← Back to Clinical Trials
Recruiting NCT05627440

NCT05627440 A SkeleTal Muscle Recovery Intervention With Dietary Protein in Heart Failure

◆ AI Clinical Summary
Plain-language summary for patients
Clinical Trial Summary
NCT ID NCT05627440
Status Recruiting
Phase
Sponsor Tufts Medical Center
Condition Heart Failure
Study Type INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment 120 participants
Start Date 2023-04-24
Primary Completion 2027-06-01

Eligibility & Interventions

Sex All sexes
Min Age 18 Years
Max Age 100 Years
Study Type INTERVENTIONAL
Interventions
Ensure Max ProteinEnsure Original

Eligibility Fast-Check

Enter your details for a quick preliminary check. This does not replace medical advice.

What to Expect as a Participant

You will actively receive the study intervention — which may be a drug, biologic, device, or procedure.

This trial targets 120 participants in total. It began in 2023-04-24 with a primary completion date of 2027-06-01.

⚠ This information is for research awareness only. Always consult your physician before joining any clinical trial. Participation is voluntary and you may withdraw at any time.

Brief Summary

Severe skeletal wasting and catabolic weight loss are highly common among patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). This prospective randomized controlled trial will compare changes in the muscle mass in the arms and the legs (appendicular lean mass) in patients with HFrEF randomized between 3 groups of no, low- or high-dose protein supplementation. The dietary protein supplementation will be Ensure(R) products manufactured by Abbott Nutrition. The Investigators hypothesize that skeletal muscle wasting in HFrEF is promoted by neurohumoral activation of catabolic metabolism (such as GDF-15 and ActRII pathways) and can be at least partially reversed by increased dietary protein intake. It is anticipated that this study will determine whether dietary protein supplementation helps to prevent muscle wasting and will advance understanding of the GDF-15 and ActRII muscle wasting pathways.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤40%, New York Heart Association (NHYA) class II to IV symptoms or N-terminal pro B-natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) \>300 pg/mL 2. Age 18 years to 100 years, inclusive 3. Receiving guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT), unless contraindicated or not tolerated 4. Any of the following markers of severe HF within prior 12 months: i) Inotropic therapy; ii) 1 or more HF hospitalizations; iii) LVEF ≤25%; iv) Peak oxygen consumption (VO2) \<50% predicted or ≤16 mL/kg/min; v) 6-minute walk distance \<300 meters; vi) Unintentional weight loss \>5% of bodyweight over the past year; vii) Moderate or severe muscle wasting on physical examination; viii) NT-proBNP ≥900 pg/mL Exclusion Criteria: 1. Pregnancy, planning to become pregnant, or women of reproductive potential unwilling to complete pre-DXA urine pregnancy test before first DXA or randomization 2. History of left ventricular assist device (LVAD), heart transplantation, or estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) \<20 mL/min/1.73 m2 3. An identified clinical disorder associated with skeletal muscle weakness/wasting (e.g., muscular dystrophy, mitochondrial disorder, active cancer, modified Rankin score greater or equal to 4 post-stroke) 4. Milk allergy, protein allergy, lactose intolerance, and galactosemia 5. Weight ≥350 pounds and/or BMI ≥40 kg/m2 6. Initiation of obesity-dosed GLP-1 or GIP/GLP-1 agonist within 3 months prior to screening, or clinical intention to begin such an anti-obesity medication within the next 6 months.

Contact & Investigator

Central Contact

Amanda R Vest, MBBS

✉ vesta2@ccf.org

📞 2164446798

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can join the NCT05627440 clinical trial?

This trial is open to participants of all sexes, aged 18 Years or older, up to 100 Years, studying Heart Failure. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria are listed in the Eligibility Criteria section. Always confirm your eligibility with the research team before applying.

Is NCT05627440 currently recruiting?

Yes, NCT05627440 is actively recruiting participants. Contact the research team at vesta2@ccf.org for enrollment information.

Where is the NCT05627440 trial being conducted?

This trial is being conducted at Boston, United States, Cleveland, United States.

Who is sponsoring the NCT05627440 clinical trial?

NCT05627440 is sponsored by Tufts Medical Center. The trial plans to enroll 120 participants.

Related Trials

Related Intelligence Guides

In-depth guides covering this condition's trials, eligibility, and what to expect.

ClinicalMetric — Independent clinical trial intelligence platform. Not affiliated with NIH, ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. FDA, or any pharmaceutical company, hospital, or clinical research organization. Trial data is sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Do not make any treatment, enrollment, or health decisions based solely on information found here — always consult a qualified healthcare professional. Full Disclaimer  ·  Last Reviewed: July 2026  ·  Data Methodology