanism, they activate behavioral and physiological processes that facilitate the overcoming of stress; for instance, challenged by a physical stressor, an organism responds to the threat either fighting and prevailing or accepting defeat and fleeing in avoidance.

In the pathological context, an excessive catecholamine secretion is typical of the chromaffin tissue tumors, determining a clinical picture characterized by blood pressure elevation, tachycardia, anxiety, pallor, sweating and headache.

COMT enzyme catalyzes the O-methylation of the 3-hydroxyl group of catecholamines. The O-methylated derivatives of noradrenaline, adrenaline and dopamine are normetanephrine, metanephrine and 3-methoxytyramine, respectively. The term "metanephrines" is generally used to collectively refer to the first two compounds.

Compared to catecholamines, metanephrines are characterized by longer half-life and more stable levels over time. Their superior accuracy for the diagnosis and follow-up of pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma (PPGL) has been widely proved.

Excluding patients with PPGL, however, metanephrines can be more broadly considered as reliable markers of the whole sympathetic system activity; therefore, their levels may be hypothesized to be associated to a higher rate of concurrent cardiometabolic complications and, if so, could be useful for the stratification of cardiovascular risk.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
1380
Inclusion Criteria
  • Measurement of 24h urinary metanephrines at the laboratory of "City of Health and Science" hospital in Turin between 2007 and 2015
  • Availability of contextual clinical patient data as collected in prospective registries of Piedmont region
Exclusion Criteria
  • Diagnosis of pheochromocytoma or paraganglioma (at the time of urinary metanephrines collection or within the following 5 years)
  • Diagnosis of other forms of secondary hypertension
  • Previous cardiovascular or cerebrovascular event
  • Chronic heart failure
  • eGFR < 50 ml/min (according to CKD-EPI)
  • Liver cirrhosis
  • Acute conditions and/or hospitalization in ICU (at the time of urinary metanephrines collection)
  • Assumption of acetaminophen during the day before the 24-hour urine collection
  • Therapy with labetalol
  • Therapy with sotalol
  • Therapy with alpha-methyldopa
  • Therapy with MAO inhibitors
  • Therapy with tricyclic antidepressants
  • Therapy with buspirone
  • Therapy with phenoxybenzamine
  • Therapy with sulfasalazine
  • Therapy with L-Dopa
  • Therapy with sympathomimetic drugs or other vasopressors
  • Alcohol abuse
  • Cocaine abuse

Study & Design

Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Study Design
Not specified
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Presence of type 2 diabetes mellitusAt baseline

The value of urinary metanephrines will be evaluated as a possible predictor of the presence of type 2 diabetes mellitus

Presence of metabolic syndromeAt baseline

The value of urinary metanephrines will be evaluated as a possible predictor of the presence of metabolic syndrome

Presence of chronic kidney diseaseAt baseline

The value of urinary metanephrines will be evaluated as a possible predictor of the presence of chronic kidney disease

Presence of left ventricular hypertrophyAt baseline

The value of urinary metanephrines will be evaluated as a possible predictor of the presence of left ventricular hypertrophy

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Body Mass Index (BMI)At baseline

The value of urinary metanephrines will be evaluated as a possible predictor of BMI values (kg/m2)

Urinary albumin/creatinine ratioAt baseline

The value of urinary metanephrines will be evaluated as a possible predictor of albumin/creatinine ratio values (mg/mmol)

Total cholesterolAt baseline

The value of urinary metanephrines will be evaluated as a possible predictor of total cholesterol values (mg/dl)

LDL cholesterolAt baseline

The value of urinary metanephrines will be evaluated as a possible predictor of LDL cholesterol values (mg/dl, as estimated by Friedewald formula)

eGFRAt baseline

The value of urinary metanephrines will be evaluated as a possible predictor of eGFR values (ml/min, as estimated by CKD-EPI formula)

Fasting glucoseAt baseline

The value of urinary metanephrines will be evaluated as a possible predictor of fasting glucose values (mg/dl)

Systolic blood pressure (SBP)At baseline

The value of urinary metanephrines will be evaluated as a possible predictor of systolic blood pressure values (mmHg)

TriglyceridesAt baseline

The value of urinary metanephrines will be evaluated as a possible predictor of triglycerides values (mg/dl)

Cardiovascular risk as estimated by Progetto Cuore Score (english translation: "Heart Project Score")At baseline

The value of urinary metanephrines will be evaluated as a possible predictor of cardiovascular risk as estimated by Progetto Cuore Score; Progetto Cuore Score is expressed as a percentage, with higher values indicating higher risk; patients in which the risk estimation is not applicable will be excluded from the analysis

Diastolic blood pressure (DBP)At baseline

The value of urinary metanephrines will be evaluated as a possible predictor of diastolic blood pressure values (mmHg)

Resting heart rateAt baseline

The value of urinary metanephrines will be evaluated as a possible predictor of resting heart rate (bpm)

HDL cholesterolAt baseline

The value of urinary metanephrines will be evaluated as a possible predictor of HDL cholesterol values (mg/dl)

Cardiovascular risk as estimated by Framingham Risk Score (FRS)At baseline

The value of urinary metanephrines will be evaluated as a possible predictor of cardiovascular risk as estimated by FRS; FRS is expressed as a percentage, with higher values indicating higher risk; patients in which the risk estimation is not applicable will be excluded from the analysis

Cardiovascular risk as estimated by Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE)At baseline

The value of urinary metanephrines will be evaluated as a possible predictor of cardiovascular risk as estimated by SCORE; SCORE is expressed as a percentage, with higher values indicating higher risk; patients in which the risk estimation is not applicable will be excluded from the analysis

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Division of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Metabolism; University of Turin

🇮🇹

Torino, Piemonte, Italy

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