NCT03014791

Influence of Age, Weight and Ethnic Background on Blood Pressure

Influence of Age, Weight and Ethnic Background on Blood Pressure: AWE Study

• Status: Unknown
• Phase: —
• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 500 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a chronic medical condition, in which the blood pressure is elevated. This is a common condition, which can lead to severe complications such as cardiovascular disease, heart attack, stroke and kidney disease, if not detected and treated early. Accumulating evidence suggests that the incidence of hypertension varies according to age, ethnicity and obesity. In order to obtain an in-depth knowledge of the pathophysiological mechanisms of hypertension, we aim to investigate the haemodynamic and biochemical correlates of elevated blood pressure across the adult age-span, and determine the extent to which body size and ethnicity impact on these associations. We also wish to investigate the impact of hypertension on key target organs (end-organ damage). The primary objective of this study is to compare the mechanisms regulating blood pressure in hypertensive and non-hypertensive participants across the adult age span, and to assess the influence of body mass index and ethnic background on these mechanisms. Secondary objectives are to investigate the association between blood pressure and cardiovascular physiology across the adult age span at rest and during sub-maximal exercise and to investigate the impact of blood pressure haemodynamics on key organs including the arteries and heart by assessing end-organ damage such as endothelial function, arterial structure and left ventricular mass/function. This study will be a combined case-control and cross-sectional study describing the procedures and time commitment required to investigate our scientific aims. This is a single centre study that will be conducted in a secondary care environment. Both male and females aged 18 and over and that are able provide informed consent will be considered for this study. People who are pregnant, currently receiving dialysis, illness with a life expectancy \<1 year, current active malignancy and cannot provide informed consent are ineligible for this study. The study will be open for five years and each patient will complete a maximum of four visits in a 12 month period. Participants will complete a variety of non-invasive physiological assessments of their cardiovascular system and lung function. There will be some minimally invasive procedures completed, including a blood test and assessment of small artery endothelial function which involves insertion of a small needle under local anesthetic.

Conditions

• Cardiovascular Diseases
• Vascular Diseases
• Hypertension

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Brief lifestyle/medical history questionnaire	Core Measurement
OTHER	Anthropometric measures	Core Measurement
OTHER	Blood pressure and arterial stiffness	Core Measurement
OTHER	Cardiac output and lung function	Core Measurement
OTHER	Heart rate variability	Core Measurement
OTHER	Blood sample & spot urine sample	Core Measurement
OTHER	24 hour ambulatory blood pressure monitor	Detailed Measurement (Optional for participants).
OTHER	24 hour urine collection	Detailed Measurement (Optional for participants).
OTHER	Echocardiograph: Left ventricular mass	Detailed Measurement (Optional for participants).
OTHER	Large artery structure: Carotid intima-media thickness	Detailed Measurement (Optional for participants).
OTHER	Small artery structure: Minimum forearm vascular resistance	Detailed Measurement (Optional for participants).
OTHER	Large artery endothelial function	Flow- and salbutamol-mediated vasodilatation Detailed Measurement (Optional for participants).
OTHER	Small artery endothelial function: Forearm blood flow	Detailed Measurement (Optional for participants).
OTHER	Dundee step test	Systolic blood pressure response to submaximal exercise Detailed Measurement (Optional for participants).
OTHER	Detailed haemodynamic response to submaximal exercise	Detailed Measurement (Optional for participants).
OTHER	Cardiopulmonary fitness: Maximum oxygen consumption	Detailed Measurement (Optional for participants).
OTHER	Haemodynamic response to mental stress	Detailed Measurement (Optional for participants).
OTHER	Small artery dilatory function: Forearm blood flow	Detailed Measurement (Optional for participants).

Timeline

• Start date: 2017-02-21
• Primary completion: 2024-02-01
• Completion: 2024-02-01
• First posted: 2017-01-09
• Last updated: 2022-08-23

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United Kingdom