CClinicalTrials.gg
Not yet recruitingNCT05841654AZAFUpdated May 3, 2023

Effect of Azilsartan on Atrial Fibrillation in Patients With Hypertension

A Phase 4 interventional study of Azilsartan or antihypertensive drugs other than ACEI, ARB or ARNI in Hypertension and Atrial Fibrillation, sponsored by Beijing Tsinghua Chang Gung Hospital. Not yet recruiting at 1 site in China. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2023-05-03.

Sponsored by Beijing Tsinghua Chang Gung Hospital · Phase 4, Interventional, and Prevention

From the registry’s dates

  • Primary completion was expected by Jun 2025, 1 year 4 months ago, but the record still lists the study as not yet recruiting.
Phase
Phase 4
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
400
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Hypertension and atrial fibrillation (AF) are two major public health problems worldwide. Hypertension is an important risk factor for AF, and the combination of which could significantly increase the risk of cardiovascular adverse events, and result greater disability rate and mortality.

Hypertension can stimulate cardiomyocytes apoptosis, drive renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) activation, lead to left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and finally result in the structure remodeling of the atrium, which can trigger AF development through influence on myocardial electrical activity. Previous studies have found that angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) seem to be more efficient in preventing AF when hypertension combined heart failure or LVH, but not completely clear in others with hypertension.

Azilsartan is a new ARB, it replaces the tetrazole ring of the traditional ARB with the oxadiazole ring, which making it binds to the angiotensin type 1 (AT1) receptor more tightly, dissociate more slowly, and has a stronger antihypertensive effect. It was reported that Azilsartan could inhibit cell proliferation, reduce inflammation and oxidative stress. However, whether Azilsartan can reduce the risk of AF in hypertensive patients, and the possible corresponding mechanism is still unclear.

Accordingly, the investigators designed this study intending to evaluate the effect of Azilsartan on the incidence of AF in hypertensive patients combined with LVH, and to explore the possible mechanism. This study is a practical, multicenter randomized controlled research method, the investigators will include 400 patients with hypertension and LVH who meet the inclusion criteria in Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital and other centers. The patients would be divided into the Azilsartan group and conventional treatment group randomly, and be followed up regularly for 12 months. The incidence of AF in the two groups would be compared through the flexible intelligent ECG monitoring system, and the optimal blood pressure control, also the left ventricular hypertrophy and left atrial function would be evaluated.

This study will provide evidence for the use of Azilsartan in blood pressure control and lower risk for AF patients with hypertension and LVH. It will be benefit for improving prognosis of patients with hypertension combined LVH, reducing the incidence of AF, and achieving good social economic effects.

02

Conditions studied

  • Hypertension
  • Atrial Fibrillation

Keywords

  • Azilsartan
  • Atrial Fibrillation
  • Hypertension
  • Left Ventricular Hypertrophy
03

In context

Hypertension

6,689 studies on the registry are indexed under Hypertension; 965 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 400 is above the median of 90 across 4,995 interventional studies indexed under Hypertension.

Browse Hypertension studies →

Lead sponsor

Beijing Tsinghua Chang Gung Hospital is the lead sponsor of 96 studies on the registry; 52 are open to participants now.

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

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Age ≥ 18 years.
  • Satisfied the diagnostic criteria for hypertension in the 2020 International Society of Hypertension Global Practice Guidelines for Hypertension.
  • Blood pressure control fails to meet one of the following conditions: office blood pressure ≥ 140/90mmHg; ambulatory blood pressure monitoring daytime average blood pressure ≥ 135/85mmHg or nighttime average blood pressure ≥ 120/70mmHg; home monitoring blood pressure ≥ 135/85mmHg.
  • Echocardiography shows that the left ventricular wall thickness is ≥11 mm, or the left ventricular mass index (LVMI) is >95 g/m2 (female), 115 g/m2 (male).

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Secondary hypertension.
  • Confirmed diagnosis of persistent atrial fibrillation.
  • Severe liver and kidney disease (eGFR\<30 mL/min/1.73m2), severe lung disease, malignant tumor and mental illness history.
  • Pregnant women, women of childbearing age who plan to become pregnant during the study or who cannot use effective contraception during the study
  • Illness leading to life expectancy \<12 months.
  • Not signed informed consent.
05

Study design

Phase
Phase 4
Primary purpose
Prevention
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Single (Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
400 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Azilsartan treatment group

    In the Azilsartan group, Azilsartan will be added in or switched to the original antihypertensive treatment plan, starting as 20 mg Qd, and gradually increased to 40 mg Qd according to the blood pressure. If the blood pressure is still not be controlled, antihypertensive drugs other than ACEI, ARB or ARNI will be added until the blood pressure is controlled.

    Drug: Azilsartan or antihypertensive drugs other than ACEI, ARB or ARNI

  • Active comparator
    Conventional treatment group

    In the routine treatment group, antihypertensive treatment programs other than ACEI, ARB or ARNI will be adopted, and the use of antihypertensive drugs will be adjusted until the blood pressure control is controlled.

    Drug: Azilsartan or antihypertensive drugs other than ACEI, ARB or ARNI

Interventions

  • DrugAzilsartan or antihypertensive drugs other than ACEI, ARB or ARNI

    The patient's ECG information will be monitored through the ECG monitoring patch, and the time of the first atrial fibrillation event will be recorded. Monitoring whether the patient's blood pressure is controlled dynamically, using echocardiography to evaluate cardiac function, and using scales to assess the quality of life.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Incidence and burden of atrial fibrillation

    In this study, atrial fibrillation includes both paroxysmal or persistent atrial fibrillation. Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation refers to that lasts for more than 30 seconds but less than 7 days, and the persistent one refers to that lasts over 7 days. Atrial fibrillation burden is defined as the percentage of analyzable wear time in AF.

    Time frame: The patient's ECG information will be recorded once a month, and be continuously monitored for 7 days at each time. A 24-hour Holter electrocardiogram was performed within 48 weeks.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Control of Blood pressure

    In this study, the percentage time to achieve blood pressure target (TITRE) and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring will be used to evaluate the achievement of blood pressure target. Greater percentage time at target (TITRE) was associated with lower risk of incident cardiovascular diseases and was an effective predictor of clinical outcomes, with a high clinical relevance and actionability. The standard calculation method of TITRE is based on that reported in previous studies.

    Time frame: Patients will conduct self-test blood pressure 3 days a week, once in the morning and once in the evening. A 12-week interval is used to calculate the TITRE values of the two groups of patients at 0-12 weeks, 13-24 weeks, 25-36 weeks, and 37-48 weeks.

  2. Evaluation of left ventricular hypertrophy and left atrial dimension

    Two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography (2DE) diastolic interventricular septal thickness (IVST) or left ventricular posterior wall thickness (PWT) and left ventricular mass index (LVMI) will be used to evaluate left ventricular hypertrophy. According to the guidelines, IVST or PWT ≥ 11mm, LVMI \> 95g/m2 (female)/115 g/m2 (male) is defined as left ventricular hypertrophy. Left atrial dimension is evaluated by left atrial volume index (LAVI). Left atrial volume is measured by two-dimensional echocardiography, and the left atrial volume index (LAVI) is obtained by correcting body surface area.

    Time frame: From baseline to the end of study.

  3. Healthy quality of life

    In this study, three-level EuroQol five-dimensions (EQ-5D-3L) will be used to assess the patient's quality of life, and the difference in the change in the quality of life between the two groups will be compared. The EQ-5D-3L is a self-assessment scale which includes five dimensions: mobility, self-care, daily activities, pain or discomfort, and depression. There are three categories of options for each dimension (Normal, Moderately Restricted, Severely Restricted). This commonly used health utility measure converts quality of life and health status into quality-adjusted life years (QALYs).

    Time frame: From baseline to end of study

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Beijing Tsinghua Chang Gung Hospital
    Beijing, Beijing 102218, China
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Benjamin EJ, Muntner P, Alonso A, Bittencourt MS, Callaway CW, Carson AP, Chamberlain AM, Chang AR, Cheng S, Das SR, Delling FN, Djousse L, Elkind MSV, Ferguson JF, Fornage M, Jordan LC, Khan SS, Kissela BM, Knutson KL, Kwan TW, Lackland DT, Lewis TT, Lichtman JH, Longenecker CT, Loop MS, Lutsey PL, Martin SS, Matsushita K, Moran AE, Mussolino ME, O'Flaherty M, Pandey A, Perak AM, Rosamond WD, Roth GA, Sampson UKA, Satou GM, Schroeder EB, Shah SH, Spartano NL, Stokes A, Tirschwell DL, Tsao CW, Turakhia MP, VanWagner LB, Wilkins JT, Wong SS, Virani SS; American Heart Association Council on Epidemiology and Prevention Statistics Committee and Stroke Statistics Subcommittee. Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics-2019 Update: A Report From the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2019 Mar 5;139(10):e56-e528. doi: 10.1161/CIR.0000000000000659. No abstract available. Erratum In: Circulation. 2020 Jan 14;141(2):e33. doi: 10.1161/CIR.0000000000000746. PubMed 30700139 ↗
  • Zhou Z, Hu D. An epidemiological study on the prevalence of atrial fibrillation in the Chinese population of mainland China. J Epidemiol. 2008;18(5):209-16. doi: 10.2188/jea.je2008021. Epub 2008 Sep 8. PubMed 18776706 ↗
  • Encephalopathy from hyponatremia. Ann Intern Med. 1990 Jul 1;113(1):84-6. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-113-1-84_3. No abstract available. PubMed 2350117 ↗
  • Gumprecht J, Domek M, Lip GYH, Shantsila A. Invited review: hypertension and atrial fibrillation: epidemiology, pathophysiology, and implications for management. J Hum Hypertens. 2019 Dec;33(12):824-836. doi: 10.1038/s41371-019-0279-7. Epub 2019 Nov 5. PubMed 31690818 ↗
  • Chung SC, Pujades-Rodriguez M, Duyx B, Denaxas SC, Pasea L, Hingorani A, Timmis A, Williams B, Hemingway H. Time spent at blood pressure target and the risk of death and cardiovascular diseases. PLoS One. 2018 Sep 5;13(9):e0202359. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0202359. eCollection 2018. PubMed 30183734 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Yes

Supporting information: Study protocol

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on May 3, 2023, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT05841654
Lead sponsor
Beijing Tsinghua Chang Gung Hospital
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
May 3, 2023
Start date
Jun 1, 2023 (estimated)
Primary completion
Jun 1, 2025 (estimated)
Completion
Oct 1, 2025 (estimated)
Last update
May 3, 2023

Study contacts

He Rong, M.D., Ph.D
Contact
dr_herong@sina.com
13141094403 ext. 56119519
He Rong, M.D., Ph.D
study chair · Beijing Tsinghua Chang Gung Hospital

Oversight

FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Apr 2023. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

Follow this study

Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.

Sign in to follow

Discussion

Questions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.

Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.

Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.

Start the discussion