MedTrace Logo

Heat, Microvascular Function and Aging

NCT06633198 · Status: RECRUITING · Phase: EARLY_PHASE1 · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 20

Last updated 2025-10-30

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Vascular dysfunction is a common factor in many chronic debilitating diseases, contributing to morbidity and mortality. With the onset of chronic disease or exposure to stress, the vasculature displays an inability to adequately respond to increased blood flow demands, manifesting in a reduced ability or altered mechanism of vasodilation. Aging is an independent risk factor in the development of cardiovascular disease, and reduces vasodilator capacity, or alters the mechanism by which vasodilation occurs in multiple vascular beds. Chronic exercise/physical activity is one of the most potent ways to enhance vascular function, resulting in favorable outcomes such as reductions in blood pressure, and improved ability to perform activities of daily living. Barriers to exercise or failure of long-term adherence preclude many populations from the cardiovascular benefits of exercise, thus further enhancing cardiovascular risk. Avenues to mimic blood flow patterns observed with exercise may exert beneficial effects without the need for the ability to exercise. Recent evidence has demonstrated that passive heat therapy, or chronic heat exposure (\~ +1°C in core temperature) results in reductions in major adverse cardiovascular events, blood pressure and improved large artery endothelial function, primarily through preservation of large artery function in response to vascular stress. It is unclear whether microvascular function is augmented in response to acute heat exposure, or whether this can protect against vascular insults particularly in older adults. Some preliminary evidence in humans suggest that autophagy, a cell recycling process is involved in the beneficial cardiovascular effects, as short-term heat exposure upregulates markers of autophagy. Previous evidence from our lab indicates that autophagy governs the mechanism by which microvascular vasodilation occurs. The role of autophagy in mediating the beneficial effects of passive heating is unknown.

Conditions

  • Aging

Interventions

PROCEDURE

Passive Heating

The lower limbs will be immersed in warm (42C) circulating water for 60 minutes.

DRUG

L-NAME

L-NAME will be used during measurement of cutaneous microvascular function to test the dependency upon NO to elicit vasodilation.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • William Hughes

    lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation
NA
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
NONE
Model
SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

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

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2025-05-01
Primary Completion
2028-12-31
Completion
2028-12-31
FDA Drug
Yes

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

More Related Trials

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 NCT06633198 on ClinicalTrials.gov