Clinical Research Directory

First Clinical Evaluation of Heart Transplantation With Grafts Preserved Using an Ex-vivo Extended Perfusion System

The main objective of PEGASE is to validate the recovery of a satisfactory cardiac function of a transplanted heart after a prolonged period of preservation by an ex-vivo perfusion device. This recovery of cardiac function will have to happen within 15 days after transplantation.

Precise Cooler for Donor Heart Transport

The investigators are doing this study to compare approaches to cold storage of donor hearts during transportation. The adjustable temperature RYOBI cooler should allow precise temperature control while reducing environmental waste and providing a cost savings benefit when compared to the commercially available, FDA-approved Paragonix SherpaPak device.

Exercise MRI to Evaluate Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Children With Heart Disease

There are many barriers to heart-healthy lifestyles in pediatric patients with acquired and congenital heart disease. Investigators want to further understand how participants heart and skeletal muscles work together during exercise and evaluate the impact on cardiac function. To do this, the investigators will use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to scan the heart and skeletal muscles during exercises to assess blood flow, oxygenation and function.

Study of Organ Perfusion in Heart Transplantation in Children

The goal of this prospective randomized single blind multicenter phase II study is to compare organ perfusion with Custodiol-N and Custodiol in heart transplantation in children of all ages (birth to \<18 years) being listed on the waiting list for heart transplantation. The main question it aims to answer is: to compare the safety of Custodiol-N in heart transplantation in children in comparison to its precursor product Custodiol. Participants will receive either a heart to be transplanted, either perfused with Custodiol-N or Custodiol to Researchers will compare the two solutions to see if the new solution Custodiol-N is safe in heart transplantation in children.

METABolic Deterioration in HTX Determines Outcomes

METAB-HTX is a prospective, longitudinal cohort study evaluating cardiac and systemic metabolism in heart transplant recipients.

Multimodal Analysis of Endomyocardial Biopsies

The goal of this observational study is to pursue a multimodal approach to identify the molecular signatures and immune signalling molecules of various myocardial diseases and thereby contribute to improving diagnosis and therapy. The main aim is: -Identification of molecular profiles (e.g., proteome, lipidome, metabolome) and immune signalling profiles that are specifically associated with different myocardial diseases and the post-heart transplantation course. Participants already receiving an endomyocardial biopsy as part of their regular medical care will be enrolled. An additional biopsy sample will be taken for the above mentioned research.

Pericoronary Adipocyte Size Gradient

Evaluation of pericoronary adipocyte gradient (PCAT) in relationship with local atherosclerotic changes in a patient undergoing heart transplantation.

The Effect and Safety Profile of Thymoglobulin® in Primary Cardiac Transplant Recipients

This is a randomized, controlled, single center study to evaluate the efficacy of Thymoglobulin induction therapy in combination with Mycophenolate Mofetil, tacrolimus, and steroids in the prevention of CAV. Approximately half of the patients will be randomized to receive a total of 5 doses of Thymoglobulin during the study. The first dose of Thymoglobulin will be administered at 1.5 mg/kg via intravenous infusion over 6 hours immediately upon arrival to the ICU post-operation (day 1). Subsequent doses of 1.5 mg/kg will be administered on days 2, 3, 4, and 5 via IV infusion over 4 hours. Mechanistic assays (T-reg cells, Lym subsets, B cell subsets, IL-1b, cytokines, TGFb, IL-21 to be drawn at Pre-transplant, 3, 6, 12 months post-transplant) will also be performed. All patients will be followed and monitored according to standard of care protocols for heart transplant recipients at our center.

Long-term Follow-up of the Offspring Born to Mothers With a Solid Organ Transplant, Transplantlines Next Generation

Background Pregnancy after all types of solid organ transplantation (SOT) is possible, although these have higher risk of pregnancy complications for mother and child, such as preeclampsia and preterm birth. Thus, the development of the unborn child seems to be affected by the transplant and its consequences such as the immunosuppressive medication use. Worldwide data regarding follow-up after birth is scarce. The very limited existing data existing only in young children are reassuring. However, the investigators hypothesize that there are health risks for the children. Given the side effects of the immunosuppressive medication on patients and limited knowledge from animal studies, the investigators particularly expect cardiovascular effects such as hypertension and kidney damage. These develop over a long time-period and lead late to symptoms. Aims Aim of this study is to gain more insight into the overall health of offspring born after SOT. Primary aim is to assess the cardiovascular health and the presence of kidney disease, and compare these with reference values from the general population or birth cohorts. Secondary aims are the immunological status including the microbiome of the child given the maternal immunosuppressive medication use, and the overall development of the offspring, including qualitative research regarding the quality of life. Third aim is to assess if there are differences in health between offspring born to mothers with a kidney, liver, pancreas (including pancreas islet), heart and lung transplantation (KTx, LiTx, PTx, HTx, LuTx resp.). The investigators also want to establish a biobank for later follow-up research. Study design This will be a cross-sectional monocenter cohort study. All offspring ≥16 years of age born after KTx or LiTx and all offspring born at any age after PTx, HTx and LuTx in the Netherlands will be eligible for inclusion. The investigators estimate that there will be about 150(-220) participants. Before the study visit, participants will be asked to complete a questionnaire. Participants will be invited for a one-time study visit consisting of physical tests (including ultrasound of the kidneys and a 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure measurement) and biological sample (urine, blood and feces) collection, including sample collection for biobanking. Information about the growth and development of the offspring and, if present, diseases and medication use will be collected from the medical files of the general practitioner and pharmacy (LSP) and from data from the youth healthcare check-ups. As a control group pseudoanonymized data from the Lifelines cohort will be used. Deliverables To the best of our knowledge, this will be the first study worldwide that will gather and analyze detailed information about the cardiovascular, kidney and immunological health at a later age (≥16 years) in the offspring born to mothers after KTx, LiTx, PTx, HTx and LuTx. This information will be important for the preconceptional counseling of families with a pregnancy wish after transplantation and thereby contribute to the health of women with a SOT. Next to that, find adverse effects of the pregnancy after transplantation on the offspring are found, the investigators expect there will be modifiable factors and/or early screening/interventions that can reduce these risks and thereby contribute to the health of the offspring.

Belatacept in De Novo Heart Transplantation

The purpose of this study is to determine if Belatacept is safe to give to adult heart transplant recipients. Belatacept (NULOJIX) is an anti-rejection medication that is available through a prescription from a doctor. In this research study, belatacept is being used in an investigational manner (not for the purpose that it is approved for).

Cardiac REhabilitation COhort at the Medicine Campus DaVos to invEstigate Recovery

The RECOVER study, titled Cardiac Rehabilitation Cohort at the Medicine Campus Davos for Exploration of Recovery, is a prospective, non-interventional, monocentric cohort study conducted at the Hochgebirgsklinik Davos. The study is sponsored by Medicine Campus Davos AG and the Kühne Foundation, with an estimated start date in July 2025 and planned completion by December 2034, with the possibility of extension. The principal investigator of the study is PD Dr. David Niederseer from Hochgebirgsklinik Davos, who also represents the study. The research team includes co-investigators such as Prof. Dr. Stefan Blankenberg and Prof. Dr. Andreas Ziegler from Cardio-CARE, Medicine Campus Davos, as well as Dr. Jan Vontobel from Hochgebirgsklinik Davos. The study will enroll patients referred to Hochgebirgsklinik Davos for cardiac rehabilitation who provide informed consent. Cardiac rehabilitation is an evidence-based therapy for patients with heart disease, including those who have undergone cardiac procedures or surgeries. The primary objectives are to evaluate baseline patient characteristics, rehabilitation strategies, predictors of recovery, and clinical outcomes during and after rehabilitation. To support this, a detailed database and biobank will be established to allow for comprehensive phenotyping, extensive clinical assessments, and long-term follow-up. RECOVER seeks to gain translational insights into how patient-specific factors - such as genetics, plasma, digital and clinical biomarkers, and comorbidities - influence long-term clinical outcomes. The goal is to identify modifiable risk factors to optimize individualized therapeutic approaches in cardiac rehabilitation.

ZeroHeart Biopsy - Prediction of Deceased Donor Heart Transplant Performance From Organ Donors Using Pre-Transplant Biopsies - A Pilot Study

The goal of this observational study is to evaluate whether molecular analysis of donor heart biopsies taken at the time of organ removal ("Time Zero") can help predict the future function and rejection risk of the transplanted heart in adult transplant recipients. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Can early molecular injury in the donor heart, caused by brain death or circulatory death, be detected at the time of organ removal? * Can these early molecular findings predict short-, mid-, and long-term transplant outcomes, such as graft function or rejection? Participants will: * Include heart donors whose hearts are being transplanted (both standard and marginal donors, including DBD and DCD cases) * Provide two small biopsies from the donor heart at the time of organ removal: one for routine pathology, one for microarray-based molecular analysis * Have routine follow-up biopsies after transplantation as part of standard care (no additional procedures required beyond medical standard) Researchers will compare biopsy results from different donor types (standard vs. marginal, DBD vs. DCD) to see if early molecular signals are linked to later heart transplant outcomes.

The Evolution of Systemic Microvascular Reactivity in Heart Transplant Patients

The evolution of systemic microvascular reactivity may aid in the comprehension of cardiovascular physiology in heart transplantation patients, and possibly suggest the non-invasive evaluation of skin microcirculation as an ancillary tool in the clinical evaluation of these patients.

Haemoadsorption During Heart Transplantation

To investigate whether the use of haemoadsorption (HA) on cardiopulmonary bypass during heart transplantation (HTX) has an effect on circulating cytokine levels for the first 120 hours after HTX and induces a decreased inflammatory response, increased anti-inflammatory response or immunosuppressive response. Additionally, the influence of HA on primary graft dysfunction, postoperative cerebral dysfunction, postoperative fluid accumulation, renal dysfunction, duration of mechanical ventilation, length of ICU-stay and 30-day mortality should be investigated

Non-ischemic Preservation of the Donor Heart in Heart Transplantation

The study intends to compare standard ischemic cold static storage (ICSS) of retrieved hearts intended to be transplanted, to non-ischemic heart preservation (NIHP) in a randomized clinical multicentre trial. The primary hypothesis is that the non-ischemic hypothermic cardioplegic preservation (NIHP) is safe and superior to ischemic cold static storage (ICSS) of donor hearts. The study will investigate the safety and superiority of the new methodology in terms of improved immediate and prolonged organ function in adult heart transplanted patients.

Hypertonic Saline Solution to Prevent Acute Kidney Injury After Heart Transplantation

The goal of this study is to evaluate if hypertonic saline solution can prevent or attenuate acute kidney injury after heart transplantation in the early postoperative phase.

Characterization of Patients With Cardiomyopathy to Identify Critical Patients Candidates for Cardiac Transplantation

The study aims to identify new diagnostic and prognostic markers for CMP that can help predict disease progression. In particular, the study will focus on microRNAs (miRNAs) and spatial transcriptomics, which are emerging techniques that may provide insights into the underlying disease mechanisms. By understanding these markers, the investigators hope to improve the way the investigators diagnose and manage CMP, particularly in terms of predicting progression to heart failure or heart transplantation. The study will evaluate patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (e.g., sarcomeric forms, Anderson-Fabry disease, AL, and TTR cardiac amyloidosis), dilated cardiomyopathy and arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy. These patients will undergo clinical evaluations, including ECG, echocardiograms, CMR, biopsy analysis, and genetic testing, as well as molecular studies such as transcriptomics and miRNA analysis. This comprehensive approach aims to identify potential new biomarkers for diagnosing and predicting the disease course.

Cell Therapy With Treg Cells Obtained From Thymic Tissue (thyTreg) to Prevent Rejection in Heart Transplant Children

The investigators developed a protocol to isolate Treg cells from thymic tissue (thyTreg) discarded in pediatric cardiac surgeries. After completing the pre-clinical studies, the investigators have initiated a phase I/II clinical trial to test the safety and efficacy of the adoptive transfer of autologous thyTreg to prevent rejection in heart transplant children. Condition or disease: Heart Transplantation Intervention/treatment: Regulatory T Cell (Treg) Infusion

Use of Machine-learning Algorithms, Biomarkers and Measures of Quality of Life to Personalize Medical Management of Liver and Heart Transplant Recipients

This is an observational, low risk tissue based, non-pharmacological, retrospective-prospective study for adults heart and liver transplant patients, related to IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna (IRCCS AOUBO). This clinical study is part of the national multicentric project DARE. The project has the wide overarching aim to develop digital solutions for personalized healthcare.

Precision Medicine in the Management of Heart Transplant Recipients

The goal of this clinical trial is to demonstrate that a multiparametric approach, based on the integration of biomolecular, histological, imaging, and clinical information, along with the use of machine learning methods, can identify among heart transplant patients those at higher risk of rejection, infectious events, and chronic graft dysfunction. Patients have been and will be treated according to clinical practice, in accordance with the physician's judgment and the information provided in the Technical Data Sheet of each individual product used in concomitant therapies, if administered according to clinical practice. The diagnostic-therapeutic pathway of the patients will not be in any way influenced by the results of tissue tests performed for the purposes of the study

CARdiac Imaging and BIomarkers in the Diagnosis of Antibody Mediated Rejection in Heart Transplantation

The goal of thisobservational study is to systematically assess the presence and distribution of CMR-defined inflammation and fibrosis in clinically stable HT recipients with DSA detected during active screening for AMR surveillance. The main outcome is to study the prevalence of fibrosis, edema and of altered T1 mapping values in patients with DSA and the prevalence of patients with DSA among all the enrolled patients

Electronic Register on Advanced Heart Failure and Transplantation di Cuore

The goal of this observational study is to create an electronic registry of patients diagnosed with Advanced Heart Failure or Heart Transplant, starting from 01/01/1985 and to assess the incidence of Advanced Heart Failure and Heart Transplant, and characterize patients affected by the first or undergoing the second procedure, starting from 01/01/1985. The primary outcomes are: * Hospitalization for cardiovascular cause * Death

Preventive Catheter Ablation for Ventricular arrhythmiaS in Patients With End-sTage Heart faiLure

CASTLE-VT is a randomized evaluation of prophylactic ablative treatment of arrhythmogenic ventricular scar in patients referred for HTx evaluation and diagnosed with ICM. Ablation will be performed with the use of a substrate-based approach in which the myocardial scar is mapped and ablated while the heart remains predominantly in sinus rhythm. The primary end point is the composite of all-cause mortality, worsening of HF requiring prioritized transplantation or LVAD implantation. The main secondary study end points are all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, incidence of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) therapy, hospitalizations, Quality of life, time to first ICD therapy, number of device-detected ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation episodes, LV function, and exercise tolerance. CASTLE-VT will randomize 160 patients with a follow up period of 2 years.

Quantiferon CMV to Identify Treatment Need for Asymptomatic CMV Infection After Solid Organ Transplant (QUANTIFOT)

Context Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is a frequent and potentially severe event in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients. Most of available treatment display adverse effects that limit their use. Therefore, in case of an infection, it is of primary importance to identify the patients at high risk of severe infection and/or disease, and who ill benefit the most from antiviral therapy. As CMV infection is mainly controlled by cellular immunity, measuring specific anti-CMV T lymphocyte immunity could be an interesting tool for identifying these at-risk individuals. One of these tests is the QuantiFERON-CMV (QF-CMV) assay (QuiagenTM, Courtabœuf, France). Aim of the study The aim of the study is to determine the extent to which the QF-CMV can be use to identify, among SOT recipients with a CMV viremia, those that may not need antiviral therapy. Methods Participation to the study will be proposed to SOT recipients with an asymptomatic CMV infection with a blood viral load between 1,000 and 15,000 IU/mL. The QF-CMV will be performed in included participants, and the result will be given or not to the clinician in charge (according to the attributed group through randomisation). * In the group without result communication, the clinician in charge will determine whether a treatment is needed according to the guidelines and the local practices. * in the group with result communication, the clinician in charge will be advised not to introduce antiviral therapy if the result is positive, and to determine whether a treatment is needed according to the guidelines and the local practices if the result is positive. In the following weeks, the viral load will be monitored, along with creatininemia, cell blood count, and kalemia (to detect antiviral adverse effect). The participants will be sampled: * 5 to 12 days after QF-CMV sampling (V2) ; * 7 to 14 days days after V2 (V3 - between D12 and D26) ; * 7 to 14 days days after V3 (V4 - between D19 and D40) . Endpoints The primary endpoint is the rate of uncontrolled infection 5 to 12 days after QF-CMV sampling, defined as follows: * Blood CMV viral load \>10,000 IU/mL \[4 log\]; * And/or increase in blood viral load ≥0.5 log IU/mL with CV otherwise \>5000 IU/mL; * And/or the onset of CMV disease. The secondary endpoint is the is the occurrence antiviral adverse effects (hematoxicity or nephrotoxicity).