Plain-English translation of NCT03822949 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ · Source last updated · Translation generated · How we translate trials
This study doesn't follow the usual testing phases — it may be an observational study or a different type of research.
Researchers want to know if bright light exposure can help protect your heart during cardiac surgery. You would use a special bright light box for 30 minutes each morning for one week before your surgery. The study will measure changes in your blood and heart tissue to see if the light therapy reduces heart damage.
Heart surgery can sometimes cause damage to heart muscle tissue, especially in high-risk patients. Scientists have evidence that bright light exposure affects the body's natural rhythms and may protect against this kind of damage, but they need to test this in patients undergoing surgery.
You likely qualify if…
You likely don't qualify if…
You would enroll before your surgery and be randomly assigned to either a bright light box or a dim light box (placebo). For 7 days before surgery, you would use your assigned light box each morning for 30 minutes from 8:30 to 9:00 AM, holding it close to your eyes. Blood samples and cheek swabs would be taken before therapy starts and again on the morning of surgery; an additional blood test would be done 72 hours after surgery to measure heart-related markers.
AI-generated summary from trial data · Aug 6, 2026 · Not medical advice
United States
Sponsor
University of Colorado, Denver
Collaborators
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Enrollment target
~70 participants
Started
July 2019
Primary completion
July 2026
This trial's estimated completion date has passed — the record may not be fully up to date.
Age range
18 Years – 90 Years
Last updated on clinicaltrials.gov in May 2025.
Reach out to the team running this trial. Response times vary — some teams are faster than others.
Central contact
Tobias Eckle, MD, PhD
UC Denver
Tell us you're interested and we'll help connect you with the research team. We'll walk you through what to expect first — no email needed to get started.