Patients with chronic kidney disease have profound exercise intolerance which contributes to
an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. The investigators have found that chronic kidney
disease patients have an exaggerated increase in blood pressure during certain forms of
exercise that could certainly contribute to exercise dysfunction as well as cardiovascular
risk. The investigators will test the mechanisms underlying this exaggerated blood pressure
response, as well as the potential benefits of short-term tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) with
folic acid on both exercise dysfunction and cardiovascular risk factors in chronic kidney
disease. The investigators will test whether short-term treatment with tetrahydrobiopterin
(BH4), a cofactor for nitric oxide, together with folic acid improves inflammation, vascular
health, and adrenaline levels, both at rest and during exercise in chronic kidney disease.
Phase:
Phase 2
Details
Lead Sponsor:
Emory University
Collaborators:
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) National Institutes of Health (NIH)