Evaluating the Effectiveness of Sildenafil at Improving Health Outcomes and Exercise Ability in People With Diastolic Heart Failure (The RELAX Study)

Summary

Diastolic heart failure (DHF), which affects older individuals and women at a disproportionate rate, is a condition that can lead to shortness of breath and fluid build-up in the lungs. This study will evaluate the effectiveness of the medication sildenafil at improving exercise ability and health outcomes in people with DHF.

Timeline

Start

2008-09

Primary completion

2012-09

Completion

2012-09

Publications

• Results Redfield MM, Chen HH, Borlaug BA, Semigran MJ, Lee KL, Lewis G, LeWinter MM, Rouleau JL, Bull DA, Mann DL, Deswal A, Stevenson LW, Givertz MM, Ofili EO, O'Connor CM, Felker GM, Goldsmith SR, Bart BA, McNulty SE, Ibarra JC, Lin G, Oh JK, Patel MR, Kim RJ, Tracy RP, Velazquez EJ, Anstrom KJ, Hernandez AF, Mascette AM, Braunwald E; RELAX Trial. Effect of phosphodiesterase-5 inhibition on exercise capacity and clinical status in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA. 2013 Mar 27;309(12):1268-77. doi: 10.1001/jama.2013.2024.
• Chiu L, Agrawal V, Armstrong D, Brittain E, Collins S, Hemnes AR, Hill JA, Lindenfeld J, Shah SJ, Stevenson LW, Wang TJ, Gupta DK. Correlates of Plasma NT-proBNP/Cyclic GMP Ratio in Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction: An Analysis of the RELAX Trial. J Am Heart Assoc. 2024 Apr 2;13(7):e031796. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.123.031796. Epub 2024 Mar 27.
• Bevan GH, Rana M, Al-Furaih N, Dalton J, Zidar DA, Al-Kindi SG. Anisocytosis is associated with myocardial fibrosis and exercise capacity in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Heart Lung. 2022 Jul-Aug;54:68-73. doi: 10.1016/j.hrtlng.2022.03.013. Epub 2022 Mar 28.
• Reddy YNV, Rikhi A, Obokata M, Shah SJ, Lewis GD, AbouEzzedine OF, Dunlay S, McNulty S, Chakraborty H, Stevenson LW, Redfield MM, Borlaug BA. Quality of life in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: importance of obesity, functional capacity, and physical inactivity. Eur J Heart Fail. 2020 Jun;22(6):1009-1018. doi: 10.1002/ejhf.1788. Epub 2020 Mar 9.
• Fudim M, Kelly JP, Jones AD, AbouEzzeddine OF, Ambrosy AP, Greene SJ, Reddy YNV, Anstrom KJ, Alhanti B, Lewis GD, Hernandez AF, Felker GM. Are existing and emerging biomarkers associated with cardiorespiratory fitness in patients with chronic heart failure? Am Heart J. 2020 Feb;220:97-107. doi: 10.1016/j.ahj.2019.11.006. Epub 2019 Nov 16.
• Reddy YNV, Lewis GD, Shah SJ, Obokata M, Abou-Ezzedine OF, Fudim M, Sun JL, Chakraborty H, McNulty S, LeWinter MM, Mann DL, Stevenson LW, Redfield MM, Borlaug BA. Characterization of the Obese Phenotype of Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction: A RELAX Trial Ancillary Study. Mayo Clin Proc. 2019 Jul;94(7):1199-1209. doi: 10.1016/j.mayocp.2018.11.037.
• AbouEzzeddine OF, McKie PM, Dunlay SM, Stevens SR, Felker GM, Borlaug BA, Chen HH, Tracy RP, Braunwald E, Redfield MM. Suppression of Tumorigenicity 2 in Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction. J Am Heart Assoc. 2017 Feb 18;6(2):e004382. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.116.004382.
• DeVore AD, McNulty S, Alenezi F, Ersboll M, Vader JM, Oh JK, Lin G, Redfield MM, Lewis G, Semigran MJ, Anstrom KJ, Hernandez AF, Velazquez EJ. Impaired left ventricular global longitudinal strain in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: insights from the RELAX trial. Eur J Heart Fail. 2017 Jul;19(7):893-900. doi: 10.1002/ejhf.754. Epub 2017 Feb 14.
• Hussain I, Mohammed SF, Forfia PR, Lewis GD, Borlaug BA, Gallup DS, Redfield MM. Impaired Right Ventricular-Pulmonary Arterial Coupling and Effect of Sildenafil in Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction: An Ancillary Analysis From the Phosphodiesterase-5 Inhibition to Improve Clinical Status And Exercise Capacity in Diastolic Heart Failure (RELAX) Trial. Circ Heart Fail. 2016 Apr;9(4):e002729. doi: 10.1161/CIRCHEARTFAILURE.115.002729.
• Lindman BR, Davila-Roman VG, Mann DL, McNulty S, Semigran MJ, Lewis GD, de las Fuentes L, Joseph SM, Vader J, Hernandez AF, Redfield MM. Cardiovascular phenotype in HFpEF patients with or without diabetes: a RELAX trial ancillary study. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2014 Aug 12;64(6):541-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2014.05.030.
• Mohammed SF, Borlaug BA, McNulty S, Lewis GD, Lin G, Zakeri R, Semigran MJ, LeWinter M, Hernandez AF, Braunwald E, Redfield MM. Resting ventricular-vascular function and exercise capacity in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: a RELAX trial ancillary study. Circ Heart Fail. 2014 Jul;7(4):580-9. doi: 10.1161/CIRCHEARTFAILURE.114.001192. Epub 2014 May 15.
• Zakeri R, Borlaug BA, McNulty SE, Mohammed SF, Lewis GD, Semigran MJ, Deswal A, LeWinter M, Hernandez AF, Braunwald E, Redfield MM. Impact of atrial fibrillation on exercise capacity in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: a RELAX trial ancillary study. Circ Heart Fail. 2014 Jan;7(1):123-30. doi: 10.1161/CIRCHEARTFAILURE.113.000568. Epub 2013 Oct 25.
• Redfield MM, Borlaug BA, Lewis GD, Mohammed SF, Semigran MJ, Lewinter MM, Deswal A, Hernandez AF, Lee KL, Braunwald E; Heart Failure Clinical Research Network. PhosphdiesteRasE-5 Inhibition to Improve CLinical Status and EXercise Capacity in Diastolic Heart Failure (RELAX) trial: rationale and design. Circ Heart Fail. 2012 Sep 1;5(5):653-9. doi: 10.1161/CIRCHEARTFAILURE.112.969071.

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