Cell Free DNA in Cardiac Sarcoidosis

NCT03858777 · Status: RECRUITING · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 120

Last updated 2026-01-09

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Sarcoidosis is a multisystem granulomatous disease of unknown cause that can affect any organ in the body, including the heart. Granulomatous myocarditis can lead to ventricular dysfunction and ventricular arrhythmias causing significant morbidity and mortality. Immunosuppressive therapy (IST) has been shown to reverse active myocarditis and preserve left ventricular (LV) function and in some cases improve LV function. In addition, IST can suppress arrhythmias that develop due to active myocarditis and prevent the formation of scar.

The potential role of cardiac biomarkers, including brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), and cardiac troponins, in detecting active myocarditis is limited and studies have been disappointing. At present, there are no biomarkers to detect active myocarditis and the use of advanced imaging modalities (FDG-PET) for assessing and monitoring active myocarditis is not feasible or practical and is associate with high radiation exposure. As such, a biomarker that is reflective of active myocarditis and that is cardiac specific will assist physicians in assessing the presence of active myocarditis to guide therapeutic decisions and to assess response to therapy which can limit further cardiac damage.

Cell free DNA (cfDNA) are fragments of genomic DNA that are released into the circulation from dying or damaged cells. It is a powerful diagnostic tool in cancer, transplant rejection and fetal medicine especially when the genomic source differs from the host. A novel technique that relies on tissue unique CpG methylation patterns can identify the tissue source of cell free DNA in an individual reflecting potential tissue injury. We will be conducting a pilot study to explore the utility of this diagnostic tool to identify granulomatous myocarditis in patients with sarcoidosis.

Conditions

  • Sarcoidosis With Myocarditis
  • Sarcoidosis
  • Healthy
  • ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction

Interventions

DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

cell free DNA

All groups will have blood draws and cfDNA measured

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Nabeel Hamzeh

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Nabeel Hamzeh, MD · University of Iowa

Study Design

Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
DIAGNOSTIC
Masking
NONE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2019-05-01
Primary Completion
2027-12-15
Completion
2028-06-30
FDA Device
Yes

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT03858777 on ClinicalTrials.gov