The Potential of Candesartan to Retard the Progression of Aortic Stenosis — ROCK-AS  

Aortic Valve Stenosis Clinical Trial

Official title: The Potential of Candesartan to Retard the Progression of Aortic Stenosis Influences of Medical Therapy to the Atheroinflammatory Process in Stenotic Aortic Valves

Status Recruiting

Clinical Trial Summary

The present study defines a blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled, prospective study, the aim of which is to determine the influence of effective treatment with Type 1 angiotensin II (Ang II) receptor (AT-1R) antagonist, using candesartan (target dose 16 mg) on stenotic aortic valves. The investigators will specifically quantify whether candesartan attenuates the key pathogenic mechanisms of aortic valve stenosis, namely inflammation, fibrosis, elastin degradation, calcification, and neovascularization.

Clinical Trial Description

We will include in the study 120 consecutive patients with clinically significant, symptomatic aortic stenosis referred to the Helsinki University Central Hospital for consideration of valve replacement surgery. Patients who can be put on the hospital's normal waiting list for elective angiography (i.e who do not need urgent surgery) and who give their informed consent, will be randomized into two groups to start therapy with candesartan (8 mg/d for 2 weeks, and then 16 mg/d until surgery) or placebo. On average, the overall duration of the drug intervention will be 3 months, i.e., the average time in our institution from referral to surgery. In addition, patients (n=50) undergoing aortic valve replacement surgery due to aortic regurgitation caused by dilation of the aortic root will be included. This population consists of both patients with early sclerotic, i.e., pre-stenotic, changes in their aortic valves (n=30) and of patients without any sclerotic or stenotic changes in their aortic valves (n=20). The group with sclerotic changes in their aortic valves (n=30) will be divided into two groups to receive candesartan (8 mg/d 2 wk, and then 16 mg/d until surgery) (n=15) or placebo (n=15). The removed aortic valves will be examined utilizing real-time PCR, autoradiography, fluorometry, immunohistochemistry, double immunofluorescence, confocal microscopy, and enzyme immunoassays. With these techniques, several markers of inflammation, calcification, fibrosis, and the amount of lipid accumulation and oxidation of LDL in the valves will be examined. ;

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Safety/Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Double Blind (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator), Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Aortic Valve Stenosis
• Constriction, Pathologic

• NCT number: NCT00699452
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: Helsinki University
• Contact: Markku Kupari, MD, PhD
• Phone: 358-9-4717-2441
• Email: markku.kupari@hus.fi
• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: Phase 3
• Start date: May 2009
• Completion date: December 2014