NCT04231760Not yet recruitingPhase 1/2
The Effect of Inhaled Nitric Oxide on Pulmonary Gas-exchange in COPD
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Last updated 8 Jul 2026
Brief summary (registry, in English)
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a lung disorder commonly caused by smoking, which makes breathing more difficult. When COPD patients exercise, they are not efficient breathers and this leads to serious breathing difficulties, which often causes these patients to stop exercise at low intensities. Even though patients with a mild form of COPD have relatively well preserved lung function, they still have inefficient breathing during exercise. The investigators think that these individuals have problems exchanging fresh gas (i.e., oxygen) into the blood stream because of poor lung blood vessel function. The investigators will test whether inhaled medications, specifically nitric oxide, can improve lung blood vessel function and decrease breathing difficulties during exercise. With this research, the investigators will understand more about breathing efficiency and lung blood vessel function in individuals with mild COPD, and find out whether improving lung blood vessel function helps COPD patients breathe easier and exercise longer. Understanding the reasons behind the feeling of difficult breathing may lead to more effective therapy and improved quality of life in COPD patients.
- Status (registry)
- Not yet recruiting
- Phase (registry)
- Phase 1/2
- Study type
- Interventional
- Enrollment
- 80 (estimated)
- First submitted
- 14 Jan 2020
- Start date
- 1 Dec 2026
- Primary completion date
- 1 Dec 2027
- Lead sponsor
- University of Alberta
- Diseases
- COPD
- NCT number
- NCT04231760
What you commit to
- Study type: Interventional · Phase 1/2
- Planned participants: 80
- From 1 Dec 2026 to the primary completion date, 1 Dec 2027
- No sites listed in no country
- Visits and tests: ask the trial team, the registry does not list them
Built from the registry fields of ClinicalTrials.gov. It describes the study, not your situation.
Who cannot take part
Copied verbatim from ClinicalTrials.gov and grouped by topic. Only the trial team decides who can take part.
Prior treatment
- COPD participants currently on oral steroids (i.e. prednisone), phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors or supplemental O2 therapy will be excluded.
Other illness
- Individuals with significant cardiovascular, metabolic, neuromuscular or any other disease that could contribute to dyspnea or abnormal cardiopulmonary responses to exercise will be excluded.
Other
- Individuals with musculoskeletal injuries that prevent them from completing cycle ergometry exercise trials will be excluded.
Who the study is looking for
- Twenty participants with mild COPD (forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1)/forced vital capacity (FVC) below the lower limit of normal (\<-1.64 z-score)1) and FEV1 ≥ 80% predicted, with a smoking history (10 \> pack-years) will be recruited. Twenty participants with moderate COPD (FEV1/ FVC below the lower limit of normal (\<-1.64 z-score)1) and FEV1 50-80% predicted, with a smoking history (10 \> pack-years) will also be recruited. Additionally, 40 healthy individuals with be recruited.
- Participants will be free of any known significant cardiovascular, metabolic or neuromuscular disease. Participants with COPD will have global initiative for chronic obstructive lung disease (GOLD) Stage 1 mild COPD (FEV1/FVC ratio \<0.70 and FEV1 ≥ 80% predicted1) and Stage 2 moderate COPD (FEV1/FVC ratio \<0.70 and FEV1 50-80% predicted) and a \>10 pack-year smoking history. Controls will have normal lung function, minimal smoking history and no previous diagnosis of COPD. Participants will range from 18-85 years old.
Age in the registry: 18 years to 85 years · Sex: All · Accepts healthy volunteers
This page is information, not medical advice. Discuss any trial with your doctor.