MedTrace Logo

Oral Sildenafil for Exercise Capacity, Dyspnea and Cardiopulmonary Function in COPD

NCT05061368 · Status: RECRUITING · Phase: PHASE2 · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 160

Last updated 2026-05-06

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a condition characterized by airway obstruction. Patients with COPD experience significant shortness of breath on exertion. The mechanisms responsible for shortness of breath on exertion are well understood in moderate and severe COPD, but, are poorly understood in mild COPD where symptoms appear disproportionate to the degree of airway obstruction.

Mild COPD patients show an exaggerated breathing response to exercise, determined by the breathing response to carbon dioxide production (V̇E/V̇CO2). Recent work suggests that the increased V̇E/V̇CO2 during exercise in mild COPD is secondary to increased deadspace (i.e. lung regions with ventilation but no perfusion) and/or ventilation/perfusion (V̇A/Q) inequality (poor matching of ventilation to perfusion). Researchers have proposed that the increased deadspace or V̇A/Q inequality is secondary to pulmonary vascular dysfunction and hypoperfusion of the pulmonary capillaries.

Recently, we have shown that inhaled nitric oxide, a potent dilator of pulmonary vasculature, reduces shortness of breath and V̇E/V̇CO2, and improves exercise capacity in mild COPD. This preliminary finding suggests that pulmonary vascular dysfunction is an important contributor to exercise intolerance in mild COPD. Here, we aim to test whether sildenafil, an oral pulmonary vasodilator, can improve exercise tolerance and shortness of breath in mild COPD.

Conditions

Interventions

DRUG

Sildenafil Citrate

Phosphodiesterase Type 5 inhibitor. Known to potentiate nitric oxide mediated vasodilation.

OTHER

Placebo

Placebo

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)

    collaborator OTHER_GOV

  • University of Alberta

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Michael K Stickland, Ph.D. · University of Alberta

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE
Model
CROSSOVER

Eligibility

Min Age
40 Years
Max Age
80 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2022-03-01
Primary Completion
2027-05-31
Completion
2027-05-31

Countries

  • Canada

Study Locations

More Related Trials

Entities

Diseases

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 NCT05061368 on ClinicalTrials.gov