Clinical Research Directory

iCorMicA - Stratified Medicine in Angina

The iCorMicA study is a multicentre, prospective, randomised, double-blind, sham-controlled, parallel-group, end-point trial and registry. The investigators seek to determine whether stratified medical therapy guided by an adjunctive interventional diagnostic procedure (IDP) during the invasive management of patients with known or suspected angina but no obstructive coronary artery disease improves symptoms, wellbeing, cardiovascular risk and clinical outcomes.

Objective Risk Assessment in Patients With Possible Anginal Chest Pain Using Leading Technology

The ORACLE study is an observational cohort study designed to explore the feasibility of providing an assessment of chest pain for patients with suspected angina within one working day of referral to specialist services. The primary objective is to determine the feasibility of delivering an objective assessment of risk for participants who have been referred by their primary care provider to the rapid access chest pain clinic with possible angina in a community setting using point of care and patient facing technologies within one working day of referral. Participants will complete a digital health questionnaire, at home, that asks about their risk factors for coronary artery disease, past medical history and their symptoms. Patients will then have a standard 12 lead ECG and perform their own personal ECG. They will then have high sensitivity cardiac troponin measured by point of care high sensitivity cardiac troponin assays as well as a core lab assay. The results of all of the above will allow patients to be started as low, intermediate or high risk for future cardiovascular events.

Artificial Intelligence in ANOCA

Angina pectoris is diagnosed in \>180.000 people in the Netherlands each year. Diagnosis in angina pectoris focuses on epicardial coronary stenosis, the identification of which may lead to guideline-directed medical therapy or revascularization. However, no such stenosis is identified in 40-70% of patients. This condition, angina with no obstructed coronary artery (ANOCA), is more prevalent in women and is related to poor quality of life, high medical expenses, and a higher incidence of adverse events. The origin of ANOCA can be evaluated during invasive coronary angiography by coronary function testing (CFT) to identify coronary vasomotor disorders. This relates to vasospasm of the coronary artery and microcirculation, or to impaired microvascular vasodilation. For the diagnosis of vasospasm, CFT needs to result in electrocardiographic signs of myocardial ischemia as part of the diagnostic criteria. This is a critical point in the diagnosis of vasospasm, as these signs can be subtle and can vary, and are therefore prone to misinterpretation. Apart from this caveat, the diagnosis approach therefore currently requires an invasive procedure for the diagnosis. This limits the broad application and hampers early identification and treatment of ANOCA. During CFT, a coronary guide wire is routinely advanced in the coronary artery which also allows obtaining an intracoronary ECG by attaching a sterile alligator clamp to a standard electrocardiogram lead. This allows continuous recording of intracoronary ECG throughout CFT on the same monitor as the routine ECG. This technique can increase sensitivity for myocardial ischemia during CFT. Further, Holter ECG monitoring allows the identification of ischemic changes in the ECG in the outpatient setting. Evidence is lacking on the patterns of myocardial ischemia that occur during spontaneous angina pectoris symptoms in ANOCA patients, and on the sensitivity of Holter ECG for this purpose. Finally, the interpretation of ischemic patterns on ECG tracings can be cumbersome, especially when changes are subtle or change from beat to beat. The use of deep learning techniques allows to automate the interpretation of ECG traces and may improve the standardized diagnosis in ANOCA.

Genotyping GUided Antiplatelet theRapy in pAtieNts Treated With Drug Eluting stEnts (GUARANTEE)

The aim of this study is to assess the efficacy and safety of the CYP2C19 genotype guided antiplatelet treatment strategy, using clopidogrel in non-carriers of a CYP2C19\*2 or \*3 allele and ticagrelor in carriers of a CYP2C19\*2 or \*3 allele in patients treated with new generation drug eluting stents.

MCNAIR Study: coMparative effeCtiveness of iN-person and teleheAlth cardIac Rehabilitation

Cardiac rehabilitation is a medically recommended program for patients with certain heart conditions. It includes exercise training, health education, and counseling. Unfortunately, many patients do not participate in cardiac rehabilitation. Some find it challenging to attend the in-person sessions. This study aims to compare two methods of delivering cardiac rehabilitation: in-person and through telehealth. The investigators want to know if the effects of these two programs are alike and if certain individuals benefit more from one program over the other.

Biochemical and Electrocardiographic Signatures in the Detection of Exercise-induced Myocardial Ischemia

The primary aim is to perform the largest study worldwide to evaluate novel biochemical and electrocardiographic signatures alone as well as in combination with the standard 12-lead exercise ECG in the detection of exercise-induced myocardial ischemia (diagnostic endpoint). The secondary aim is to evaluate these innovative tools in the risk prediction for the occurrence of cardiovascular death and acute myocardial infarction during long-term follow-up.

Effects of Acupuncture on Symptoms of Stable Angina

The goal of this clinical trial is to determine if a standardized 12-point acupuncture protocol will reduce pain in participants with stable angina. This study addresses the critical need to reduce persistent pain for angina. The investigators long-term goal is symptom management for diverse women and men with angina, targeting additional angina burden borne of social disadvantage Participants will be randomized to a 10-acupuncture session protocol, two treatments per week for five weeks, or an attention control group. Participants will view designated, non-pain related Technology, Entertainment, Design Talks equal to the time spent receiving acupuncture (\~7.5-10 hrs.). The investigators will test the efficacy of acupuncture for stable angina/chest pain syndrome to reduce pain and symptoms, improve health-related quality of life, reduce healthcare utilization and and improve patient related health outcomes.

Coronary Microvascular Angina Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging (CorCMR) Trial

Anginal symptoms due to ischaemia with no obstructive coronary arteries (INOCA) is a common clinical problem, however, diagnosis and onward management is heterogeneous, and prognosis is affected. Recent advances in quantifying myocardial blood flow using stress perfusion cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) has potential for accurate detection coronary microvascular dysfunction. The CorCMR diagnostic study involves stress perfusion CMR in patients with suspected INOCA to clarify the prevalence of subgroups of patients with underlying problems, such as microvascular disease or undisclosed obstructive coronary artery disease, that might explain their anginal symptoms. A nested, prospective, randomised, controlled, double-blind trial will determine whether stratified medical therapy guided by the results of the stress perfusion CMR improves symptoms, well-being, cardiovascular risk and health and economic outcomes.

Quest to Analyze One Thousand Humans Meditating

This study will be focused on assessing the molecular, physiological, and emotional correlates of an intensive meditation experience in the context of a retreat setting in a large 2000 plus-person cohort comprised of healthy and clinical populations.

Coronary Microvascular Function and CT Coronary Angiography (CorCTCA)

Angina in patients without obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) is a clinical conundrum and patient management is heterogeneous. Hypothesis: Abnormal coronary function is common and clinically relevant in this population. Design: An observational cohort study and nested randomised controlled diagnostic strategy trial. Methods: 250 patients with known or suspected angina informed by validated questionnaires but without obstructive CAD (\<70% stenosis) in an artery \>=2.5 mm or structural heart disease, as revealed by CT coronary angiography (CTCA), will be invited to undergo coronary function testing (FFR, CFR, IMR; intra-coronary ACh) during invasive angiography. Patients will be randomised following angiography but before testing coronary function to disclosure of the coronary function test results or not. Treatment decisions by the attending cardiologist will be recorded before and after disclosure of results. Outcomes: Primary: The between-group difference in the reclassification rate of the initial diagnosis using logistic regression, adjusted for baseline factors associated with the likelihood of reclassification of the initial diagnosis. Secondary: Prevalence of microvascular or vasospastic angina; health status reflected by the EuroQol group 5-Dimensions (EQ-5D), Seattle Angina Questionnaire, Illness perception, treatment satisfaction questionnaires and functional status questionnaires; angina medication and adherence. Value: This research will provide new insights into the conundrum of angina in patients without obstructive CAD or structural heart disease.

SIROOP Registry - A Prospective Registry Study to Evaluate the Outcomes of Coronary Artery Disease Patients Treated With SIROlimus Or Paclitaxel Eluting Balloon Catheters

The purpose of the SIROOP Registry is to retrospectively and prospectively collect baseline, clinical and procedural characteristics of patients who have undergone PCI and are treated with either currently available sirolimus or paclitaxel coated DCBs (see Table 1), irrespective of clinical presentation as well as to prospectively collect data about their clinical outcomes. Outcomes will be compared in different clinical subgroups. The impact of current DCBs in different clinical settings and coronary artery lesions on cardiovascular outcomes will be assessed.

COMPLEX Registry - a Prospective COhort Study to Describe the Management and Outcomes of Patients Presenting with CompLEX and Calcified Coronary Artery Disease

The purpose of the COMPLEX Registry is to prospectively and retrospectively collect baseline, clinical and procedural data of patients who have undergone PCI or CABG for complex and/ or calcified chronic CAD, irrespective of clinical presentation as well as to prospectively collect data about their clinical outcomes. The outcomes will be compared in different clinical subgroups (e.g. PCI vs. CABG). The impact of current PCI techniques/ devices, but also CABG strategies in different clinical settings and coronary artery lesions on cardiovascular outcomes will be assessed.

Influence of Air Quality on the Development and Progression of Premature Coronary Artery Disease

The new global guidelines from the World Health Organization on air quality provide evidence of the damage that air pollution inflicts on human health at even lower concentrations than previously thought. Different studies have shown an increase in the incidence of coronary artery disease (CAD) in young people in recent decades. The main objective of this project is to study the impact of environmental pollutants on the premature manifestation of CAD from different epidemiological approaches and their impact on the evolution of these patients with a gender perspective. It is a retrospective analytical case-control study nested in a cohort of patients ≤40 years old with a clinical history of CAD including: ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome, unstable angina, stable angina or silent angina according to the international classification of diseases.

Clinical Outcomes of CT-FFR Versus QFR-guided Strategy for Decision-Making in Patients With Stable Chest Pain

This study is a multicenter, prospective, blinded (blinding of clinical evaluators), randomized controlled, event-driven non-inferiority clinical trial. Eligible subjects who meet the inclusion criteria will be registered in the central randomization system and randomized in a 1:1 ratio to either the experimental group (CT-FFR guided group) or the control group (QFR guided group).