Clinical Research Directory

COronoary Microcirculation Analysis NETwork

COMA.NET (Coronary Microcirculation Analysis Network) is a prospective, randomized, open-label, parallel-group clinical trial designed to determine whether endotype-guided pharmacotherapy is superior to standard care in improving quality of life in patients with ischemia with non-obstructive coronary arteries. Approximately 180-190 participants with objective ischemia will be randomized to either the control or the intervention group. Pharmacotherapy based on the endotype established during intracoronary assessment will be introduced in the intervention arm of the study. The primary endpoint is the change in the Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) score from baseline to 3 months. Secondary endpoints include the diagnostic accuracy of transthoracic echocardiographic coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR), the incidence of adverse events, associations between biomarkers and coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD), and the identification of risk factors for specific CMD endotypes. Participants will undergo invasive functional evaluation of the coronary microcirculation, measurement of echocardiographic CFVR, and analysis of selected circulating biomarkers. The study cohort will be followed up at three and six months and will include reassessment of quality of life (Seattle Angina Questionnaire, EuroQol 5-Dimensions 5-Level questionnaire, 12-item Short Form Health Survey), anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 score), and functional status (6-minute walk test). The study began in October 2025. Primary completion is anticipated in October 2027, and the overall study completion date is expected in March 2028.

GLS in Difficult CPB Weaning

The goal of this observational study is to learn whether global longitudinal strain (GLS), measured by echocardiography, can predict difficulty separating from cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) in adults undergoing elective cardiac surgery. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Can preoperative GLS measurement predict difficult separation from CPB? * Are GLS values associated with outcomes such as intensive care unit (ICU) stay, hospital stay, cardiac biomarkers, or 30-day mortality? Participants will: * Undergo standard cardiac surgery requiring CPB * Have echocardiographic assessments (TTE before and after surgery) * Have their recovery and outcomes monitored, including ICU and hospital stay, postoperative labs, and survival within 30 days

Live Stream of Prehospital Emergency Ultrasound in Patients With Acute Dyspnoea

Background: Acute dyspnoea is a common symptom in prehospital emergency medicine. As ultrasound gained in importance for diagnosis in patients with acute respiratory distress, it plays even a role in the prehospital setting. However, prehospital emergency ultrasound (PEU) remains challenging and requires knowledge and skills. New prehospital ultrasound devices offer the possibility for tele-supervision. The impact of tele-supervision of PEU in patients with acute dyspnoea is unclear. Objective: This prospective observational study aims to evaluate the effect of PEU with tele-supervision on diagnosis, treatment strategies and cognitive load in comparison to PEU without tele-supervision in patients with acute dyspnoea. Methods: In total 350 prehospital emergency patients with acute dyspnoea will be included in this study. Patients will be observed in two groups. In group 1 PEU will be performed with tele-supervision, whereas in group 2 PEU will be performed without tele-supervision (tele-supervision not available).

Value of Speckle Tracking Echocardiography Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients

Value of speckle tracking echocardiography in early assessment of cardiac function in inflammatory bowel disease .

Clinical Performance Evaluation of a Diagnostic Ultrasound System

Subjects who are required to undergo transesophageal echocardiography according to the current clinical practice standards will be eligible for enrollment. Subjects will be screened for enrollment in this study against the inclusion and exclusion criteria. After successful screening and enrollment of subjects, the investigators will first use the investigational device to conduct transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), followed by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). TEE will be conducted after the subject has been anesthetized. To avoid any delay in diagnosis and treatment, after the scan with the investigational device is completed, the probe will be reserved and the console will be switched to the existing commercial cardiac diagnostic ultrasound device in the study site for intraoperative guidance. In the study, each investigator will evaluate the overall image quality, user interface, workflow, user preferences, product preset, and functions of the system, as well as the device's safety and stability and fill out a user feedback questionnaire provided by the Sponsor.

A Multi-center Study on Artificial Intelligence-Based Quantitative Evaluation of Echocardiography

This project aims to collaborate with multiple medical institutions to verify the accuracy, stability, and clinical application value of AI algorithms in echocardiographic quantitative measurement through multi-center clinical research. Specific objectives include: 1. Compare the automatic measurement results of AI with the manual measurement data from physicians of different levels, and analyze the measurement deviation and consistency of AI in key parameters such as intracardiac diameter, volume, and function. 2. Investigate whether AI-assisted measurement can significantly reduce echocardiogram analysis time and optimize clinical workflows. Through multi-center data validation, establish a standardized reference system for AI ultrasound measurement, promote the promotion and application of AI technology in medical institutions at all levels, and reduce diagnostic differences between different hospitals and physicians. 3. Exploring the application of AI in special cases: Assessing the measurement stability of AI algorithms in complex cases (such as cardiomyopathy, valvular disease, coronary heart disease, etc.), and optimizing AI models to meet broader clinical needs.

Effects of Pulmonary Resection on Right Ventricular Function

Lung resection is associated with high postoperative morbidity and mortality and leads to a significant long-term decrease in functional capacity, particularly due to cardiorespiratory complications. One of the contributing factors to this functional decline is the postoperative reduction in right ventricular function. Due to the anatomical proximity and interactions, right ventricular function is evaluated by echocardiography following lung resection. The pulmonary artery pressure (PAP)/tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) ratio is a parameter that provides a more comprehensive assessment of right heart function by evaluating both right ventricular systolic function and pulmonary artery pressure. In this study, investigators aimed to evaluate changes in right heart function by performing preoperative and postoperative echocardiographic assessments in participants undergoing lung resection, focusing on PAP/TAPSE ratios.

Echocardiography Guided TAVR (Echo TAVR)

Conventional transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) relies on fluoroscopic and contrast agents. However, in high-risk patients, exposure to ionizing radiation and contrast agents is contraindicated and undesirable. Echocardiography guidance TAVR can offer a feasible and safer strategy for TAVR.

Impact of Echocardiography on Management of Critically Ill Neonates

The goal of the study was to estimate the outcome (mortality and morbidity) among hemodynamically unstable neonates, as well as the time to return to hemodynamic stability following the use of ECHO in the management of hemodynamically unstable neonates.

Integrated Echocardiography and Chest Ultrasound Assessment of Lung Recruitment in Preterm Infants

The primary aim of this work is to evaluate the role of high frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) in recruitment of lung in preterm newborns 32 to 37 weeks gestational age with moderate to severe respiratory distress. The secondary aim is to evaluate the role of chest ultrasound in monitoring of lung recruitment in comparison to routine chest x ray in those babies. Also cardiac hemodynamics will be assesed using functional echocardiography.

Clinical Echocardiography and S' Wave for Early Recognition of Acute Coronary Syndrome in the Emergency Department, A Prospective Study

The goal of this prospective observational study is to assess the diagnostic accuracy of the tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) S' wave in detecting acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in adult patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with acute chest pain. This study focuses on patients aged 18 years or older, who require continuous cardiac monitoring but do not show ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) on their initial ECG. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Can TDI S' wave velocity serve as an early diagnostic marker for ACS in the emergency department? * How does the diagnostic performance of TDI S' compare with other echocardiographic markers (MAPSE, TAPSE, and diastolic parameters such as E, E', A, E/A, E/E')? * Do demographic factors (age, sex, BMI, echogenicity) influence the diagnostic accuracy of echocardiographic parameters for ACS? If there is a comparison group: Researchers will compare TDI S' wave velocity findings with the final adjudicated diagnosis of ACS (determined after 3 months) to evaluate its sensitivity and specificity.

Effect of Thoracic Epidural Anesthesia on Left Ventricular Functions: A Strain Echocardiography Study

Post-thoracic surgery pain management thoracic epidural catheter is the most commonly used method. Thoracic epidural anesthesia, in which cardiac sympathetic nerves (T1-T5) are involved in neural blockade, is the focus of our research. Many studies have shown a decrease in inotropic status (intrinsic function) after blockade of cardiac sympathetic innervation with thoracic epidural anesthesia (TEA).We want to examine the cardiac effects of TEA with strain echocardiography, which is an advanced echocardiography method. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the effect of TEA on left ventricular functions with strain echocardiography.

Effect of Left Erector Spinae Plane Block on Left Ventricular Functions

Many studies have shown a decrease in inotropic status (intrinsic function) after blockade of cardiac sympathetic innervation with thoracic epidural anesthesia (TEA) (4,5). There is no study in the literature investigating the cardiac effects of left thoracic ESP block. We think that left thoracic ESP block, like TEA, may also have cardiac effects. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the effect of left thoracic ESP block on left ventricular functions with transthoracic echocardiography (TTE).

Echo Acquisition Despite Geographic Separation by Replication of Human Movements (EAGER)

Echocardiography is a cornerstone of modern cardiology management, but access in rural and remote areas is limited. We have developed a robot ("Edler" named after the originator of echocardiography) which enables a sonographer to complete an examination at a distance. This study seeks to compare the images obtained by both methods, the completeness of the exam over a feasible time, and to identify particular components of the exam that are difficult to obtain using the robot.

Effect of Small Interfering RNA Inclisiran on Carotid Plaques As Assessed by Carotid Ultrasound

Current understanding suggests that the majority of cardiovascular events are driven by vulnerable plaques. Nonetheless, the impact of PCSK9 inhibitors on the stability of carotid plaques remains insufficiently elucidated, with a notable scarcity of relevant clinical studies. This investigation seeks to address this gap through a real-world study conducted among patients with arterial sclerosis in Asia. The primary aim is to evaluate the effects of small interfering RNA (inclisiran) on carotid plaque characteristics as assessed by ultrasound, thereby contributing valuable data to inform clinical practice.

Multimodal Cardiac Imaging Registry in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation

The goal of this observational registry is to collect a curated dataset of multimodal imaging data that will serve for development of artificial-intelligence based solutions for prediction of risk and outcomes in patients with atrial fribrillation. Type of study: observational study Study Participants: Patients with atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter who undergo clinically indicated transesophageal echocardiography before catheter ablation or cardioversion. We hypothesize, that automatic analysis of video images of transthoracic echocardiography with deep learning combined with clinical data can predict the presence of left atrial appendage thrombus (LAT). Therefore, our main aim is to create and validate an artificial intelligence model to predict the presence of LAT based on automatic analysis of transthoracic echocardiography with artificial intelligence.

Beta-Blockers in Takotsubo Syndrome Study

The Beta-blockers in Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) (β-Tako) trial, is an academic, pragmatic, prospective, multicenter randomized clinical trial, aiming to assess the efficacy of beta-blockers (BB) in TTS patients. Two-hundred patients with TTS will be randomized (1:1) to BB (n=100) or no BB (n=100). BB with alpha or nitric oxide release activity will be used in the treatment arm. The primary endpoint will be the comparison of the wall motion score index by echocardiography at 7 days. A composite clinical endpoint (death, stroke, admission for recurrent TTS, ACS, heart failure or atrial fibrillation) at 1 year, will be assessed by an independent clinical events committee. Several sub-studies will be performed. The β-Tako trial will inform treatment decisions in this uniquely challenging clinical entity.

Normal Reference Range for Neonatal Echocardiography

Echocardiography is the main method of bedside examination of neonatal cardiac morphology, which can timely diagnose congenital heart disease and quantitatively assess its severity, but the diagnosis and evaluation process depends on the normal range of neonatal echocardiography.At present, there have been normal reference standards for echocardiography in children and adults at home and abroad, but there is no uniform standard for echocardiographic parameters in newborns, especially premature infants.This study intends to carry out a national multicenter, prospective, observational study to establish the reference range of echocardiography at different time periods after birth in newborns, and stratified according to gestational age, birth weight and gender, to conduct a more accurate hemodynamic assessment of clinically critically ill newborns and guide the treatment of critically ill newborns in real time.

The Usefulness of Myocardial Work IndeX in ExtraCorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Patients

Investigation of the potential prognostic role of non-invasive myocardial work in patients receiving veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation therapy.

Algorithms to Improve the Accuracy of the Echocardiographic Report

This observational study aims to improve the accuracy of the report of the echocardiographic study, making it more consistent with the current international guidelines and reducing the diagnostic mistakes in patients undergoing clinically -indicated echocardiography. The main questions it aims to answer are: * can the addition of automated diagnostic algorithms help to improve the overall accuracy of the echocardiographic report?

Assessment of Left Ventricular Filling Pressure by Applying Artificial Intelligence Algorithms to Left Atrial Speckle-tracking Echocardiography

The goal of this single-center, prospective, observational study is to validate a software package based on an artificial intelligence algorithm for automated non-invasive estimation of LVFP against invasively measured ones by left and right heart catheterization; In addition, the added value of this new automated software to detect increased LVEDP \> 15 mm Hg compared to the current ASE/EACVI algorithm for assessing diastolic dysfunction and longitudinal left atrial strain during the reservoir phase will be evaluated.

Preoperative Focused Cardiac Ultrasound in Hip Fracture Surgery (PrEcho)

The primary objective of this study is to investigate the impact of preoperative focused transthoracic ultrasound (FOCUS) on intraoperative hypotension and postoperative complications in hip fracture surgery. Our hypothesis is that a preoperative FOCUS along with a hemodynamic optimization protocol will reduce the occurrence of intraoperative drops in blood pressure and post-operative complications.