Clinical Research Directory

AMEND-CRT: Mechanical Dyssynchrony as Selection Criterion for CRT

Previous experience with cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) candidates suggests that selection of these patients can be improved. Current clinical guideline approaches are mainly too unspecific and lead to a high non-responder rate of 30-40%, which causes a burden on health care systems and puts patients at risk of an unnecessary treatment who might benefit more from a conservative approach. Previous work indicated that using the assessment of mechanical dyssynchrony on echocardiography can lower the non-responder rate at least by 50% without compromising sensitivity for detecting amendable patients. The current prospective, randomized, multi-center trial was therefore designed to prove that the characterization of the mechanical properties of the left ventricle can improve patient selection for CRT. Patients will be randomized into one of two study arms: a control study arm with treatment recommendation based on clinical guidelines criteria, or an experimental study arm with treatment recommendation based on the presence of mechanical dyssynchrony. All patients will receive a CRT implantation. In the control study arm, bi-ventricular pacing will be turned on. In the experimental study arm, bi-ventricular pacing will be turned on or off, depending on the presence or absence of mechanical dyssynchrony, respectively. The primary endpoint will be non-inferiority in outcome of a treatment recommendation based on mechanical dyssynchrony, achieved with a lower number of CRT devices implanted, effectively leading to a lower number needed to treat. Outcome measures are the average relative change in continuously measured LVESV per arm and the percentage 'worsened' according to the Packer Clinical Composite Score per arm after 1 year follow-up.

RHYthm and Myocardial Function Relationship Evaluation in Heart Diseases

Arrhythmias are widespread among the global population. Although they can occur in healthy hearts, they are often the manifestation of a hereditary or acquired heart muscle disease, and may be the cause or, more often than not, the consequence. In recent decades, with advances in medical knowledge and technology, non-pharmacological therapies for arrhythmias have become increasingly popular. These fall into two broad categories: therapies aimed at electrostimulation and those aimed at ablation of arrhythmias. The selection of patients eligible for these procedures is essential for the effectiveness of the therapy, the reduction of complications and the optimisation of resources. Not all patients, even those selected according to guidelines, respond equally to the chosen therapy. Other patients, due to their clinical/ECG characteristics, do not have clear indications and remain in a borderline area where the class of evidence and/or recommendation of the guidelines is less stringent. Still others develop recurrences or complications during follow-up that require further intervention. In this context, it is essential in the study of these patients not only to use standard instrumental examinations, such as echocardiograms, Holter ECGs and stress tests (simple and cardiopulmonary), but also and above all to use advanced imaging methods (STE, 3D echo, MRI, CT, PET-CT) and remote monitoring tools that integrate diagnostic algorithms managed by artificial intelligence. In light of these considerations, our project consists of conducting an observational study that includes all patients with arrhythmias who are candidates for electrostimulation and/or ablation procedures at the Arrhythmology Unit and/or followed up at the Arrhythmology Clinic of our Polyclinic, in order to assess the clinical and/or imaging characteristics associated with a worse prognosis in this population, in terms of response to therapy and development of complications. Our main aim is to identify, within the above-mentioned population, the subgroups of responder patients versus non-responder patients, i.e. those with a worse prognosis , who deserve greater attention and more frequent follow-up.

Catheter Ablation Versus Anti-arrhythmic Drugs for Ventricular Tachycardia

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) due to recurrent ventricular tachycardia (VT) is an important clinical sequela in patients with structural heart disease. VT generally occurs as a result of electrical re-entry in the presence of arrhythmogenic substrate (scar). Scar tissue forms due to an ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) from prior coronary obstructive disease or a non-ischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM) from an inflammatory or genetic disease. AADs can reduce VT recurrence, but have significant limitations in treatment of VT. For example, amiodarone has high rates of side effects/toxicities and a finite effective usage before recurrence. ICDs prevent cardiac arrest and sudden death from VT, but do not stop VT occurring. Recurrent VT and ICD therapies decrease QOL, increase hospital visits, mortality, morbidity and risk of death. Improvement in techniques for mapping and ablation of VT have made CA an alternative. Currently, there is limited evidence to guide clinicians either toward AAD therapy or CA in patients with NICM. This data shows significant benefit of CA over medical therapy in terms of VT free survival, survival free of VT storm and VT burden. Observational studies suggest that CA is effective in eliminating VT in NICM patients who have failed AADs, resulting in reduction of VT burden and AAD use over long term follow up. Furthermore, there is limited data on the efficacy of CA in early ICM with VT, or advanced ICM with VT. RCT data is almost exclusively on patients with modest ICM with VT, and this is not representative of the real-world scenario of patients with structural heart disease presenting with VT. Therefore the primary objective is to determine in all patients with structural heart disease and spontaneous or inducible VT, if catheter ablation compared to standard medical therapy with anti-arrhythmic drugs results in a reduction of a composite endpoint of recurrent VT, VT storm and death at a median follow up of 18 months.

National Network for Cardiovascular Genomics: Advancing Cardiovascular Healthcare for Hereditary Diseases in Brazil's Unified Health System Through a Multicenter Registry

The goal of this observational study is to develop a registry of Brazilian patients with hereditary cardiovascular diseases, combining clinical and genomic data. The main questions it aims to answer are: Which genes are most commonly affected? What is the frequency of these genetic alterations in our population? Participants will be interviewed in routine medical care visits and their DNA will be sequenced.

A Study About the Natural History in Adults With BAG3 Dilated Cardiomyopathy (a Type of Heart Disease) (BAG3 DCM)

The purpose of this study is to learn about the natural progression of DCM (dilated cardiomyopathy) caused by BAG3 gene mutations. DCM is a condition as the heart muscle is weakened and the heart becomes enlarged. This makes it hard for the heart to pump enough blood for the body. The study is seeking up to about 35 participants who have: * BAG3 mutation (change in the gene) that causes or is likely to cause dilated cardiomyopathy * NYHA (New York Heart Association) Class I-IV at screening (Stage B-D) * Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction less than or equal to 50% (meaning reduced heart function) All participants in this study will receive their usual treatment. The investigators will observe the natural progression of people who have BAG3 DCM. This will help the investigators better understand the disease and aid in future research. Participants will take part in this study for three years. During this time, participants will visit the site at least 8 times (about every 3 months for the first year and annually during year 2 and three). Participants will undergo study procedures and give information about their health. These procedures will include a physical exam, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, echocardiography, ECG monitoring, activity monitoring, cardiopulmonary exercise testing, and blood tests. Participants will answer questions about health and quality of life. The study team will also call participants about 1 time over the phone.

Early Feasibility Evaluation of the AccuCinch® Ventricular Restoration System in Patients With Heart Failure and Reduced Ejection Fraction

This is a non-randomized, prospective, multi-center Early Feasibility Study to evaluate the AccuCinch® Ventricular Restoration System in Patients with Heart Failure and Reduced Ejection Fraction (HFrEF).

Early Treatment With Candesartan vs Placebo in Genetic Carriers of Dilated Cardiomyopathy (EARLY-GENE Trial)

Prospective, multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial to evaluate safety and efficacy of candesartan in the prevention of the development of Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) in genetic carriers of a DCM-causing variant without disease expression (asymptomatic)

Therapy to Maintain Remission in Dilated Cardiomyopathy

One third of patients diagnosed with heart failure demonstrate left ventricular reverse remodelling and recovery of cardiac function following a period of medical therapy. The TRED-HF trial investigated the impact of therapy withdrawal in this cohort and found that 40% of patients relapsed within 6 months of stopping treatment. In this follow-on study, the investigators will investigate the safety of therapy withdrawal of sodium cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) and mineralocorticord receptor anatagonists (MRAs) in patients with a previous diagnosis of heart failure and recovered cardiac function, in a randomised controlled trial to assess whether this maintains remission in this population.

Registry of Cell Therapy in Non-Ischemic Dilated Cardiomyopathy

Although several studies have demonstrated beneficial effects of stem cell therapy in patients with non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy, the long term benefits and predictors of response to therapy remain undefined. The aim of this registry is to pool long-term clinical data in patients with non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy undergoing autologous cell therapy in an attempt to better define predictors of response to such treatment.