Heart failure reduces the amount of blood the heart pumps, which can lead to memory and thinking problems in many patients. One possible reason is that heart failure triggers brain inflammation, a process in which certain brain immune cells (called microglia) become overactive. A heart failure medication called sacubitril-valsartan has been shown to reduce the risk of developing dementia, but it is not known whether this is because it reduces brain inflammation. This study uses a new experimental brain scan drug called \[11C\]PS13 (PS13) to measure brain inflammation directly and non-invasively, using a technique called positron emission tomography (PET). PS13 sticks to a molecule called COX-1, which is found mainly in brain immune cells (microglia). By measuring how much PS13 accumulates in the brain, researchers can estimate how much brain inflammation is present. In this pilot study, 18 patients with heart failure and mild memory or thinking problems who are being started on sacubitril-valsartan by their cardiologist (as standard clinical care) will undergo two brain PET scans: one before starting sacubitril-valsartan, and one approximately 12 weeks after. The study will also assess memory, thinking, daily function, mood, and social well-being using standard questionnaires. The study will test whether sacubitril-valsartan is associated with measurable changes in brain inflammation, and whether this type of imaging is feasible in heart failure patients. The study is funded by the American Heart Association and the National Institute on Aging, and an independent Data and Safety Monitoring Board oversees participant safety. The results will be used to design a larger study.
Age 50-75 years
Diagnosis of HFrEF (left ventricular ejection fraction ≤40% documented by echocardiography or cardiac imaging within the prior 12 months)
Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score 18-25 (mild cognitive impairment)
Being initiated on sacubitril-valsartan per treating cardiologist's clinical judgment in accordance with current guideline-directed medical therapy for HFrEF
Neurologic, psychiatric, or medical condition that may cause cognitive dysfunction or affect study data interpretation (e.g., major stroke, brain tumor, severe TBI, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder)
Clinically unstable HF or acute decompensated heart failure within 4 weeks prior to enrollment
NYHA functional Class IV heart failure
Recent hospitalization for cardiovascular reasons within 4 weeks of enrollment
Single group
[11C]PS13: [carbon-11]PS13; COX-1 PET radioligand
Drug\[11C\]PS13 is an investigational positron emission tomography (PET) radioligand targeting cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1), an enzyme primarily localized in microglia involved in neuroinflammation. Synthesized on the day of each scan at the Stony Brook BAHL cGMP or FERM facility, administered as a single intravenous bolus (up to 20 mCi) per PET visit. Administered under FDA IND 177118 (21 CFR Part 312). Not FDA-approved; experimental.
Sacubitril-Valsartan
DrugAngiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI) initiated by the participant's treating cardiologist per ACC/AHA/HFSA guideline-directed medical therapy for HFrEF. The dose, titration, and monitoring of sacubitril-valsartan are entirely at the discretion of the treating cardiologist and are not research procedures. The timing of the follow-up PET scan (\~12 weeks post-initiation) is aligned with expected clinical stabilization on the drug.
Change in [11C]PS13 Total Distribution Volume (VT) in Global Gray Matter
Change in regional \[11C\]PS13 total distribution volume (VT, mL/cm³), a quantitative index of COX-1 binding (microglial density), in global cortical gray matter. VT will be calculated using two-tissue compartmental modeling with an arterial blood input function (arterial plasma concentration corrected for radiometabolites). A reduction in VT at follow-up relative to baseline is hypothesized to reflect sacubitril-valsartan-mediated attenuation of microglial neuroinflammation.
Feasibility: [11C]PS13 PET Scan Completion Rate
Proportion of enrolled participants who successfully complete both PET scan visits with adequate image quality for quantitative analysis. Arterial line success rate and reasons for scan non-completion will be documented. A completion rate of ≥80% will be considered evidence of feasibility in this cardiac population.
Change in Regional [11C]PS13 VT in Specific Brain Regions of Interest
Change in \[11C\]PS13 VT in pre-specified regions of interest including frontal cortex, temporal cortex, hippocampus, parietal cortex, occipital cortex, cingulate cortex, and thalamus, evaluated using PET-MRI co-registration and Logan graphical analysis. Regional analysis will explore the spatial pattern of neuroinflammation in HFrEF and its response to sacubitril-valsartan.
Change in Neurocognitive Performance (Composite Battery)
Change in performance on the standardized neurocognitive battery instruments administered at both baseline (Visit 1) and follow-up (Visit 4): Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA; global cognition), Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST; processing speed), Trail Making Test Parts A and B (TMT-A/B; processing speed and executive function), Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test immediate and delayed recall (FCSRT; episodic memory), and Geriatric Depression Scale-15 item version (GDS-15; depression symptoms). The battery takes approximately 45-60 minutes to administer. Spearman correlations between ΔVTPET and changes in individual test scores will be explored as exploratory analyses.
Arterial Blood Input Function Quality and Radiometabolite Profile
Characterization of the \[11C\]PS13 arterial plasma input function and radiometabolite-corrected curves in HFrEF patients at both time points. This will inform whether the pharmacokinetic profile of \[11C\]PS13 in HFrEF patients is comparable to prior neurological cohorts, a key methodological feasibility outcome.
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Stony Brook University
Lead sponsor
American Heart Association
Collaborator
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Collaborator
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