CClinicalTrials.gg
Not yet recruitingNCT07864558Updated Oct 8, 2026

PrEcision Pacing in HFpEF: the PEP-HFpEF Trial

An interventional study of Individualized myPACE pacemaker programming in Heart Failure and Preserved Ejection Fraction, Heart Failure New York Heart Association Class III and Heart Failure New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class II, sponsored by Tufts Medical Center. Not yet recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-10-08.

Sponsored by Tufts Medical Center · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

Updated Oct 8, 2026Newly registeredGo to Updates ↓
Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
36
Allocation
Not applicable
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The PEP-HFpEF study is a prospective, single-center mechanistic study evaluating personalized heart rate pacing (myPACE) in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and existing cardiac physiologic pacemakers. Participants will undergo sequential periods of standard and personalized pacing with serial physiologic assessments to evaluate the effects of myPACE on exercise capacity, cardiac function, biomarkers, quality of life, and clinical outcomes.

02

Conditions studied

  • Heart Failure and Preserved Ejection Fraction
  • Heart Failure New York Heart Association Class III
  • Heart Failure New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class II

Keywords

  • HFpEF
  • Heart Failure
  • pacemaker
  • personalized pacing
  • heart failure with preserved ejection fraction
03

In context

Heart Failure, Diastolic

180 studies on the registry are indexed under Heart Failure, Diastolic; 38 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 36 is below the median of 49 across 126 interventional studies indexed under Heart Failure, Diastolic.

Browse Heart Failure, Diastolic studies →

Lead sponsor

Tufts Medical Center is the lead sponsor of 195 studies on the registry; 29 are open to participants now.

Of its 30 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 16 (53%) have results posted.

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.
  • Diagnosis of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), defined as left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≥50% with symptoms and signs consistent with heart failure as determined by the treating investigator.
  • New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class II or III symptoms despite stable, maximally tolerated guideline-directed medical therapy.
  • Pre-existing FDA-approved cardiac physiologic pacemaker (e.g., conduction system pacing or cardiac resynchronization therapy) implanted for a standard clinical indication and capable of individualized lower-rate programming.
  • Expected to require ongoing pacemaker therapy throughout the study period.
  • Clinically stable at enrollment, without recent major changes in heart failure status that, in the opinion of the investigator, would interfere with interpretation of study outcomes.
  • Able and willing to provide written informed consent.
  • Able and willing to comply with all study procedures, including pacemaker programming, cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET), echocardiography, blood pressure measurements, autonomic testing, blood collection, and follow-up visits.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Age \<18 years.
  • Left ventricular ejection fraction \<50%.
  • Pregnancy, breastfeeding, or women of childbearing potential unwilling to use an acceptable method of contraception during study participation.
  • Inability or unwillingness to provide informed consent.
  • Inability to safely perform study procedures, including CPET or autonomic testing, in the opinion of the investigator.
  • Any medical condition or life expectancy that, in the opinion of the investigator, would make participation unsafe or would substantially interfere with completion of the study or interpretation of study results.
  • Enrollment in another interventional clinical trial that, in the opinion of the investigators, could interfere with this study or confound interpretation of the results.
  • Prisoners, wards of the state, or other individuals for whom participation would not be permissible under applicable regulations or institutional policy.
05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
36 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Individualized myPACE Pacing

    Participants will undergo a 3-month baseline period with their pacemaker programmed to standard-of-care settings (lower rate limit of 60 beats per minute), followed by individualized programming using the myPACE heart-rate algorithm for 12 months. Following completion of the 12-month intervention period, pacemakers will be reprogrammed to standard-of-care settings (60 bpm) for an additional 3 months. Participants will undergo study assessments and monitoring throughout the entire 18-month study period.

    Device: Individualized myPACE pacemaker programming

Interventions

  • DeviceIndividualized myPACE pacemaker programming

    The myPACE intervention uses an individualized heart-rate algorithm to determine a personalized pacemaker backup rate within the normal range of adult resting heart rates. The algorithm estimates an individualized resting heart rate based on participant height and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). The algorithm is designed to provide a modest increase in resting heart rate tailored to individual physiologic characteristics, including LVEF.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Peak Oxygen Consumption (Peak VO₂)

    Change in peak oxygen consumption (peak VO2) during upright bicycle cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET), from conventional 60 bpm pacing (at baseline) to personalized physiologic pacing (myPACE) (at 12 months). Peak VO2 will be measured in mL/kg/min.

    Time frame: Baseline, 12 months

Secondary outcomes

  1. Ventilatory Efficiency (VE/VCO₂ Slope)

    Change in the VE/VCO₂ slope during upright bicycle CPET from conventional pacing at 60 bpm to personalized physiologic pacing (myPACE).

    Time frame: Baseline, 12 months

  2. Oxygen Pulse

    Change in oxygen pulse during upright bicycle CPET from conventional pacing at 60 bpm to personalized physiologic pacing (myPACE), measured in mL/beat.

    Time frame: Baseline, 12 months

  3. Arterial Elastance (Ea)

    Change in arterial elastance (Ea), measured in mmHg/mL, calculated from echocardiographic measurements and non-invasive blood pressure measurements, from conventional pacing at 60 bpm at baseline to personalized physiologic pacing (myPACE) at 12 months.

    Time frame: Baseline, 12 months

  4. End-Systolic Elastance (Ees)

    Change in end-systolic elastance (Ees), measured in mmHg/mL, calculated from echocardiographic measurements and non-invasive blood pressure measurements, from conventional pacing at 60 bpm at baseline to personalized physiologic pacing (myPACE) at 12 months.

    Time frame: Baseline, 12 months

  5. Ventriculo-Arterial Coupling (Ea/Ees Ratio)

    Change in the Ea/Ees ratio, calculated from arterial elastance (Ea) and end-systolic elastance (Ees), from conventional pacing at 60 bpm at baseline to personalized physiologic pacing (myPACE) at 12 months.

    Time frame: Baseline, 12 months

  6. Low-Frequency Blood Pressure Variability

    Change in low-frequency blood-pressure variability during standardized autonomic nervous system testing from conventional pacing at 60 bpm at baseline to personalized physiologic pacing (myPACE) at 12 months.

    Time frame: Baseline, 12 months

  7. Orthostatic Blood Pressure Recovery

    Change in orthostatic blood pressure recovery during standardized autonomic nervous system testing from conventional pacing at 60 bpm at baseline to personalized physiologic pacing (myPACE) at 12 months.

    Time frame: Baseline, 12 months

  8. Passive Leg Raise Response

    Change in the passive-leg-raise response during standardized autonomic nervous system testing from conventional pacing at 60 bpm at baseline to personalized physiologic pacing (myPACE) at 12 months.

    Time frame: Baseline, 12 months

  9. NTproBNP

    NTproBNP level change from baseline to 12 months

    Time frame: Baseline, 6 months, 12 months, 15 months

  10. Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire Score

    Change in MLHFQ total score from conventional pacing at 60 bpm to personalized physiologic pacing (myPACE).

    Time frame: Baseline, 12 months

  11. Hospitalization or Invasive Outpatient Intervention for Heart Failure

    Throughout the duration of the study the study team will review intercurrent clinical management events that may occur as part of the natural history and clinical management of HFpEF, including hospitalization or invasive outpatient intervention for heart failure.

    Time frame: Through 18 months

  12. Heart Failure Management Events

    Changes in heart failure management, including diuretic initiation, dose escalation, reduction, or discontinuation, and urgent medical visits for heart failure. Clinical events will be assessed through participant interviews and medical record review throughout study participation and formally assessed during each follow-up Assessment Window.

    Time frame: Through 18 months

  13. Abnormal Heart Rhythm Management Events

    Throughout the duration of the study the study team will record changes in abnormal heart rhythm management, including initiation of antiarrhythmic medication, cardioversion, ablation, urgent medical visits for abnormal heart rhythms, or hospitalization for abnormal heart rhythms. Clinical events will be assessed through participant interviews and medical record review throughout study participation and formally assessed during each follow-up Assessment Window.

    Time frame: Through 18 months

  14. Serious Cardiovascular Events

    Throughout the duration of the study the study team will review serious cardiovascular events, including heart attack, stroke, or death. Clinical events will be assessed through participant interviews and medical record review throughout study participation and formally assessed during each follow-up Assessment Window.

    Time frame: Through 18 months

07

Study locations

1 site
08

Updates

1 registry update since Sep 25, 2026
Registered
First appeared on the registry. No changes since
Oct 8, 2026
Show all 1 update
  1. Oct 8, 2026
    First appeared on the registry

From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT07864558
Lead sponsor
Tufts Medical Center
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Oct 8, 2026
Start date
Oct 2026 (estimated)
Primary completion
Mar 2029 (estimated)
Completion
Sep 2029 (estimated)
Last update
Oct 8, 2026

Study contacts

Courtney Uek
Contact
courtney.uek@tuftsmedicine.org
617-636-4354
Margaret Infeld, MD, MS
principal investigator · Tufts Medical Center

Oversight

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

Not currently enrolling

This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Oct 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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