Clinical Implementation of Blood Pressure Polygenic Risk Score

The University of Alabama at Birmingham

Status: Begins enrollment in 1 month

Conditions: Hypertension; Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease

Treatments: Behavioral: SBP PRS Dissemination; Behavioral: Regular Care

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06962488

IRB-300014760

Details and patient eligibility

About

In a multi-ethnic population, a genome-wide polygenic risk score (PRS) for systolic blood pressure (SBP), incorporating over one million common genetic variants, predicts blood pressure (BP) traits and the risk of adverse cardiovascular events beyond traditional risk factors. Delivering SBP PRS information to young and middle-aged adults with hypertension (HTN) and poor cardiovascular health (CVH) may enhance their motivation to adopt healthier lifestyles, improve blood pressure control, and ultimately reduce the risk of future cardiovascular disease (CVD). This randomized controlled trial will assess the impact of SBP PRS disclosure and theory-based genomic counseling on systolic blood pressure and health behaviors. A total of 300 adults aged 18-55 years will be enrolled and randomized to receive either routine clinical care or SBP PRS results with structured genomic counseling based on the Health Belief Model (HBM). Participants will be followed for 12 months. The primary outcome is change in 24-hour mean SBP from baseline to one year. Secondary outcomes include changes in physical activity, diet, medication adherence, smoking, lipid and glucose levels, and body composition. The study will also evaluate how behavior change is influenced by health beliefs, including perceived risk and self-efficacy. This study aims to advance the use of genomic tools in hypertension management and cardiovascular disease prevention.

Full description

This parallel-arm, randomized clinical trial is designed to assess the change in SBP following BP PRS dissemination and genomic counseling. Investigators will enroll 300 young and middle-aged adults (age: 18-55 years; 50% females; 50% non-White) with HTN [stratified by race, sex, and SBP PRS group (high vs. low/intermediate)] and poor CVH [American Heart Association's (AHA) Life Essential 8 Score: 0-50]. Participants will be randomized to A) routine clinical care (N=150), or B) SBP PRS dissemination (regular care + SBP PRS delivery and genetic counseling; N=150). After obtaining informed consent, the eligible participants will undergo genotyping and computation of their genome-wide SBP PRS. The SBP PRS results will be available within 10-15 days of screening. Participants will then be randomized in a 1:1 manner [stratified by sex, racial/ethnic group (White vs. non-White), and SBP PRS (high vs. low/intermediate)] to either the SBP PRS dissemination arm or the routine care arm. Participants will undergo a comprehensive baseline health assessment, including measurement of key HBM constructs, using the recently developed Attitudes and Beliefs about the CVD (ABCD) Risk Questionnaire, a 26-item instrument validated in the clinical setting with four subscales: perceived risk of heart attack/stroke, perceived benefits and intentions to exercise, healthy eating intentions, and perceived benefits and intentions to reducing smoking. Investigators will also assess the perceived severity of CVD, perceived barriers to prevention behaviors, and self-efficacy to perform preventive behaviors using subscales previously assessed for content and face validity by an expert review panel and patient focus groups. Physical activity status and sleep duration (using 7-day Actigraphy), detailed dietary history [using the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Healthy Eating Index and collected through the validated Nutrition Coordinating Center Nutrition Data System for Research (NCC NDSR) dietary assessment tool], health-related quality of life [using 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Health-Related Quality of Life-14 (HRQOL-14)], medication adherence using the Medication Adherence Rating Scale (MARS), 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM), current health behaviors (smoking, alcohol, recreational drugs), and other cardiometabolic health parameters [lipid profile, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), body mass index (BMI), and body composition), and anxiety [using the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI)].

Enrollment: 300 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 55 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Age 18 to 55 years (inclusive) at the time of screening.
• Diagnosis of hypertension defined by 2017 ACC/AHA guidelines, as evidenced by Resting office systolic blood pressure (SBP) of 130-160 mm Hg or Resting office diastolic blood pressure (DBP) of 80-100 mm Hg or Current use of antihypertensive medication.
• Poor cardiovascular health, defined as Life's Essential 8 score <50.
• Willing and able to undergo 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) to confirm hypertension.
• Able to provide informed consent.

Exclusion criteria

• History of cardiovascular disease, including Myocardial infarction, Angina, Cardiac arrhythmia, Coronary heart disease, Heart failure, Stroke, or transient ischemic attack.
• Body mass index (BMI) <18.5 kg/m² or >45 kg/m².
• Baseline office SBP >160 mm Hg or DBP >100 mm Hg.
• Use of more than two antihypertensive medication classes.
• Not hypertensive based on 24-hour ABPM (per 2017 ACC/AHA criteria).
• Pregnant or breastfeeding.
• Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 mL/min/1.73 m² (using CKD-EPI equation).
• Urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio ≥30 mg/g.
• Hepatic transaminase levels >3× the upper limit of normal.
• Significant psychiatric illness (assessed via Global Health Questionnaire-12).
• Moderate or severe anxiety (Beck Anxiety Inventory [BAI] score >16).

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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300 participants in 2 patient groups

SBP PRS Dissemination

Experimental group

Description:

Participants randomized to this arm will receive their personalized SBP polygenic risk score (PRS), along with structured genomic counseling sessions guided by the Health Belief Model and routine clinical care. Counseling will be delivered by trained genetic counselors at baseline and during 3-monthly in-person follow-up visits. The counseling is designed to increase perceived susceptibility, reduce perceived barriers, and improve self-efficacy for health behavior change.

Treatment:

Behavioral: SBP PRS Dissemination

Routine Clinical Care

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants randomized to this arm will receive standard clinical care for hypertension, including educational materials on blood pressure control, lifestyle modification, and cardiovascular health. These materials will be adapted from the American Heart Association Life's Essential 8 and the ACC preventive cardiology toolkit. Participants will not receive SBP PRS results or genomic counseling during the study. At the end-of-study visit (12 months), participants in this group will be offered their SBP PRS results and optional genomic counseling.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Regular Care