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Endothelial DysfunctionPhase 2NCT03748082

Effects of Nitric Oxide on the Endothelium During Hemolysis.

A Phase 2 study testing Nitric Oxide, Reactive Hyperemia Index and Endothelial Cells Collection in people with Endothelial Dysfunction and Hemolysis Intravascular, run by Massachusetts General Hospital at 2 sites in United States.

Withdrawn

Withdrawn. The study stopped before anyone enrolled.

Official record
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Trial summary

This study is an ancillary (add-on) study to the clinical trial entitled "Effect of Nitric Oxide in Cardiac Surgery Patients With Endothelial Dysfunction", which has Clinical Trials.gov identifier NCT02836899. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and older
What is being tested?
Nitric Oxide, Reactive Hyperemia Index and Endothelial Cells Collection
Type of treatment
Surgery or procedure
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
0 participants
Where
2 sitesUnited States
Study dates
5 Dec 2018to Nov 2023
Phase
Phase 2
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

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 18 years and older
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Eligible and randomized in the trial NCT02836899
  • Provide written informed consent
  • Age ≥ 18 years of age
  • Elective cardiac or aortic surgery with CPB >90 minutes
  • Clinical evidence of endothelial dysfunction assessed by a specifically designed questionnaire

Who cannot join

  • Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate less than 30 ml/min/1.73 m2
  • Emergent cardiac surgery
  • Life expectancy < 1 year at the time of enrollment
  • Hemodynamic instability as defined by a systolic blood pressure <90 mmHg.
  • Mean pulmonary artery pressure ≥ 40 mm Hg and PVR > 4 Wood Units.
  • Left ventricular ejection fraction < 30% by echocardiography obtained within three months of enrollment
Show all 10Show fewer
  • Administration of one or more Packed Red Blood Cell (PRBC) transfusions in the week prior to enrollment
  • X-ray contrast infusion less than 48 hours before surgery
  • Evidence of hemolysis from any other origin:
  • Intravascular: i. Intrinsic RBC defects leading to hemolytic anemia (eg, enzyme deficiencies, hemoglobinopathies, membrane defects) ii. Extrinsic: liver disease, hypersplenism, infections (eg, bartonella, babesia, malaria), treatment with oxidizing exogenous agents (eg, dapsone, nitrites, aniline dyes), exposure to other hemolytic agents (eg, lead, snake and spider bites), lymphocyte leukemia, autoimmune hemolytic disorders b. Extravascular: Infection (eg, clostridial sepsis, severe malaria), paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria, cold agglutinin disease, paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, iv infusion of Rho(D) immune globulin, iv infusion of hypotonic solutions

Trial locations and contacts

2 sites in 1 country.

United States2 sites
  • Massachusetts General Hospital

    Boston, Massachusetts, 02114

  • Boston Medical Center

    Boston, Massachusetts, 02118

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: Effects of Nitric Oxide on Vascular Responsiveness and on Endothelial Cells During Hemolysis in Patients With Pre-operative Endothelial Dysfunction Undergoing Prolonged Cardiopulmonary Bypass.

This study is an ancillary (add-on) study to the clinical trial entitled "Effect of Nitric Oxide in Cardiac Surgery Patients With Endothelial Dysfunction", which has Clinical Trials.gov identifier NCT02836899. NCT02836899 trial randomizes cardiac surgical patients to receive either Nitric Oxide (NO) or a placebo during and after cardiac surgery.

This ancillary study aims to assess the effects of Nitric Oxide on vascular responsiveness and on endothelial function during hemolysis in patients with pre-operative endothelial dysfunction undergoing cardiac surgery requiring prolonged cardiopulmonary bypass.

Read the detailed description

Endothelial cells regulate tissue perfusion by releasing nitric oxide (NO), a potent endogenous dilator of vascular smooth muscle cells, which modifies vascular tone. Under normal physiological conditions, vascular NO is released by endothelial NO synthase (eNOS). Impairment of the eNOS, as seen in patients with atherosclerosis, peripheral vascular disease, hypertension, obesity, and diabetes, is a feature of endothelial dysfunction.The inability to increment eNOS activity is particularly evident in conditions of decreased vascular NO bioavailability, such as during hemolysis associated with prolonged cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB>90 min). During hemolysis, ferrous plasma free hemoglobin (Oxy-Hb) is released into the circulation and can be injurious for the endothelial cells by exerting an oxidative and proinflammatory effect. Moreover, plasma free Oxy-Hb can scavenge vascular NO, reducing its bioavailability as ferrous Oxy-Hb is transformed into ferric methemoglobin (Met-Hb). The clinical results of reduced bioavailability of vascular NO have been found to be associated with both systemic and pulmonary vasoconstriction, ultimately leading to reduced tissue perfusion.

The exogenous administration of NO has been shown to prevent the scavenging of endogenous NO by inactivating the highly oxidative-reactive ferrous plasma Oxy-Hb to ferric Met-Hb. Our group is conducting a randomized controlled trial at Massachusetts General Hospital (Boston, USA) in patients with signs and symptoms of endothelial dysfunction, undergoing cardiac surgery requiring prolonged CPB and randomized to receive NO or placebo. However, the mechanisms underlying the beneficial systemic effects of NO administration have still to be determined. This is an ancillary study that aims to (I) assess the effects of hemolysis on vascular responsiveness and on endothelial function in patients with pre-operative endothelial dysfunction and (II) to determine the vascular protective effects of NO administration.

Being tested
Nitric Oxide, Reactive Hyperemia Index, Endothelial Cells Collection
Keywords
Cardiac Surgery, Cardiopulmonary Bypass, Reactive Hyperemia Index, Nitric Oxide
Medical subject headings
Hemolysis, Cardiovascular Diseases

What participants receive

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

  • Nitric OxideDrug

    Also called iNO

    Inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) will be administered via the CPB machine and after CPB via the inspiratory limb of the anesthetic or ventilator circuit, and thereafter via the mechanical ventilator in the ICU. Test gas administration will commence at the onset of CPB and last for 24 hours. At the end of 24 hours, iNO will be weaned and discontinued.

  • Reactive Hyperemia IndexDiagnostic test

    Vascular responsiveness will be assessed with peripheral arterial tonometry which measures the transient increase in forearm blood flow (Reactive Hyperemia Index, RHI) in response to a five-minute occlusion of the brachial artery with a pressure cuff.

  • Endothelial Cells CollectionProcedure or surgery

    Endothelial cells are collected before and after surgery from a peripheral vessel using a soft J-shaped wire inserted through an intravascular catheter.

Study groups in NCT03748082
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
ControlPlacebo comparatorInhaled nitrogen will be administered via the cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) machine and after CPB via the inspiratory limb of the anesthetic or ventilator circuit, and thereafter via the mechanical ventilator in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Test gas administration will commence at the onset of CPB and last for 24 hours.
Receives: Diagnostic Test: Reactive Hyperemia Index; Procedure: Endothelial Cells Collection
Nitric OxideExperimentalInhaled nitric oxide (iNO) will be administered via the CPB machine and after CPB via the inspiratory limb of the anesthetic or ventilator circuit, and thereafter via the mechanical ventilator in the ICU. Test gas administration will commence at the onset of CPB and last for 24 hours. At the end of 24 hours, iNO will be weaned and discontinued.
Receives: Drug: Nitric Oxide; Diagnostic Test: Reactive Hyperemia Index; Procedure: Endothelial Cells Collection

What is being measured

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

  1. Reactive Hyperemia Index (RHI)

    A finger plethysmograph will measure the transient increase in forearm blood flow (Reactive Hyperemia Index, RHI) in response to a 5 minutes occlusion of the brachial artery with a pressure cuff (Peripheral Artery Tonometry).

    Measured: The test will be performed perioperatively before anesthesia induction and at 24 hours after CPB during ICU admission.

Timeline

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

  1. First posted20 Nov 2018
  2. Study start5 Dec 2018
  3. Primary completionNov 2023 (estimated)
  4. Study completionNov 2023 (estimated)

Why it stopped: Lack of funding

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 2
Primary purpose
Basic science
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Quadruple blind
Who is masked
Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
0 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT03748082
Sponsor's protocol ID
EndoNO
Status last verified
Nov 2025
First submitted
16 Nov 2018
Last updated
2 Dec 2025
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
Yes
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Publications

  • Lei C, Berra L, Rezoagli E, Yu B, Dong H, Yu S, Hou L, Chen M, Chen W, Wang H, Zheng Q, Shen J, Jin Z, Chen T, Zhao R, Christie E, Sabbisetti VS, Nordio F, Bonventre JV, Xiong L, Zapol WM. Nitric Oxide Decreases Acute Kidney Injury and Stage 3 Chronic Kidney Disease after Cardiac Surgery. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2018 Nov 15;198(10):1279-1287. doi: 10.1164/rccm.201710-2150OC.

    PubMed 29932345
  • Rezoagli E, Ichinose F, Strelow S, Roy N, Shelton K, Matsumine R, Chen L, Bittner EA, Bloch DB, Zapol WM, Berra L. Pulmonary and Systemic Vascular Resistances After Cardiopulmonary Bypass: Role of Hemolysis. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2017 Apr;31(2):505-515. doi: 10.1053/j.jvca.2016.06.009. Epub 2016 Jun 8.

    PubMed 27590461
  • Tabit CE, Shenouda SM, Holbrook M, Fetterman JL, Kiani S, Frame AA, Kluge MA, Held A, Dohadwala MM, Gokce N, Farb MG, Rosenzweig J, Ruderman N, Vita JA, Hamburg NM. Protein kinase C-beta contributes to impaired endothelial insulin signaling in humans with diabetes mellitus. Circulation. 2013 Jan 1;127(1):86-95. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.112.127514. Epub 2012 Nov 30.

    PubMed 23204109
  • Hamburg NM, Keyes MJ, Larson MG, Vasan RS, Schnabel R, Pryde MM, Mitchell GF, Sheffy J, Vita JA, Benjamin EJ. Cross-sectional relations of digital vascular function to cardiovascular risk factors in the Framingham Heart Study. Circulation. 2008 May 13;117(19):2467-74. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.107.748574. Epub 2008 May 5.

    PubMed 18458169

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 2 study testing Nitric Oxide, Reactive Hyperemia Index and Endothelial Cells Collection in people with Endothelial Dysfunction and Hemolysis Intravascular, run by Massachusetts General Hospital at 2 sites 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 5 inclusion and 10 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: withdrawn, as of the sponsor's last update on 2 Dec 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 2 sites 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 2 studies give the treatment to a larger group to see whether it has the intended effect and to keep checking safety.

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

Are results available for this study?

The study was withdrawn before enrolling participants, so there are no results.

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?

Reactive Hyperemia Index (RHI) (time frame: The test will be performed perioperatively before anesthesia induction and at 24 hours after CPB during ICU admission.). 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 NCT03748082, which also lists 4 linked publications.

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 2 Dec 2025.

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