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Preventing Adverse Cardiac Events in COPD

Phase 3
Completed
Conditions
Cardiovascular Diseases
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Interventions
Drug: Placebo Oral Tablet
Registration Number
NCT03917914
Lead Sponsor
The George Institute
Brief Summary

A double-blind, randomised controlled trial in participants with COPD to assess the efficacy of proactive treatment of cardiac risk in people with COPD. We hypothesise that treating known and undiagnosed CVD in COPD participants will improve both cardiac and respiratory outcomes.

Detailed Description

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is the third leading cause of global health-related morbidity and mortality. Heart disease in COPD is a known but neglected comorbidity and cardiovascular disease (CVD) accounts for 30-50% of deaths in COPD participants. Studies repeatedly show that CVD in COPD participants is under-recognised and under-treated yet participants with COPD are frequently excluded from clinical trials of drugs which reduce cardiac morbidity and mortality. This has led to under-treatment of CVD in COPD participants. A particular concern is low use of β-blockers. These have previously been considered to be contra-indicated in COPD and no RCTs have been conducted in this population. There is now observational evidence that cardioselective β-blockers are safe and may improve mortality, but this data is limited to retrospective analyses of cohorts of COPD participants. Contrary to previous concerns, retrospective analyses also suggest that cardioselective β-blockers may reduce the risk of COPD exacerbations. The proposed study will focus on treating CVD in COPD participants to reduce mortality and morbidity.

The study will be conducted in 23 sites in Australia, New Zealand, India and Sri Lanka. Participants with COPD will be randomised to one of two treatment arms in addition to receiving usual care for their COPD over the study duration of 24 months.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
280
Inclusion Criteria

Participants will be eligible for this study if they qualify on all of the following:

  1. Have provided written informed consent
  2. Have COPD defined by the 2019 Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) diagnostic criteria
  3. Aged 40-85 years
  4. FEV1 ≥30% and ≤70% predicted post-bronchodilator
  5. FEV1/FVC <0.7 post-bronchodilator
  6. Have had a COPD exacerbation in the previous 24 months requiring oral corticosteroid, antibiotics, or both
  7. If taking maintenance OCS, dosage is stable and ≤10mg daily for 4 weeks prior to randomisation
  8. Resting SBP ≥100mmHg
  9. SBP and spirometry criteria must be met after the test dose of bisoprolol of 1.25mg
  10. (New Zealand only) A history of cardiovascular disease, including heart failure, ischaemic heart disease, tachyarrhythmias, and hypertension
Exclusion Criteria

Participants will be ineligible for the study if they have any of the following:

  1. Concurrent therapy with any other β-blocker
  2. Resting HR <60bpm
  3. Unstable left HF (i.e. symptomatic and/or necessary change in management in the last 12 weeks, or in clinicians' opinion)
  4. Clinically significant pulmonary hypertension, which in the investigator's opinion would be a contraindication for β-blocker therapy
  5. Severe end-stage peripheral vascular disease
  6. 2nd or 3rd degree heart block
  7. Currently using or have been prescribed LTOT or resting saturated oxygen level <90% when stable
  8. Expected survival is less than 12 months, or in the investigator's opinion, the person has such unstable disease (of any type) that maintaining 12 months' participation would be unlikely
  9. Clinical instability since a MACE in the previous 12 weeks
  10. Lower respiratory tract infection or AECOPD within the last 8 weeks
  11. COPD not clinically stable as determined by the investigator
  12. In the clinician's view, have asthma-COPD overlap or co-existent asthma are present; or an improvement in FEV1 ≥400mL post-bronchodilator is observed on two occasions
  13. Females of child-bearing age and capability who are pregnant or breastfeeding or those in this group not using adequate birth control
  14. Coexistent illness which precludes participation in the study (poorly controlled diabetes, active malignancy)
  15. Severe end-stage liver disease defined by INR>1.3 and albumin<30g/L or portal hypertension/ascites
  16. High chance in the view of the treating physician that the potential participant will not adhere to study requirements

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
PlaceboPlacebo Oral Tablet1.25, 2.5 or 5mg of matched placebo daily
BisoprololBisoprolol1.25, 2.5 or 5mg of bisoprolol daily
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Cardiac Hospitalisation for cardiac cause other than ischemia, arrythmia or heart failureBaseline to 24 months
All-cause mortalityBaseline to 24 months

Composite outcome of the following that will be analysed using a win-ratio apprach according to clinical importance

Hospitalisation for COPD exacerbationBaseline to 24 months
Hospitalisation for primary cardiac cause (ischaemia, arrhythmia, heart failure or ischaemic stroke)Baseline to 24 months
Moderate COPD exacerbation - not hospitalised by treated with oral corticosteroids/antibiotics or bothBaseline to 24 months
Decrease in FEV1 or greatest FEV1% drop - largest decrease in FEV1 from post-bronchodiliator spirometry at baselineBaseline to 24 months
Higher SGRQ score (clinically important change >= 4)Baseline to 12 and 24 months
Respiratory hospitalisation for a respiratory cause other than COPD exacerbationBaseline to 24 months
Mild COPD exacerbation - treated with increased inhalers/inhaler technique/addition of theophyllineBaseline to 24 months
Higher CAT score (clinically important change >= 2)Baseline to 12 and 24 months
Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Severe (hospital admission) COPD exacerbation rate (annualised)Baseline to 24 months
Quality of life assessed by St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ)Baseline to 24 months

The SGRQ is a 50-item questionnaire developed to measure health status (quality of life) in patients with diseases of airways obstruction.

Scores are calculated for three domains:

Symptoms, Activity and Impacts (Psycho-social) as well as a total score.

Psychometric testing has demonstrated its repeatability, reliability and validity. Sensitivity has been demonstrated in clinical trials.

A minimum change in score of 4 units was established as clinically relevant after patient and clinician testing. The SGRQ has been used in a range of disease groups including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and bronchiectasis, and in a range of settings such as randomised controlled therapy trials and population surveys.

Time to first moderate-severe COPD ExacerbationBaseline to 24 months
Number of events of composite (annualised) cardio-respiratory hospital admissions and MACEBaseline to 24 months
EuroQoL Group 5-5 Dimension self-report questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L) to assess health state utilitiesBaseline to 24 months

EQ-5D-5L consists of 2pg: the EQ-5D descriptive system and the EQ visual analogue scale (EQ VAS).

Five dimensions: mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, anxiety/depression.

Each dimension 5 levels: no problems, slight problems, moderate problems, severe problems, extreme problems.

Patient indicates their health state by ticking most appropriate statement in each of the five dimensions.

This decision results in a 1-digit number that expresses the level selected for that dimension. The digits for the five dimensions can be combined into a 5-digit number that describes the patient's health state.

EQ VAS records patient's self-rated health on a vertical visual analogue scale. Endpoints are labelled 'The best health you can imagine' and 'The worst health you can imagine'. The VAS can be used as a quantitative measure of health outcome that reflect the patient's own judgement.

Clinic spirometry: % predicted post-bronchodilatorBaseline to 24 months
Total Number of cardiac events: MACE plus acute arrhythmia, Non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), urgent revascularisation (stent/angioplasty/Coronary artery bypass grafting [CABGs]) and clinically diagnosed heart failure episodes.Baseline to 24 months
Healthcare utilisation costs and Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALYs) evaluation of the treatment interventionBaseline to 24 months

Mean differences in healthcare utilisation costs and Quality Adjusted Life Years between both treatment groups will be estimated.

Costs will be ascertained from participants and study records. Health care utilisation will be on the basis of self-reported GP and hospital attendances and changes in concomitant medication. Health state utilities will be estimated via the EQ-5D-5L and will be used to weight survival up to 24 months to determine Quality Adjusted Life Years.

Health status assessed by COPD Assessment Test (CAT)Baseline to 24 months
Clinic spirometry: post-bronchodilator FEV1 (Forced Expiratory Volume) (L)Baseline to 24 months
Hospital admissions for all respiratory causesBaseline to 24 months
Hospital admissions for all cardiac causesBaseline to 24 months

All cardiac causes includes ischaemia, arrhythmia, heart failure, acute arrhythmia, non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction, urgent revascularisation (stent/angioplasty/coronary artery bypass grafting), and MACE events (includes myocardial infarction, sudden death, cardiac death or a fatal event in system organ classes for cardiac and vascular disorders, and serious and non-serious stroke).

Time to a composite outcome (includes any) of: all-case mortality; hospitalisation for COPD exacerbation, hospitalisation for primary cardiac cause (arrytmmia, ischaemia or heart failure) or MACEBaseline to 24 months
COPD exacerbation rate (annualised)Baseline to 24 months

Trial Locations

Locations (24)

Pandit Bhagwat Dayal Sharma Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences

🇮🇳

Rohtak, Haryana, India

St John's Medical College Hospital

🇮🇳

Bangalore, India

Westmead Hospital

🇦🇺

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Prince Charles Hospital

🇦🇺

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research

🇮🇳

Chandigarh, India

National Institute of Respiratory Diseases

🇱🇰

Welisara, Sri Lanka

Concord Repatriation General Hospital

🇦🇺

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

All India Institute of Medical Sciences

🇮🇳

New Delhi, India

Kandy National Hospital

🇱🇰

Kandy, Sri Lanka

Princess Alexandra Hospital

🇦🇺

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Gold Coast University Hospital

🇦🇺

Southport, Queensland, Australia

Central Chest Clinic - Borella

🇱🇰

Colombo, Sri Lanka

Central Chest Clinic

🇱🇰

Colombo, Sri Lanka

Campbelltown Hospital

🇦🇺

Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia

Liverpool Hospital

🇦🇺

Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia

John Hunter Hospital & Hunter Medical Research Institute

🇦🇺

Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia

Fiona Stanley Hospital

🇦🇺

Murdoch, Washington, Australia

TrialsWest Pty Ltd

🇦🇺

Perth, Washington, Australia

Institute for Respiratory Health

🇦🇺

Perth, Washington, Australia

Middlemore Hospital

🇳🇿

Auckland, New Zealand

University of Otago

🇳🇿

Christchurch, New Zealand

Dunedin Hospital

🇳🇿

Dunedin, New Zealand

Waikato Hospital

🇳🇿

Hamilton, New Zealand

Medical Research Institute of New Zealand

🇳🇿

Wellington, New Zealand

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