NCT07768644Recruiting
Nailfold Capillaroscopy in PH
Nailfold Capillaroscopy in PH: Are Nailfold Changes Reversible With Pulmonary Vasodilator Therapy?
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Last updated 17 Aug 2026
Brief summary (registry, in English)
Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is an uncommon condition and can often be difficult to diagnose. It means elevated blood pressure in the lungs which can rapidly lead to failure of the right side of the heart and is ultimately fatal. Diagnosing PH currently involves a number of scans, breathing tests and often an invasive test called right heart catheterisation \[RHC\] (which involves inserting a tube into a large vein to measure the lung blood pressure from the). The investigators propose using a scan of the nailbeds called "Nailfold (Video) Capillaroscopy" to see whether this measurements correspond to the pressures that the investigators measure at the time of RHC and whether these measures change with treatment for PH. The investigators wish to answer the hypotheses that: 1. The measurements of the nailbed blood vessels are correlated with the invasive right heart catheter values across all groups of PH 2. The abnormalities seen in systemic sclerosis are reversible with treatment with pulmonary vasodilator drugs 3. This change will be significantly more than any change seen in other types of pulmonary hypertension with these drugs 4. Changes in the nailbed blood vessels with treatment will reflect changes in the usual parameters used to measure treatment response in PH: The scan uses a camera microscope connected to a laptop, does not involve radiation and can be completed within 30 minutes. The results are sent to the University of Manchester where they are analysed by computer software. If patients are found to have pulmonary hypertension and are started on medication (pulmonary vasodilators) to open up the blood vessels of the lungs, the investigators will then repeat the scan at this point. The investigators will compare the results between different forms of PH before and after treatment.
- Status (registry)
- Recruiting
- Study type
- Observational
- Enrollment
- 60 (estimated)
- First submitted
- 20 May 2026
- Start date
- 20 May 2026
- Primary completion date
- 20 May 2028
- Lead sponsor
- University of Glasgow
- NCT number
- NCT07768644
What you commit to
- Study type: Observational
- Planned participants: 60
- From 20 May 2026 to the primary completion date, 20 May 2028
- 1 site in 1 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
- (From follow up) Patients not being commenced on pulmonary vasodilator therapy at the point of diagnosis.
- Patients already on maximal PH therapy
Other illness
- Patients with confirmed group 2 or group 5 pulmonary hypertension
Age
- Patients \< 18 years of age
Other
- Patients unable to participate in nailbed microscopy (through e.g. amputation, severe contractures or other musculoskeletal issues).
- Patients lacking capacity to consent to participation
- Patients who are non-fluent English speakers, where suitable translation cannot be found within a time frame that makes the study feasible.
- Patients with a life expectancy \< 4 months
- Patients who have consumed nicotine or caffeine within the last 4 - 6 hours
- Patients wearing nail polish / varnish/ extensions that preclude adequate nailbed visualisation.
Who the study is looking for
- For inpatient enrolment:
- Suspected diagnosis of group 1,3 or 4 pulmonary hypertension undergoing inpatient assessment at nationally designated centre
- Age \> 18 years
- For follow up scanning of those enrolled as an inpatient:
- Confirmed diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension assessed at nationally designated centre fulfilling criteria for group 1, 3 or 4 disease
- Commencing PH targeted therapy, specifically one or more of: a phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor (PDE5i), an ET receptor antagonist (ERA), parenteral prostanoid therapy, selexipag, riociguat, sotatercept.
- For outpatient enrolment
- Confirmed diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension assessed at nationally designated centre fulfilling criteria for group 1, 3 or 4 disease
- Age \> 18 years
- Escalating PH targeted therapy, specifically one or more of: a phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor (PDE5i), an ET receptor antagonist (ERA), parenteral prostanoid therapy, selexipag, riociguat, sotatercept.
- Target of \> 25% of patients recruited at diagnosis and to have an SSc-spectrum disorder fulfilling either ACR/EULAR 2013 or VEDOSS (very early diagnosis of SSc) criteria.
- Target of \> 25% of patients recruited at diagnosis and to have non-SSc group 1 (PAH) diagnosis (as determined by national MDT decision).
Age in the registry: 18 years to - · Sex: All · Does not accept healthy volunteers
Sites (1)
Sites in registry order. Pick your city on the disease page to sort them by distance.
| Site | City | Country | Site status |
|---|---|---|---|
| NHS Golden Jubilee Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Clydebank | United Kingdom | Recruiting |
This page is information, not medical advice. Discuss any trial with your doctor.