Heart failure is a growing epidemic that affects up to 500,000 individuals in Canada, with
50,000 new cases being diagnosed each year. Half of these will have HF with preserved
ejection fraction (HFpEF).
HFpEF has been associated with high rates of morbidity, mortality, and health care
expenditures. Its pathophysiology remains poorly understood, and positive medication trial
results to date have been rare.
Inflammation is strongly associated with a profibrotic activation in HFpEF, which is in turn
associated with the severity and prognosis of the disease.
Colchicine is a potent anti-inflammatory drug which properties relate to the suppression of
tubulin polymerization and inflammasome inhibition, thus reducing the production of IL-1β and
IL-18.
The investigators thus propose a pilot study of 6 months follow-up duration that will test
the efficacy and safety of 2 dosing regimens of colchicine (vs. placebo) in patients with
HFpEF.