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Note: This study is currently only recruiting patients in the hospital.

If you are interested in being notified if this study begins recruiting from the general population, please use the 'I Am Interested' button below.

Seeking Patients with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy and Healthy Endurance Athletes

The goal of the research is to better understand how the heart uses energy to function. The study will enroll healthy individuals, healthy endurance athletes, and patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

3 visits over 2 weeks
Estimated Time Commitment
Male, Female, 18-50 years
May Be Eligible
Payment up to $300
May Be Offered
Blood draw, Injection or IV, Office visit, Ultrasound, PET scan
May Be Required
 
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This project is not recruiting.

What we are studying

For this study, we are studying how efficienctly the heart uses energy to do its work. We are comparing the results between healthy endurance athletes, healthy normal individuals, and patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). We have had an outpouring of interest for healthy normal individuals, so now we are only looking for endurance athletes, or those with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.


Why it is important

In HCM, the pumping chamber of the heart (left ventricle) is enlarged, due to a gene mutation. The same sort of heart enlargement can occur in athletes due to vigorous exercise. At times it is hard to tell the difference between the heart of a healthy athlete and that of a person with mild HCM. 


Distinguishing between the two forms of enlargement of the heart is very important because HCM is one of the leading causes of sudden death in young, active individuals. Existing heart testing sometimes cannot determine if heart enlargement is due to exercise or HCM. 


What we hope to accomplish

In this study, we are comparing how the heart muscle uses energy among patients with HCM, healthy endurance athletes, and healthy individuals who are not vigorous exercisers. Our goal is to identify if the scans that evaluate heart energy use can tell the difference between heart enlargement due to exercise and due to HCM. This would allow us to better treat and manage patients with these conditions. 

Principal Investigator

Meagan Wasfy, M.D.

Massachusetts General Hospital

Public Profile

 


We are seeking patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, aged 18-50 years old.


We are also seeking  endurance athletes, defined as at least 10 hours per week of exercise of which the majority is dedicated to endurance training (i.e. cycling, rowing, running). If you are interested, but have questions regarding whether your activity levels are appropriate for this study, we welcome you to ask study staff. 

Individuals with a known medical disease (including but not limited to other forms of heart disease, lunch disease, or diabetes) and individuals who are pregnant. 

Research procedures include an echocardiogram (heart ultrasound), placement of an intravenous (IV) catheter in the arm for a blood draw, a cardiac positron emission tomography (PET) scan (picture to see how the heart uses energy), and a cardiopulmonary exercise test (exercise test of the heart and lungs).


Project activities may include:

  • Blood draw
  • Injection or IV
  • Office visit
  • Ultrasound
  • PET scan

Estimated Time Commitment

3 visits over 2 weeks


There will be financial compensation of $300 for participating in this study.


Transportation costs (cab voucher or parking up to $20 per visit) will be provided,


or the Mass General Brigham shuttle can be used.

Brigham and Women's Hospital Shapiro Noninvasive Cardiovascular Imaging Center L1
75 Francis St, Floor L1, Boston MA

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Massachusetts General Hospital Cardiovascular Performance Exercise Lab
Yawkey Center for Outpatient Care 5B-512 32 Fruit St, Boston MA, 02114

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Travel

  • Parking reimbursed
  • Local travel reimbursed
  • Parking available
  • Accessible by public transportation

Travel and Parking Details


Funding Source

  • NIH or Other Federal
  • Department
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