U-RHYTHM and catecholamines: A pilot study

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    A pilot study of U-RHYTHM technology to investigate 24-hour catecholamine measurements

  • IRAS ID

    309240

  • Contact name

    Thomas J Upton

  • Contact email

    thomas.upton@bristol.ac.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    University of Bristol

  • ISRCTN Number

    ISRCTN64279315

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    2 years, 0 months, 30 days

  • Research summary

    The purpose of this research is to generate pilot data to demonstrate how we could use detailed information about rhythms of special group of hormones called catecholamines to tell us more about blood pressure changes in health and disease. High blood pressure (hypertension) is a common and often leads to poor health especially if it becomes a long-term condition. Even though it is common, in most people, the cause remains unknown. What we do understand is that, in at least some circumstances, abnormal levels of chemical messengers (hormones) can contribute. We also know that many activities in the body including blood pressure and hormones change across the day, in a rhythmic pattern. However, normally it is very difficult to measure hormone dynamics in detail without a complicated hospital admission. We think that understanding the relationships between rhythms of hormones and blood pressure is important because it will help improve our knowledge of what causes hypertension in the first place.
    We will use a novel method called U-RHYTHM microdialysis. This allows us to sample hormones very frequently without taking any blood, and allows the person being sampled to continue normal activities, out of hospital, in a more natural setting. As this is a first-of-its kind investigation, we are testing in a small number of people in anticipation of a future, larger trial. We will test healthy people and compare the results with a group of patients with severe hypertension due to a rare disease called phaeochromocytoma, which results from catecholamine excess. We will also compare the results from the U-RHYTHM method with ‘traditional’ tests like blood samples and blood pressure. We believe that the U-RHYTHM method will provide very important new information that could eventually lead to improvements in the diagnosis and treatment of hypertension.

  • REC name

    West Midlands - Edgbaston Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    22/WM/0163

  • Date of REC Opinion

    7 Sep 2022

  • REC opinion

    Further Information Favourable Opinion