Sleep apnea may scar your heart without you knowing
NCT ID NCT04814420
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This pilot study at Tulane University is testing whether obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can cause scarring (fibrosis) in the heart's upper chambers, even in people without atrial fibrillation. Researchers will use a special MRI with contrast dye to measure scarring in 60 adults with mild, moderate, or severe OSA. The goal is to see if OSA is an independent risk factor for heart scarring, which could lead to future treatments to prevent heart rhythm problems.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
What this could lead to
If successful, this could show that sleep apnea directly causes heart scarring, pointing to the need for early treatment to prevent heart rhythm problems.
What could go wrong
This is a small, early pilot study (60 people) that only measures heart scarring on MRI. It cannot prove that sleep apnea causes scarring, and the results may not apply to everyone.
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Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
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Study contacts
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Contact
Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••
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Contact
Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••
Locations
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East Jefferson General Hospital
RECRUITINGNew Orleans, Louisiana, 70006, United States
Contact
Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••
Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••
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Tulane Doctors - Speciality Care - Napoleon
RECRUITINGNew Orleans, Louisiana, 70115, United States
Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••
Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••
Contact
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University Medical Center
RECRUITINGNew Orleans, Louisiana, 70112, United States
Contact
Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••
Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••