Pathogenetic Basis of Aortopathy and Aortic Valve Disease

Recruiting

• Conditions: Thoracic Aortic Dissection; Vascular Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome; Congenital Contractural Arachnodactyly; Arterial Tortuosity Syndrome; Bicuspid Aortic Valve; Ascending Aortic Disease; Descending Aortic Disease; Ascending Aortic Aneurysm; Loeys-Dietz Syndrome; Shprintzen-Goldberg Syndrome

• Registration Number: NCT03440697
• Lead Sponsor: Indiana University

Brief Summary

The main purpose of this study is to define the complex genetic and pathogenic basis of thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) and other forms of aortopathy and/or aortic valve disease by identifying novel disease-causing genes and by identifying important genetic modifiers for aortic and aortic valve disease severity.

Detailed Description

Thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) is a type of aortopathy describing dilation of the proximal aortic dimensions including the aortic root, which is a risk factor for aortic dissection and sudden cardiac death. TAA and other forms of aortopathy (e.g. aortic tortuosity or aortic hypoplasia/stenosis) develop in the presence or absence of additional cardiovascular malformations including bicuspid aortic valve. TAA is associated with connective tissue disorders (e.g. Marfan syndrome), and familial clustering has been identified in a significant proportion of nonsyndromic cases, establishing high heritability. Pedigree analysis of TAA kindreds clearly identifies complex inheritance; however, progress towards understanding the genetic basis of TAA and other forms of aortopathy and, ultimately, the susceptibility to aortic dissection remains incomplete. There is a clinical need to develop novel methods for predicting disease risk based on genotype and phenotype, to further elucidate the genetic and pathogenic mechanisms of aortopathy, and to improve medical and surgical therapies. The overarching hypothesis of this study is that individual genetic variation modulates susceptibility to disease severity and progression. The goals of this study are 1) to ascertain a cohort of subjects who have aortopathy and/or aortic valve disease including TAA or who have genetic risk for the development of aortopathy and/or aortic valve disease, 2) to collect paired blood and tissue samples from well-characterized subjects, family members of subjects, and controls to perform genome-wide DNA sequence, histopathologic, transcriptional, and proteomic analyses, and 3) to establish a tissue biorepository with detailed phenotype information to facilitate a broad spectrum of current and future studies.

Basic Information
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Recruitment & Eligibility
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Study & Design
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Trial Locations

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2015-12-10
• Study First Submitted: 2017-10-06
• Study First Submitted QC: 2018-02-19
• Study First Posted: 2018-02-22
• Status Verified: 2024-03
• Last Update Submitted: 2024-03-06
• Last Update Posted: 2024-03-08
• Primary Completion: 2030-12-31
• Study Completion: 2030-12-31

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 3000

Inclusion Criteria

• Open to external enrollment:

  • Subjects with a genetic diagnosis of Marfan Syndrome (MDS), Loeys-Dietz Syndrome (LDS), or Vascular Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS); (Positive genetic testing or a previous cardiac study required to be eligible)
  • Family members of eligible subjects (Only family members of subjects with syndromic diagnoses are eligible for external enrollment at this time)

• Closed to external enrollment:

  • Subjects with aortic disease including TAA* or dissection, aortic tortuosity, or aortic hypoplasia/stenosis (based on any cardiac imaging modality including echocardiography, CT, MRI, or angiography)
  • Subjects with aortic valve disease (bicuspid, unicuspid, or tricuspid disease)
  • Control subjects having tissue removed during a surgical procedure (e.g. coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG), cardiac transplant, etc.)

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Exclusion Criteria

• Inability or unwillingness to provide consent (assent when indicated)

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Study & Design

• Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Genetic Analysis	20 years	The mechanisms of TAA pathogenesis will be determined by studying explanted aortic tissue and cells derived from patients with TAA for gene expression, protein expression, and other functional assays.
Biorepository Establishment	20 years	Establish a biorepository with detailed phenotype information to facilitate a broad spectrum of current and future studies

Trial Locations

Locations (2)

Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta; 🇺🇸 Atlanta, Georgia, United States

IU School of Medicine; 🇺🇸 Indianapolis, Indiana, United States