Clinical Research Directory

Urine Sodium-Driven Diuretic Adjustment Strategy in Acute Decompensated Heart Failure

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if increasing the dose of diuretics to achieve a higher urine sodium target produces better clinical results when treating patients hospitalized with acute heart failure when compared to lower urine sodium target and standard of care. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Does targeting a higher urine sodium goal achieve greater natriuresis and diuresis? 2. Does targeting a higher urine sodium goal reduce frequency of hospital readmissions? 3. Does targeting a higher urine sodium goal reduce hospital length of stay? Researchers will compare natriuresis-guided arms with standard of care to see if targeting higher natriuresis goals improves significantly over current practice. Participants will submit urine samples at routine intervals after being given diuretics to evaluate urine sodium concentration. If urine sodium is low then diuretic dose will be increased.

Congestion and LActate at diScHarge in Acute Heart Failure

Acute heart failure (AHF) is a leading cause of hospitalization and is associated with high short-term morbidity and mortality, with 20-30% of patients experiencing rehospitalization or death within 30 days. Early adverse events often reflect incomplete recovery, highlighting the need for improved risk stratification after clinical stabilization .Current prognostic approaches mainly focus on hemodynamic congestion. Persistent pulmonary congestion at discharge is a strong predictor of poor outcomes, but these markers primarily assess macrocirculatory abnormalities and do not capture microcirculatory dysfunction, which may persist despite apparent clinical improvement. Lung ultrasound, through the Lung Ultrasound Score (LUS), provides a validated assessment of pulmonary congestion and has demonstrated prognostic value in AHF. However, LUS does not reflect systemic tissue perfusion. In contrast, blood lactate is a robust marker of tissue hypoperfusion, and even mild elevations have been associated with worse outcomes in AHF. A combined score integrating LUS and lactate may therefore better reflect the dual pathophysiology of AHF-persistent congestion and impaired tissue perfusion-and improve prediction of early adverse events. This protocol aims to validate the prognostic value of this combined score for predicting 30-day rehospitalization or death in patients hospitalized for AHF, with the hypothesis that it outperforms LUS alone.

Cardiac point-of Care Ultrasound Training Pathway for Emergency Department Advanced Practice Providers

The aim of this study is to assess emergency medicine physician and advanced practice provider (APP) knowledge and technical skill in performance of a point-of-care ultrasound simulation and just-in-time training pathway to determine the feasibility, acceptability, and usability of the ultrasound training program. By performing this study, we hope to create a standardized training model which could potentially facilitate point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) clinical performance and thereby improve patient care.

Remote Monitoring After Heart Failure

Heart failure (HF) is a leading cause of hospitalisation and disability-adjusted life years lost, with mortality rates exceeding most cancers. Despite compelling evidence and recommendations, less than 20% of the HF patients are followed-up by the specialist healthcare after hospital discharge. Due to limited outpatient capacity, human resources and increasing incidence of HF over the next decades, new care models are obviously needed. Remote monitoring (i.e. telemonitoring) encompasses the use of audio, video and other telecommunication technologies to monitor patient status at a distance. Remote monitoring is a promising strategy that can facilitate rapid access to care when needed and reduce patient travel to hospital consultations. It also promotes self-care behaviour, psychosocial support, and early detection of cardiac decompensation. Despite intensive research for \>10 years, randomised trials show conflicting results, and European HF guidelines are confined to a weak (class IIb, level of evidence B) recommendation. More knowledge about the role of remote monitoring strategies in HF management, especially in the transition from hospital to home, is thus requested in the most recent European and US guidelines. In particular, studies of high-risk patients integrating the community health services are largely lacking. Furthermore, the components of the intervention that mediate the effect need to be identified. The proposed study aims to address these gaps in evidence and assess whether individually tailored remote monitoring at home (IT-HEART) is improves clinical outcomes in patients hospitalized with decompensated HF. We also aim to identify modifiable clinical and behavioural (drug adherence, self-care, psychological factors) outcome predictors. A prospective, multicentre, randomized, open-label, blinded endpoint adjudication (PROBE) intervention study is designed and powered to include at least 200 patients with at least one HF hospitalization in the 12 months preceding enrolment. To ensure generalizability, patients will be included regardless of comorbidity, frailty and ejection fraction. We have conducted a pilot-study providing empirical evidence for the expected participation rate, readmission rate and barriers to HF management in current clinical practice that will be targets for the intervention. This will promote high adherence to the intervention and positive long-term clinical and health economic effects.

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the CardioStory Device in Distinguishing Heart Failure From Other Causes in Patients Presenting With Dyspnea

The CARDIOSTORY.TN study is a prospective observational study at Sahloul University Hospital (Sousse, Tunisia) evaluating the CardioStory device for distinguishing heart failure (HF) from other causes of acute dyspnea. Background: Dyspnea is common in emergencies, and differentiating cardiac from non-cardiac causes is often delayed by the limits of echocardiography and BNP tests. CardioStory is a rapid (\~2 minutes), non-invasive tool that measures cardiac filling pressure, a key HF marker. Objectives: Primary: Assess CardioStory's diagnostic accuracy. Secondary: Compare it with echocardiography and NT-proBNP, evaluate ease of use, and measure time to diagnosis. Methods: Adults (≥18) with acute dyspnea (\<7 days) included; unstable or traumatic/allergic cases excluded. CardioStory results will be compared to standard diagnostics. Sample size: 850 patients over 12 months. Outcome: If accurate, CardioStory could be a fast, practical diagnostic tool for emergency settings.

Investigating a Tailored Diuretic Algorithm in Acute Heart Failure Patients

Acutely decompensated heart failure (ADHF) is highly prevalent and has a high (financial) burden on the health care system. Treatment often consists of the administration of IV decongestive agents. Adequate dosing is difficult due to varying diuretic resistance and inadequate parameters to evaluate the response. Urine sodium is a promising biomarker to evaluate the diuretic response. It is hypothesized that a tailored, urine sodium guided diuretic algorithm will result in faster and more complete decongestion and therefore lead to better survival (in terms of mortality and heart failure events) while being non-inferior in terms of safety (mainly regression of kidney function).

Prediction of Heart-Failure with Machine Learning

In this monocentric observational study the research question is to what extent data collected via Apple Watch can predict the heart failure status of decompensated HF patients. For this purpose, physiological data from the Apple Watch (such as single-lead electrocardiogram, SpO2, respiratory rate, step count, nighttime temperature, etc.) will be extracted and used as predictor variables to forecast outcomes like risk of decompensation and rehospitalization within the follow-up period. Since this is a data-driven study, additional data collected as part of guideline-compliant treatment will also be included.

SGLT-2 Inhibitor and High-Dose Furosemide Plus Small-Volume Hypertonic Saline Solution in Acute HF

The purpose of the current investigation is to demonstrate the efficacy of high-dose furosemide plus small-volume hypertonic saline solution and a Sodium-Glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitor among patients admitted for acute exacerbation of heart failure, in determining a significant increase in diuresis and natriuresis. It is also accompanied by a rapid reduction in body weight and a substantial decrease in hospitalization length without compromising renal function.

Prognostic Model Heart Failure

This study aims to determine the prognosis of heart failure in our population by using multiple validated risk scores and to evaluate the strengths of these scores in assessing prognosis with better discrimination.

Acetazolamide or Metolazone in Acute Heart Failure

Impact of Acute Heart Failure: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 26 million people suffer from Heart Failure (HF), with a mortality rate of up to 50% within five years of diagnosis. Acute Heart Failure (AHF) exacerbations, leading to hospitalization, are common and represent the primary cause of hospital admissions in those over 65. Effective decongestion during hospitalization is crucial, as failure to achieve it doubles the risk of rehospitalization and mortality, incurring significant healthcare costs. Use of Diuretics in Acute Heart Failure: Diuretics, particularly loop diuretics like furosemide, are a cornerstone in managing AHF by inducing natriuresis and achieving decongestion. Clinical experience supports their use, though limited clinical trials exist. Pharmacological concepts guide their administration, emphasizing intravenous delivery in high doses and adjusting subsequent doses based on decongestive efficacy. Additionally, sequential tubular blockade with other diuretics like metolazone and acetazolamide is explored to enhance decongestion. Use of Metolazone and Acetazolamide: Sequential tubular blockade, using metolazone and acetazolamide in conjunction with furosemide, aims to achieve rapid and effective decongestion. While metolazone targets the distal tubule, inhibiting sodium-chloride channels, acetazolamide affects proximal tubular function. Studies like ADVOR (acetazolamide) and CLOROTIC (thiazide-like diuretic) demonstrate the potential benefits of combining these diuretics for quicker decongestion but with potential risks (in the case of Hydrochlorothiazide). Outcomes Measured by Major Studies: Recent studies assessing decongestion in AHF reveal a lack of uniformity in outcome selection. The primary focus should be on reducing rehospitalizations and post-discharge mortality by achieving effective decongestion. The ADVOR study, using a simple congestion score based on clinical and imaging criteria, underscores the importance of reaching a congestion score of 0 or 1 promptly. Congestion Monitoring: Monitoring diuretic treatment solely based on clinical aspects may not capture subclinical congestion, necessitating biochemical and imaging parameters. The ACME-AHF trial proposes a diagnostic score integrating clinical and imaging aspects to evaluate congestion status. Secondary outcomes include cumulative diuresis, weight loss, diuretic efficiency, and natriuresis, with a focus on natriuresis as a reliable physiological parameter for decongestion. Aim of the study: The ACME-AHF trial is designed to compare the efficacy and safety of two diuretic combination strategies: acetazolamide with furosemide and metolazone with furosemide. The primary objective is to relieve congestion, assessed using a congestion score, within the first three days of treatment during an hospitalization for acute heart failure.

Lesser Poland Cracovian Heart Failure Registry

The goal of Lesser Poland Cracovian Heart Failure Registry (LECRA-HF) is to expand the knowledge about acute heart failure (AHF) and its long-term prognosis. The main questions are: * assessment of long-term prognosis of AHF and its determinants * determination of the optimal AHF treatment methods * assessment of indications for invasive coronary arteries diagnostics and revascularization and their long-term effects * analysis of the particular HF subtypes (HFimpEF, HFpEF, HFsnEF, HFrEF, HFmrEF)

SGLT2 Inhibitors in Patients With ADHF During Ventilator Weaning

This study will explore the potential benefits of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors in preventing cardiac ischemia and cardiopulmonary edema in patients with acute decompensated heart failure during weaning from ventilators.