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This is an investigator-initiated, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.
Early-stage low-risk PAH is defined as mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) between 20 and 25 mmHg at rest, measured by right heart catheterization, and classified as low-risk based on the 2022 ESC/ERS Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary hypertension. Patients will be randomized at a 1:1 ratio to either the treatment group (Ambrisentan group) or the control group (Placebo group). Treatment group: Ambrisentan, with an initial dose of 5 mg/day (one tablet per day).Control group: Placebo, which will be provided in the same appearance and taste as Ambrisentan, one tablet per day.
After two weeks of initial treatment, the study drugs' dose will be increased to two tablets per day (10 mg/day). If the patient cannot tolerate the increased dose (e.g., experiencing headache, dizziness, palpitations, hypotension, or other drug-related symptoms or signs), the dose will be reduced to 5 mg/day. If the study drug has reached the maximum allowable dose (two tablets/day) and the patient shows signs of worsening PAH or right heart failure, the clinician may decide to add diuretics (with the type and dosage left at the referring physician's discretion). The number and percentage of patients requiring diuretic combination therapy in both groups will be recorded. Other baseline treatment medications will remain unchanged through follow-up duration.
The study drugs will be administered continuously for 12 months, then unblinding will be performed. Thereafter, patients who have reached the primary endpoint must undertake Ambrisentan. For patients who have not reached the primary endpoint, the subsequent medications treatment will be left at the PAH specialist's discretion. Follow-up will be undertaken at the following timing: Month 1, Month 6, and Month 12, with additional follow-up extending up to 3 years. All clinical drugs involved in this study have completed registration for market approval in China and are currently in clinical use.
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| Label | Type | Description | Intervention Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ambrisentan | Experimental | Monotherapy using ambrisentan will start at a dose of 5 mg (once daily) and will be up-titrated to 10mg (once daily) after 2 weeks apart if patients are tolerable. |
|
| Placebo Placebo tablet | Placebo Comparator | Placebo tablet (one to two tablets corresponding to one to two verum tablets). |
|
| Name | Type | Description | Arm Group Labels | Other Names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ambrisentan | Drug | After two weeks of initial treatment, the study drugs' dose will be increased to two tablets per day (10 mg/day). If the patient cannot tolerate the increased dose (e.g., experiencing headache, dizziness, palpitations, hypotension, or other drug-related symptoms or signs), the dose will be reduced to 5 mg/day. If the study drug has reached the maximum allowable dose (two tablets/day) and the patient shows signs of worsening PAH or right heart failure, the clinician may decide to add diuretics (with the type and dosage left at the referring physician's discretion). The number and percentage of patients requiring diuretic combination therapy in both groups will be recorded. Other baseline treatment medications will remain unchanged through follow-up duration. |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| The primary efficacy endpoint is the composite of pulmonary hypertension progression at 12 months | defined as meeting any of the following criteria within 12 months:
| baseline,12 months |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| systolic PAP (sPAP) by Hemodynamic measurements | baseline,12 months | |
| mPAP by Hemodynamic measurements | baseline,12 months | |
| cardiac output (CO) by Hemodynamic measurements |
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Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
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| Name | Role | Phone | Extension | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Han Zhang MD, PhD | Contact | +86-25-52271330 | dxh_nari@sina.com |
| Name | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Shao-Liang Chen MD, PhD | Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University | Study Chair |
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| PubMed Identifier | Type | Citation | Retractions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 41653169 | Derived | Kan JY, Zhang XJ, Yu WD, Yang ZW, Fan FL, Ding GW, Luo J, Li W, Xie DJ, Liu XF, Zhang H, Chen SL. Ambrisentan for Early-Stage Low-Risk Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Design of the Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled ALEPH Trial. JACC Asia. 2026 May;6(5):724-732. doi: 10.1016/j.jacasi.2025.12.014. Epub 2026 Feb 7. |
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| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D000081029 | Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension |
| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D006976 | Hypertension, Pulmonary |
| D008171 | Lung Diseases |
| D012140 | Respiratory Tract Diseases |
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| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| C467894 | ambrisentan |
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|
| Placebo | Drug | Placebo tablet (one to two tablets corresponding to one to two verum tablets). Administration: Placebo will be administrated orally with or without food intake in the morning. |
|
| baseline,12 months |
| cardiac index (CI) by Hemodynamic measurements | baseline,12 months |
| PVR by Hemodynamic measurements | baseline,12 months |
| PVRi by Hemodynamic measurements | baseline,12 months |
| PAWP by Hemodynamic measurements | baseline,12 months |
| right atrial pressure by Hemodynamic measurements | baseline,12 months |
| pulmonary arterial compliance by Hemodynamic measurements | baseline,12 months |
| diameter of chambers by Echocardiographic measurements | baseline,12 months |
| ejection fraction by Echocardiographic measurements | baseline,12 months |
| right ventricular (RV) fraction of area change (FAC) by Echocardiographic measurements | baseline,12 months |
| TAPSE by Echocardiographic measurements | baseline,12 months |
| pulmonary artery accelation time (PAAT) by Echocardiographic measurements | baseline,12 months |
| regurgitation of tricuspid or pulmonary valve by Echocardiographic measurements | baseline,12 months |
| sPAP by Echocardiographic measurements | baseline,12 months |
| RAP by Echocardiographic measurements | baseline,12 months |
| WHO functional class through follow - up | baseline,12 months |
| Borg index through follow - up | baseline,12 months |
| N-terminal-pro BNP | baseline,12 months |
| 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) | baseline,12 months |
| Time to the first occurrence of the following events, analyzed using log-rank and LWYY model |
| baseline,12 months |