Clinical Research Directory

The JenaValve ALIGN-AR LVAD Registry

To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the JenaValve Trilogy™ Heart Valve System for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in subjects with continuous flow left ventricular assist devices (cfLVAD) and clinically significant aortic regurgitation (AR) who are indicated for TAVR

Impella®-Supported PCI in High-Risk Patients With Complex Coronary Artery Disease and Reduced Left Ventricular Function

The purpose of this study is to assess if using the Impella® CP (or Impella® 2.5) device during high-risk PCI in patients with reduced left-sided heart function will result in an improvement in symptoms, heart function and health after a heart procedure compared to the current standard of care.

London Valvular Heart Disease and Reduced Ejection Fraction Detection in a Multi-ethnic Community Using Cardiac Ultrasound

Heart Valve Disease and Heart failure contribute to 25% of hospital emergency admissions while heart failure alone has become one of the most common causes for hospitalisation in people over the age of 65. The burden of disease is likely to be high in a multi-ethnic community but there is a paucity of data. Management of heart valve disease requires appropriate surveillance and timely surgery. Similarly heart failure management requires treatment with medications aimed at slowing prevention of symptoms and preventing premature death. The NHS long term plan priorities early detection and treatment of valve disease and heart failure in order to reduce the burden on emergency services and improve the health of the population. Diagnosis is made using cardiac ultrasound, however staff with the required skills-set are critically limited in the community. The investigators will train non-expert staff within primary care to perform abbreviated cardiac ultrasound to detect heart valve disease or heart failure. This will be opportunistic scanning to reduce healthcare footfall. All scans will be reviewed by an expert and the investigators will use the anonymised data to develop machine learning tools to begin working with academic partners to develop tools that can improve the reliability of diagnosis from ultrasound. The investigators hope to identify the proportion with the above conditions in a multi-ethnic community and assess the feasibility of developing a program where staff can be trained for community detection, streamlined referrals can be created bridging the gap between primary and secondary care, reducing hospital emergency admissions, while ensuring patients are managed optimally.

Menopausal Hormone Therapy And Left Ventricular Function

The purpose of this study is to compare left ventricular stroke volume and heart rate responses to bursts of SNA between PMF using, and not using, MHT.

DAPAgliflozine to Attenuate Cardiac RemOdeling afTEr aCuTe myOcardial Infarction

Recent clinical trials have proven the cardiovascular benefits of new medications for patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), especially sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors. There are no existing randomized clinical trials evaluating the efficacy and safety of dapagliflozin (nor any other SGLT2-inhibitor) to limit cardiac remodeling in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. Preventing cardiac remodeling, an established predictor of subsequent heart failure (HF) and cardiovascular death, is likely to translate into benefit in reducing clinical events in post-MI patients.

Assement of Left Ventricular Function Before Decannulation in Cardiac Surgery :Visual Estimation vs TEE

This study aims to evaluate the diagnostic performance of the cardiovascular surgeon's visual estimation of LV function before decannulation following cardiopulmonary bypass, using TEE results as the reference standard.

Pediatric Hypertension and the Renin-Angiotensin SystEm (PHRASE)

Studying the causal roles of components of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (including angiotensin-(1-7) (Ang-(1-7)), angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), Ang II, and ACE), uric acid, and klotho in pediatric hypertension and related target organ injury, including in the heart, kidneys, vasculature, and brain. Recruiting children with a new hypertension diagnosis over a 2-year period from the Hypertension and Pediatric Nephrology Clinics affiliated with Brenner Children's Hospital at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist and Atrium Health Levine Children's Hospital. Healthy control participants will be recruited from local general primary care practices. Collecting blood and urine samples to analyze components of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (Ang-(1-7), ACE2, Ang II, ACE), uric acid, and klotho, and measuring blood pressure, heart structure and function, autonomic function, vascular function, and kidney function at baseline, year 1, and year 2. Objectives are to investigate phenotypic and treatment response variability and to causally infer if Ang-(1-7), ACE2, Ang II, ACE, uric acid, and klotho contribute to target organ injury due to hypertension.

Myocardial Protection in Patients With Post-acute Inflammatory Cardiac Involvement Due to COVID-19

Long COVID or Postacute sequelae of COVID-19 infection (PASC) are increasingly recognised complications, defined by lingering symptoms, not present prior to the infection, typically persisting for more than 4 weeks. Cardiac symptoms due to post-acute inflammatory cardiac involvement affect a broad segment of people, who were previously well and may have had only mild acute illness (PASC-cardiovascular syndrome, PASC-CVS). Symptoms may be contiguous with the acute illness, however, more commonly they occur after a delay. Symptoms related to the cardiovascular system include exertional dyspnoea, exercise intolerance chest tightness, pulling or burning chest pain, and palpitations (POTS, exertional tachycardia). Pathophysiologically, Long COVID relates to small vessel disease (endothelial dysfunction) vascular dysfunction and consequent tissue organ hypoperfusion due to ongoing immune dysregulation. Active organs with high oxygen dependency are most affected (heart, brain, kidneys, muscles, etc.). Thus, cardiac symptoms are often accompanied by manifestations of other organ systems, including fatigue, brain fog, kidney problems, myalgias, skin and joint manifestations, etc, now commonly referred to as the Long COVID or PASC syndrome. Phenotypically, PostCOVID Heart involvement is characterised by chronic perivascular and myopericardial inflammation. We and others have shown changes using sensitive cardiac MRI imaging that relate to cardiac symptoms (Puntmann et al, Nature Medicine 2022; Puntmann et al, JAMA Cardiol 2020; Summary of studies included in 2022 ACC PostCOVID Expert Consensus Taskforce Development Statement, JACC 2022, references below). Early intervention with immunosuppression and antiremodelling therapy may reduce symptoms and development of myocardial impairment, by minimising the disease activity and inducing disease remission. Low-dose maintenance therapy may help to maintain the disease activity at the lowest possible level. The benefits of early initiations of antiremodelling therapy to reduce symptoms of exercise intolerance are well recognised, but not commonly employed outside the classical cardiology contexts, such as heart failure or hypertension. As most patients with inflammatory heart disease only have mild or no structural abnormalities, they are left untreated (standard of care). The aim of this study is to examine the efficacy of a combined immunosuppressive / antiremodelling therapy in patients with PASC symptoms and inflammatory cardiac involvement determined by CMR, to reduce the symptoms and inflammatory myocardial injury and thereby stop the progression to reduced LVEF, HF and death.

PRE-DETERMINE Cohort Study

This is a prospective, multi-center cohort study of patients with a history of coronary artery disease (CAD) and documentation of either a prior myocardial infarction (MI) or mild to moderate left ventricular dysfunction (LVEF 35-50%). The primary objective of this study is to determine whether biologic markers and ECGs can be utilized to advance SCD risk prediction in patients with CHD and LVEF\>30-35%. The overarching goal of the study is to identify a series of markers that alone or in combination specifically predict risk of arrhythmic death as compared to other causes of mortality among this at risk population of coronary heart disease (CHD) patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF\> 30-35%). If biologic or ECG markers are identified that can specifically predict risk of ventricular arrhythmias, then these markers may serve as relatively inexpensive methods to identify those at risk. The public health impact of identifying markers could be quite substantial, leading to more efficient utilization of ICDs and advances in our understanding of mechanisms underlying SCD.

IMPACT EU Post-Market Clinical Follow-Up Study

The purpose of this trial is to collect further data on the safety and on the effectiveness of the use of Impella 5.5® in high-risk cardiac surgery patients.

Prevalence and Risk Factors asSOciated With CArdiac comorbiDIty in psoriAsis

In a prospective cohort study (n = 1.000), the investigators aim to investigate the correlation between cardiac biomarkers and advanced echocardiography and determine whether these are prognostic markers of heart disease in patients suffering from psoriasis.

Conventional Biventricular Versus Left Bundle Branch Pacing on Outcomes in Heart Failure Patients

Heart failure (HF) is the most common nosology encountered in clinical practice. Its incidence and prevalence increase exponentially with increasing age and it is associated with increased mortality, more frequent hospitalization and decreased quality of life. An initial approach to the treatment of HF patients with reduced left ventricular (LV) systolic function and left bundle branch block (LBBB) was implantation of cardioresynchronization device using biventricular pacing. This has resulted in long-term clinical benefits such as improved quality of life, increased functional capacity, reduced HF hospitalizations and overall mortality. However, conventional cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is effective in only 70% of patients. And the remaining 30% of patients are non-responders to conventional CRT. Subsequently, His bundle pacing (HBP) has been developed to achieve the same results. According to other studies HBP has showed greater improvement in hemodynamic parameters than with conventional biventricular CRT. But, nevertheless, there are significant clinical troubles with HBP. In this regard, in 2017, the left bundle branch pacing (LBBP) was developed, which demonstrated clinical advantages compared to biventricular CRT. This method has become an alternative to HBP due to the stimulation of LBB outside the blocking site, a stable pacing threshold and a narrow QRS duration. A series of case reports and observational studies have demonstrated the efficacy and safety of LBBP in patients with CRT indications. However, it is not enough data about CRT with LBBP effectiveness in LV remodeling, reducing mortality and complications. According to our hypothesis, CRT with LBBP compared with conventional biventricular CRT will significantly improve the clinical outcomes and reverse LV remodeling in patients with chronic HF with reduced LV ejection fraction and reduce the number of non-responders to conventional CRT.

HIDRAdenitis Suppurativa and HEART Disease

In a prospective observational cohort study (n = 250) the investigators aim to assess the correlation between cardiac biomarkers, advanced echocardiography and HS severity and determine whether these are prognostic markers of heart disease in patients suffering from hidradenitis suppurativa (HS).

IMpella-Protected cArdiaC Surgery Trial (IMPACT)

The purpose of this Trial is to demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of the use of Impella 5.5 in high-risk cardiac surgery patients, with the overall aim to evaluate if using Impella 5.5 with SmartAssist (Impella 5.5) peri-operatively improves early hemodynamics, end-organ function and clinical outcomes in patients with severely reduced LV function undergoing cardiac surgery.

Cardiac Structure and Function in Patients with Cystic Fibrosis

In a prospective observational cohort study (n = 100), the investigators aim to assess the correlation between cardiac biomarkers, advanced echocardiography and cystic fibrosis genotype and severity and determine whether these are prognostic markers of heart disease in patients suffering from cystic fibrosis (CF).

Preoperative Maltodextrin's Effect on Cardiac Function in Cardiac Surgery

A randomized, controlled, double-blinded clinical trial evaluating the effect of the administration of a Maltodextrin solution on cardiac function in patients presenting for coronary artery bypass grafting surgery with a reduced left ventricular ejection fraction.

Sodium Lowering Vascular Effects Trial

The proposed mechanistic trial will test the effect of dietary sodium reduction on cardiac and vascular structure and function in those with elevated blood pressure or hypertension. Findings from this study will fill the knowledge gap on the underlying mechanisms of dietary sodium intake on cardiovascular disease risk in addition to blood pressure and could provide further evidence on sodium reduction for the prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Left Bundle Branch Pacing on Outcomes and Ventricular Remodeling in Biventricular CRT Nonresponders

Heart failure (HF) is the most common nosology encountered in clinical practice. Its incidence and prevalence increase exponentially with increasing age and it is associated with the increased mortality, more frequent hospitalization and decreased quality of life. An initial approach to the treatment of HF patients with reduced left ventricular (LV) systolic function and left bundle branch block (LBBB) was implantation of device for cardiac resynchronization therapy using biventricular pacing. This has resulted in long-term clinical benefits such as improved quality of life, increased functional capacity, reduced HF hospitalizations and overall mortality. However, conventional cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is effective in only 70% of patients. And the remaining 30% of patients are non-responders to conventional CRT. Cardiac conduction system pacing is currently a promising technique for these patients. Particularly, His bundle pacing (HBP) has been developed to achieve the same results. According to other studies HBP has shown greater improvement in hemodynamic parameters comparing with conventional biventricular CRT. But, nevertheless, there are significant clinical troubles with HBP, especially high pacing threshold. In this regard, in 2017, the left bundle branch pacing (LBBP) was developed, which demonstrated clinical advantages compared to conventional biventricular CRT. Also, since 2019, left bundle branch pacing-optimized CRT (LBBPO CRT) has been used in clinical practice. These methods have become an alternative to HBP due to the stimulation of LBB outside the blocking site, a stable pacing threshold and a narrow QRS complex duration on electrocardiogram. A series of case reports and observational studies have demonstrated the efficacy and safety of LBBP and LBBPO CRT in patients with CRT indications. However, it is not enough data about impact of CRT with LBBP and combined CRT with LBBP and LV pacing on myocardial remodeling, reducing mortality and complications. According to our hypothesis, CRT with LBBP and combined CRT with LBBP and LV pacing compared with conventional biventricular pacing will significantly improve the clinical outcomes and reverse myocardial remodeling in patients who are non-responders to biventricular CRT with HF, reduced LV ejection fraction and with indications to CRT devices with defibrillator function (CRT-D) or one of the CRT-D leads replacement.

Reducing Cognitive Impairment by Management of Heart Failure as a Modifiable Risk Factor

This study will test the feasibility and effectiveness of an innovative model of care for cognitively impaired patients with heart failure. This program aims to improve cognition, reduce dementia risk and cardiovascular events, and will be supported by innovative digital technology for wide scale rollout and implementation. Findings from this research will transform the way healthcare is delivered to cognitively impaired patients with heart disease who have a very high risk of developing dementia.

Microvascular Dysfunction Assessment to Predict Left Ventricular Reverse Remodeling

Patients presenting with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy and left ventricle dysfunction (LVEF \<40%), naive of anti-remodeling cardiac medical therapy, will undergo invasive coronary microvascular assessment based on thermodilution. The primary endpoint, namely the left ventricle reverse remodeling, will be assessed after 12 months of optimal medical therapy based on transthoracic echocardiography. The primary endpoint will be evaluated by an independent central core lab. Patients enrolled in the study will be followed for a period of 5 years to monitor their clinical status. During the study period participants may undergo multimodality diagnostic tests including ECG telemetry monitoring, cardiopulmonary exercise testing, cardiovascular cardiac magnetic resonance.