Clinical Research Directory

Propensity-Matched Study of Cardiac Contractility Modulation Therapy in Heart Failure

The purpose of this prospective, multi-center, propensity-matched coverage with evidence development (CED) study is to assess the impact of cardiac contractility modulation (CCM) on mortality and heart failure hospitalizations in Medicare-eligible patients with heart failure who meet indications for CCM.

Infusing Needed Iron to Target Insufficiency in Adults Treated for Evidence of Heart Failure

The INITIATE-HF study is a cluster randomized controlled trial that aims to find out if reminding doctors about treatment guidelines for iron deficiency in adults with heart failure who are hospitalized and have evidence of iron deficiency changes the subsequent use of intravenous (IV) iron. Two groups of hospitalized adult patients with known heart failure and iron deficiency will be compared: * Group 1 will include doctors who receive a notification with their patient's iron storage test results and guideline recommendations related to the use of IV iron. * Group 2 will include doctors who do not receive this notification and continue with usual standard of care. The study will measure if this provider-facing notification affects physician use of recommended IV iron treatment in eligible patients with heart failure, left ventricular ejection fraction less than 50%, and iron deficiency. Secondarily, if there is an increased use of IV iron observed in the intervention group, this study will evaluate whether there are differential health outcomes (i.e., fewer subsequent hospital visits and lower risk of death) of patients whose providers were assigned to the intervention group.

Comparing Three Types of Specialist Pacemakers to Improve Heart Function and Reduce Rhythm Problems in Heart Failure

The goal of this clinical trial is to find out which type of specialist pacemaker-known as cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT)-works best for people with heart failure and a delay in how the lower chambers of the heart beat together (called electrical dyssynchrony). The main aims of the study are: To compare the effects of conventional biventricular pacing (BVP), conduction system pacing (CSP) and left-bundle optimised CRT (LOT-CRT) on heart failure symptoms and heart rhythm problems over six months. To explore how these pacing methods affect heart muscle strength, electrical activity, and overall heart function. Participants will: Attend four hospital visits over a six-month period. At Visit 1, meet a member of the research team to discuss the study and have screening tests to check eligibility. Participants will also have a smartphone app installed and receive training on how to record their daily heart failure symptoms. At Visit 2, have a CRT pacemaker implanted. The type of pacemaker will be chosen at random, with a 1 in 3 chance of receiving: * Biventricular pacing (BVP); the current standard treatment * Conduction system pacing (CSP) * LOT-CRT (Left-bundle optimised CRT); a combination of both At Visit 3 (around 12 weeks after implantation) and Visit 4 (6 months after implantation), take part in routine follow-up assessments to check the pacemaker and heart function. At Visits 2 and 4, also undergo non-invasive electrical mapping tests, including wearing a specialised vest and having a low-dose CT scan of the chest. These tests help researchers understand how the heart's electrical system responds to different pacing methods.

PRIMA-HF: Predicting Myocardial Recovery in Heart Failure Using Cardiac Imaging HAI-HF: High Dosing vs. Standard Dosing Adenosine During Myocardial Perfusion in Heart Failure

Background: Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is a heterogeneous condition with variable potential for left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) recovery. While LVEF improvement and reverse remodeling predict better outcomes, the determinants that predict left ventricular recovery remain poorly understood. An expert panel of the Journal of American College of Cardiology highlighted the need for improved HFrEF phenotyping to clarify recovery patterns and support personalized management and risk stratification. Methods: PRIMA-HF is a prospective prediction study designed to determine whether baseline cardiac multimodality imaging can predict LVEF recovery in patients with de novo HFrEF (n=180). The imaging protocol includes cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), coronary computed tomography and \[¹⁵O\]H₂O positron emission tomography (\[¹⁵O\]H₂O-PET) and echocardiography. Patients will also undergo a six-minute walk test, blood volume measurement, and blood sampling. The primary outcome is the change in LVEF from baseline to approx. after 3-12 months (or after full optitration in GDMT), assessed by CMR. In 60 patients from the PRIMA-HF cohort, the randomized, double-blind study High Dose Adenosine During Perfusion Imaging in Heart Failure (HAI-HF) will be conducted. HAI-HF evaluates whether high-dose adenosine (210 µg/kg/min) versus standard-dose (140 µg/kg/min) during \[¹⁵O\]H₂O-PET changes the stress myocardial blood flow, which is the primary endpoint. Aim: The PRIMA-HF study comprehensively characterizes patients with newly diagnosed HFrEF through multimodality imaging and systematically assesses change in LVEF using CMR. The study's deep phenotyping approach integrates clinical, imaging, biomarker, and functional data to capture disease heterogeneity, rather than relying on traditional measures such as LVEF or symptom class. This enables the identification of distinct patient subgroups with shared pathophysiological mechanisms. The HAI-HF trial examines whether higher adenosine doses improve \[¹⁵O\]H₂O-PET perfusion imaging in HFrEF. Together, the studies will advance understanding of myocardial recovery, improve perfusion assessment, and support development of a predictive model for HFrEF prognosis.

Secondary Mitral Regurgitation Treatment With MitraClip and Assessment by Cardiac Magnetic Resonance

This is a multi-center, prospective, observational study designed to evaluate the impact of LV myocardial fibrosis extent assessed by CMR on LV reverse remodeling and clinical outcomes post TEER. The target sample will be up to 125 patients enrolled to achieve 100 evaluable at 6 months of follow-up. Enrollment will occur at up to eight centers.

Effectiveness and Safety of Uptitration of Guideline Directed MEdical Therapy in Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction With Limited Kidney Function Assessments

Guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) constitutes of four medications that substantially reduce morbidity and mortality, and improve quality of life. In routine clinical practice, various physician- and patient-related factors lead to suboptimal initiation and uptitration of GDMT to optimal dosing, which is associated with worse patient outcomes. A perceived major barrier to the optimalization of GDMT are changes in kidney function and electrolytes, which prompts physicians to halt uptitration, reduce doses, or even discontinue GDMT. Changes in kidney function and electrolytes during optimalization of GDMT are common, but not associated with adverse events. The hypothesis of this study is that a reduction in the number of kidney function assessments during initiation and uptitration of GDMT in HFrEF patients will lead to higher achieved doses of GDMT without safety concerns.

Developing a Digital Aid to Improve ICD Decisions

Advanced heart failure, affecting 7 million Americans, has multiple causes and results in greatly increased risk of disability and death. A major problem is sudden cardiac death, when the damaged heart develops an abnormal pattern of electrical conduction that can result in cessation of heart activity. While placement of an Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD) in a patient's chest can help prevent sudden cardiac death, these devices have several important downsides. This protocol focuses on development of a digital decision aid that helps heart failure patients make informed decisions that balance the benefits and downsides of ICD placement. This protocol covers the use of participant surveys, focus groups, and interviews to obtain the needed background information to guide the development of this digital tool, which will be subsequently tested against usual care in a randomized clinical trial. The study design is best described as a mixed methods evaluation and refinement of a digital app to improve ICD decision-making. In the future, the present protocol will be modified to create a new protocol that covers the needed human subjects requirements for performance of this clinical trial.

Cardiac Left Atrial Evaluation and Response in HFrEF With Sacubitril/Valsartan

Heart failure is an increasingly common condition that can have a significant impact on quality of life and reduce life expectancy. In recent decades, a number of drugs have been developed specifically for this condition. One such drug, called Sacubitril/valsartan (SV) has been shown to reduce hospitalizations and prolong life expectancy of patients with heart failure. It works by reversing some of the structural and functional changes to the heart that occur in heart failure. However, not all patients respond to the drug. Further research is needed to better understand the reasons for this and predict who will benefit most from the drug. Left atrial strain is a relatively new measurement that can be obtained using ultrasound imaging of the heart, and it provides objective information about how one of the heart's four chambers is functioning. The investigators aim to assess the effect of SV therapy on left atrial strain in patients with heart failure. The investigator's objective is to understand whether abnormal left atrial strain or changes in left atrial strain help predict response to SV therapy.