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Status unknownNCT03576677LOCO-CHFUpdated Jul 17, 2019

Effect of Levosimendan or Placebo on Exercise in Advanced Chronic Heart Failure

A Phase 4 interventional study of Levosimendan and Placebo in Heart Failure, sponsored by Finn Gustafsson. Status unknown at 3 sites in Denmark. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 100 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2019-07-17.

Sponsored by Finn Gustafsson · Phase 4, Interventional, and Treatment

The sponsor has not verified this record recently (last verified Jul 2019), so the status shown — last known as Recruiting — may be out of date.
Phase
Phase 4
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
42
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years to 100 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Purpose: This study evaluates the subacute effect of levosimendan infusion on exercise capacity and exercise hemodynamics compared with placebo in patients with advanced chronic heart failure.

Hypothesis: Treatment with 6 hours infusion of levosimendan compared with placebo improves exercise capacity and exercise hemodynamics evaluated by change in CO/PCWP.

Design: The study is a prospective multi-center, double-blinded, placebo controlled randomized study. 42 consecutive patients who meet the eligibility criteria will be enrolled.

Read the detailed description

Background: Patients with advanced heart failure (HF) symptoms (NYHA III-IV) have poor quality of life and significantly impaired functional capacity despite optimal medical management. Exercise intolerance in HF results from multiple pathophysiological processes, but central hemodynamics during exercise are important determinants. In patients with advanced HF, intermittent levosimendan infusion is sometimes used to relieve symptoms and possibly improve prognosis. A short-term effect of levosimendan infusion on exercise capacity has previously been reported. However, the underlying mechanisms behind such an improvement, as well as more durable effects of levosimendan on exercise capacity in advanced chronic HF, have not been clearly established. Also the hemodynamic effect of levosimendan has not been investigated in advanced chronic HF during exercise.

To our knowledge no previous studies have evaluated the subacute effect of levosimendan infusion on exercise capacity and exercise hemodynamics in patients with advanced chronic HF. This study will hopefully improve the understanding of the role of levosimendan in the management of these patients.

Purpose: This study evaluates the subacute effect of levosimendan infusion on exercise capacity and exercise hemodynamics compared with placebo in patients with advanced chronic HF.

Hypothesis: Treatment with 6 hours infusion of levosimendan 0.2 µg/kg/min compared with placebo improves exercise capacity and exercise hemodynamics evaluated by change in CO/PCWP (Day 0 to Day 5 (4-6) after infusion) in patients with advanced chronic HF.

Design: The study is a prospective multi-center, double-blinded, placebo controlled randomized study. The study population will consist of 42 consecutive patients who meet the eligibility criteria. Patients will be randomized 1:1 to treatment with either levosimendan or placebo.

02

Conditions studied

  • Heart Failure

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Keywords

  • Advanced chronic heart failure
  • Exercise capacity
  • Exercise hemodynamics
  • Levosimendan
03

In context

Heart Failure

5,803 studies on the registry are indexed under Heart Failure; 1,222 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 42 is below the median of 72 across 3,790 interventional studies indexed under Heart Failure.

Browse Heart Failure studies →

Lead sponsor

Finn Gustafsson is the lead sponsor of 10 studies on the registry; 2 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 100 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • Age ≥18 years
  • NYHA III-IV on optimal medical treatment
  • LVEF ≤35%
  • NT-proBNP >600 µg/L
  • pVO2 \<20 mL/kg/min
  • No hospitalization for HF or change in loop diuretic \<2 weeks

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Recent or acute coronary and respiratory syndromes
  • Recent sustained ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation
  • Severe aortic or mitral valve disease
  • Known malfunctioning artificial heart valve
  • Uncorrected obstructive valvular disease
  • Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
  • Fertile women
  • Uncorrected thyroid disease
  • Presence of any disease/condition that might per se influence exercise performance
  • Left ventricular assist device
  • Pacemaker-guided heart rate at rest or during exercise
  • Known contraindication for treatment with levosimendan
  • Any treatment with levosimendan in the previous 6 months
  • Inability to perform a VO2max test
  • Symptomatic hypotension or systolic blood pressure \< 90 mmHg
05

Study design

Phase
Phase 4
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Quadruple (Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
42 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Active comparator
    Levosimendan

    Study participants in this arm will receive a 6 hours infusion of levosimendan 0.2 µg/kg/min.

    Drug: Levosimendan

  • Placebo comparator
    Placebo

    Study participants in this arm will receive a 6 hours infusion of placebo (sterile isotonic sodium chloride + 5% dextrose + vitamin B)

    Drug: Placebo

Interventions

  • Levosimendan, 2.5 mg/mL concentrate for dilution. 5 mL of the study drug will be injected into a 245 mL isotonic glucose solution. Patients will receive a 6 hours infusion of this study drug at an infusion rate of 0.2 µg/kg/min.

    Also known as: Simdax

  • DrugPlacebo

    The placebo solution will be prepared by adding 10 mL of 5% dextrose to a vial containing Soluvit (vitamin B) under aseptical conditions. 5 mL of this solution is then added to 245 mL of isotonic sodium chloride solution. 5% dextrose and vitamin B are added to ensure yellow coloring indistinguishable from the active drug (levosimendan). Patients will receive a 6 hours infusion of this study drug. Infusion rate will be calculated in similar fashion to the levosimendan group.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. ΔCO/PCWP (submax)

    Change in CO/PCWP from Day 0 (infusion of study medication) to Day 5 (day 4-6) at the workload corresponding to 50% of pVO2 determined at baseline

    Time frame: Day 0 to Day 5 (4-6)

Secondary outcomes

  1. ΔCO/PCWP (peak)

    Change in CO/PCWP from Day 0 (infusion of study medication) to Day 5 (day 4-6) at peak exercise

    Time frame: Day 0 to Day 5 (4-6)

  2. ΔCO (peak)

    Change in maximal CO from Day 0 (infusion of study medication) to Day 5 (day 4-6) at peak exercise

    Time frame: Day 0 to Day 5 (4-6)

  3. ΔPCWP (peak)

    Change in PCWP from Day 0 (infusion of study medication) to Day 5 (day 4-6) at the maximal load obtained during both invasive measurements

    Time frame: Day 0 to Day 5 (4-6)

  4. CO maximal

    Maximal CO at Day 5 (day 4-6)

    Time frame: Day 5

  5. PCWP maximal

    Maximal PCWP at Day 5 (day 4-6)

    Time frame: Day 5

  6. SvO2 maximal

    Maximal SvO2 at Day 5 (day 4-6)

    Time frame: Day 5

  7. Workload maximal

    Maximal workload (watt) at Day 5 (day 4-6)

    Time frame: Day 5

  8. ΔPCWP (rest)

    Change in resting PCWP from Day 0 (infusion of study medication) to Day 5 (day 4-6)

    Time frame: Day 0 to Day 5 (4-6)

  9. ΔCO (rest)

    Change in resting CO from Day 0 (infusion of study medication) to Day 5 (day 4-6)

    Time frame: Day 0 to Day 5 (4-6)

  10. ΔCVP (rest)

    Change in resting CVP from Day 0 (infusion of study medication) to Day 5 (day 4-6)

    Time frame: Day 0 to Day 5 (4-6)

  11. ΔmPA (rest)

    Change in resting mPA from Day 0 (infusion of study medication) to Day 5 (day 4-6)

    Time frame: Day 0 to Day 5 (4-6)

  12. ΔSvO2 (rest)

    Change in resting SvO2 from Day 0 (infusion of study medication) to Day 5 (day 4-6)

    Time frame: Day 0 to Day 5 (4-6)

  13. Δ6MWT day 3

    Change in 6MWT from Day 0 (infusion of study medication) to Day 3

    Time frame: Day 0 to Day 3

  14. Δ6MWT day 5 (4-6)

    Change in 6MWT from Day 0 (infusion of study medication) to Day 5 (day 4-6)

    Time frame: Day 0 to Day 5 (day 4-6)

  15. Δ6MWT day 14

    Change in 6MWT from Day 0 (infusion of study medication) to Day 14

    Time frame: Day 0 to Day 14

  16. ΔNT-proBNP day 3

    Change in NT-proBNP from Day 0 (infusion of study medication) to Day 3

    Time frame: Day 0 to Day 3

  17. ΔNT-proBNP day 5

    Change in NT-proBNP from Day 0 (infusion of study medication) to Day 5 (day 4-6)

    Time frame: Day 0 to Day 5 (day 4-6)

  18. ΔNT-proBNP day 14

    Change in NT-proBNP from Day 0 (infusion of study medication) to Day 14

    Time frame: Day 0 to Day 14

  19. QOL day 3

    Quality of life (QOL) score using the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ) at Day 3 after infusion of study medication

    Time frame: Day 3

  20. QOL day 5

    Quality of life (QOL) score using the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ) at Day 5 (4-6) after infusion of study medication

    Time frame: Day 5

  21. QOL Day 14

    Quality of life (QOL) score using the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ) at Day 14 after infusion of study medication

    Time frame: Day 14

07

Study locations

3 of 3 sites recruiting
  • Department of Cardiology, The Heart Center, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet
    Copenhagen, DK-2100, Denmark
    • Finn Gustafsson, MD, professor, PhD, DMSci · Contact · finng@dadlnet.dk · +45 35459743
    • Lærke Nelson, MD · Contact · laerke.marie.nelson@regionh.dk · +45 35459549
    • Finn Gustafsson, MD, professor, PhD, DMSci · Principal investigator
    • Lærke Nelson, MD · Sub investigator
    Recruiting
  • Department of Cardiology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
    Herlev, DK-2730, Denmark
    • Morten Schou, MD, PhD · Contact · schou@dadlnet.dk · +45 40523920
    • Morten Schou, MD, PhD · Principal investigator
    Recruiting
  • Department of Cardiology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
    Odense, DK-5000, Denmark
    • Jacob E Møller, MD, professor, PhD, DMSci · Contact · jem@dadlnet.do · +45 51439630
    • Mikael K Poulsen, MD, PhD · Contact · mikael.kjaer.poulsen1@rsyd.dk · +45 24798402
    • Jacob E Møller, MD, professor, PhD, DMSci · Principal investigator
    • Mikael K Poulsen, PhD · Sub investigator
    Recruiting
08

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jul 17, 2019, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT03576677
Lead sponsor
Finn Gustafsson
Responsible party
Finn Gustafsson (MD, PhD, DMSci, Professor of Cardiology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet) — Sponsor-investigator
First posted
Jul 3, 2018
Start date
Aug 1, 2019 (estimated)
Primary completion
Jul 1, 2020 (estimated)
Completion
Jul 30, 2020 (estimated)
Last update
Jul 17, 2019

Study contacts

Finn Gustafsson, MD, professor, PhD, DMSci
Contact
finng@dadlnet.dk
+45 35459743
Mikael K Poulsen, MD PhD
Contact
mikael.kjaer.poulsen1@rsyd.dk
+45 24798402
Finn Gustafsson, MD, professor, PhD, DMSci
principal investigator · Department of Cardiology, The Heart Center, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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Studies of the drug tested here: Simendan

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