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Alzheimer's DiseasePhase 4SEAIRANCT00980785

Studying the Effects of Antihypertensives on Individuals at Risk for Alzheimer's

A Phase 4 study testing Ramipril in people with Alzheimer's Disease and Hypertension, run by University of Wisconsin, Madison at 1 site in United States.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-I) are a group of blood pressure-lowering medicines. Some studies suggest that ACE-I, such as ramipril, may help prevent Alzheimer's disease (AD). The purpose of the research is to see how ramipril affects a substance in the body called beta-amyloid. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 40 to 65 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Alzheimer's Disease, Hypertension
What is being tested?
Ramipril
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
14 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
9 Apr 2009to 26 Jul 2011
Phase
Phase 4
Are there results?
Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 40 to 65 years
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Between the ages of 40 and 65
  • Mean resting blood pressure between 130-160 systolic and 85-100 diastolic
  • Parent with Alzheimer's Disease

Who cannot join

  • Current involvement in another investigational drug trial.
  • Potassium > 5.0
  • Dementia based on DSMIV criteria
  • Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) score < 27
  • Current blood pressure medication (< 4 months from screening)
  • Weight loss medication
Show all 12Show fewer
  • Contraindications for LP
  • Know diagnosis or history of hospitalization due to congestive heart failure
  • Elevated creatinine (females > 1.3 mg/dL or males > 1.4 mg/dL at baseline)
  • Diabetes Type I and II
  • Know adverse reaction to an ACE-I or an angiotensin receptor blocker
  • Pregnant of nursing women

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • Wisconisn Alzheimer's Disease Research Center

    Madison, Wisconsin, 53705

Other trials in United States

About this study

Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-I) are a group of blood pressure-lowering medicines. Some studies suggest that ACE-I, such as ramipril, may help prevent Alzheimer's disease (AD). The purpose of the research is to see how ramipril affects a substance in the body called beta-amyloid. Beta-amyloid is found in the brain and in the liquid around the brain and spinal cord. High amounts of beta-amyloid may be associated with a greater risk of getting Alzheimer's disease. This study will see if ramipril can lower the amount of beta-amyloid in the spinal fluid. This study will also see if ramipril affects blood vessel function and memory and thinking. The investigators hope that future studies will show whether ramipril might prevent memory loss and decrease the chance of developing Alzheimer's disease.

Read the detailed description

High blood pressure (BP) in midlife is predictive of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in later life. Similarly, reductions in BP are associated with protection against AD. Treatment with antihypertensive medications, specifically angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-I) such as ramipril, is associated with up to a 55% reduction in the prevalence of AD, suggesting a potentially promising role for ACE-I in the prevention of AD. It is unknown however 1) whether ACE-Is will have the same effect on Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Aβ levels in humans as in animal models 2) whether ACE-Is induce changes associated with vascular function (i.e. levels of CSF angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) and peripheral endothelial function) and 3) whether there are interactions between ACE-I-induced changes in CSF Aβ, CSF ACE and indices of vascular function.

One mechanism by which antihypertensives may protect against AD is via Aβ neuropathology. In order to better understand the mechanisms through which ACE-I may modify CSF Aβ and possibly AD risk, we propose a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot clinical trial, enrolling 20 middle-aged (age range 40 - 65 years), mildly hypertensive (between 130 - 160 mmHg mean systolic and between 85 - 100 mmHg mean diastolic) participants, who are adult children of an individual with AD. The main objective of this trial is to examine the effects of the ACE-I, ramipril, on 1) CSF Aβ levels 2) CSF ACE levels and 3) peripheral endothelial function as measured by brachial artery flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) and aortic augmentation index (AAIx), in middle-aged adults with mildly elevated BP, who are at increased risk of developing AD.

Being tested
Ramipril, Placebo
Keywords
Alzheimer's Disease, Hypertension
Medical subject headings
Alzheimer Disease, Hypertension

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • RamiprilDrug

    Also called Altace

    Ramipril 5 mg/day

  • PlaceboDrug

    Matching Placebo

Study groups in NCT00980785
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
PlaceboPlacebo comparatorMatching Placebo
Receives: Drug: Placebo
ActiveExperimentalRamipril 5mg/day
Receives: Drug: Ramipril

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Change in Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) Amyloid Beta-42 (Aβ42) Levels Between Baseline and Month 4 in Subjects Taking Ramipril vs Subjects on Placebo

    CSF Aβ42 levels will be measured from the cerebrospinal fluid taken from subjects on ramipril or placebo at the baseline visit and month 4 and will be measured by Dr. Henrik Zetterberg's laboratory.

    Measured: Baseline to 4 months

Secondary outcomes (3)
  1. Change in CSF Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) Levels Between Baseline and Month 4 in Subjects Taking Ramipril vs Subjects on Placebo

    CSF ACE levels will be measured from the cerebrospinal fluid taken from subjects on Ramipril or placebo at the baseline visit and month 4 and will be measured by ARUP® laboratories by spectrophotometric enzymatic assay.

    Measured: Baseline to 4 months

  2. Change in Flow-mediated Vasodilation (FMD) Between Baseline and Month 4 in Subjects Taking Ramipril vs Subjects on Placebo

    FMD is calculated as the ratio of brachial artery diameter after reactive hyperemia to baseline diameter, expressed as percentage change. FMD for each subject (ramipril v placebo) will be measured at baseline and month 4, observing any differences.

    Measured: Baseline to 4 months

  3. Change in Augmentation Index (%) Between Baseline and Month 4 in Subjects Taking Ramipril vs Subjects on Placebo

    Pulse wave velocity was measured using an AtCor SphymoCor Px tonometry system. A small pressure transducer was placed on the skin at the point the arterial pulsation of the right common carotid and right radial arteries. A Millar micromanometer is in the tip of the probe. Using a generalized transfer function, the distance between these pressure points, and the peripheral arterial waveforms, a central aortic pressure signal is derived, from which aortic augmentation index is determined.

    Measured: Baseline to 4 months

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted21 Sep 2009 (estimated)
  2. Study start9 Apr 2009
  3. Primary completion26 Jul 2011
  4. Study completion26 Jul 2011

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase 4
Primary purpose
Prevention
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Double blind
Who is masked
Participant, Investigator
Enrolment
14 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT00980785
Sponsor's protocol ID
2014-1353
Other IDs
H-2009-0036, A534255, SMPH/MEDICINE/GER-AD DEV
Acronym
SEAIRA
Status last verified
Aug 2020
First submitted
18 Sep 2009
Last updated
25 Aug 2020
Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
Yes
FDA-regulated device
No

Publications

  • Wharton W, Stein JH, Korcarz C, Sachs J, Olson SR, Zetterberg H, Dowling M, Ye S, Gleason CE, Underbakke G, Jacobson LE, Johnson SC, Sager MA, Asthana S, Carlsson CM. The effects of ramipril in individuals at risk for Alzheimer's disease: results of a pilot clinical trial. J Alzheimers Dis. 2012;32(1):147-56. doi: 10.3233/JAD-2012-120763.

    PubMed 22776970

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 4 study testing Ramipril in people with Alzheimer's Disease and Hypertension, run by University of Wisconsin, Madison at 1 site in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 12 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 25 Aug 2020. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

What does this phase mean?

Phase 4 studies take place after a treatment is approved, to learn more about its long-term benefits and risks in everyday use.

Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.

Are results available for this study?

Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 25 Aug 2020). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Change in Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) Amyloid Beta-42 (Aβ42) Levels Between Baseline and Month 4 in Subjects Taking Ramipril vs Subjects on Placebo (time frame: Baseline to 4 months). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT00980785, which also lists 1 linked publication.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 25 Aug 2020; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 8 Nov 2026.

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