Clinical Research Directory

Product Surveillance Registry

The purpose of the Registry is to provide continuing evaluation and periodic reporting of safety and effectiveness of Medtronic market-released products. The Registry data is intended to benefit and support interests of patients, hospitals, clinicians, regulatory bodies, payers, and industry by streamlining the clinical surveillance process and facilitating leading edge performance assessment via the least burdensome approach.

Palliative Care Intervention to Improve Health Related Quality of Life for Patients on Long-Term LVAD Support

Background: While left ventricular assist device (LVAD) therapy improves survival in patients with advanced heart failure (AHF), unique LVAD-related burdens may impact health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Palliative care specialists are key members of the multidisciplinary care team for patients with long-term-LVAD (LT-LVAD), offering specialized, comprehensive, holistic care. Problem: A seminal study of palliative care in patients with heart failure (PAL-HF trial) demonstrated that outpatient palliative care improved HRQoL, depression, anxiety, and spiritual well-being compared to usual care. The impact of longitudinal palliative care on HRQoL in LT-LVAD patients is unknown. Objective: The investigators aim to conduct the first study examining a palliative care intervention to improve HRQoL among LT- LVAD recipients (patients who have lived with LT-LVAD for at least six months and are not heart transplant candidates) at two centers (MedStar Health and Inova) in the Mid-Atlantic Region. Given the demographics of the study institutions, the investigators anticipate a socioeconomically and racially diverse cohort of patients with subgroups who may disproportionately experience LVAD-related burdens relative to benefits. Aims: The first aim is to assess baseline measures of HRQoL in LT-LVAD patients to understand differences in HRQoL across subgroups and multiple, understudied domains. The second aim is to test the feasibility and acceptability of a randomized, unblinded pilot study of a palliative care interdisciplinary intervention in this population. Significance: Results of this study will inform the development of a large randomized controlled trial to test the effectiveness of palliative care intervention in improving HRQoL in LT-LVAD patients. If results are positive, this will revolutionize the post-LVAD treatment paradigm, by making palliative care integration the standard of care for longitudinal LT-LVAD patient management.

Pivotal Study of the SUpira System in Patients Undergoing High-Risk Percutaneous COronaRy InTervention (HRPCI)

The objective of this study is to assess the safety and efficacy of the Supira System in providing temporary cardiovascular hemodynamic support in patients undergoing HRPCI. Eligible patients will be randomized to undergo HRPCI with either the Supira System (investigational device) or the commercially available Impella systems (comparator device).

Cell Therapy and Myocardial Recovery in Heart Failure Patients Undergoing Left Ventricular Assist Device Support

The goal of CELL-VAD Pilot trial is to investigate a personalized stem cell therapy approach for patients with advanced non-ischemic chronic heart failure (NICM) who are supported by LVAD. In the clinical trial, the investigators aim to enroll 10 patients with NICM, scheduled for LVAD implantation. After successful LVAD implantation, patients will be enrolled and followed for 2 months to allow for postoperative rehabilitation and heart failure medical therapy and LVAD support optimization. All patients will then undergo autologous CD34+ cell therapy which will be intracoronaryly delivered to the target myocardium using NOGA electromechanical mapping system. All patients will be followed for 6 months after cell therapy. At baseline, and at 1, 3, and 6 months after cell therapy, the investigators will perform comprehensive clinical evaluation.

Prognosis of Patients With Mixed Cardiogenic-Vasoplegic Shock

Mixed cardiogenic-vasoplegic shock (M-CS) represents a distinct and severe phenotype of cardiogenic shock characterized by concomitant myocardial dysfunction and inappropriate systemic vasodilation. Despite its clinical relevance, the epidemiology, management, and outcomes of M-CS remain poorly defined. This retrospective, multicenter, observational registry aims to evaluate the clinical outcomes and prognostic factors associated with mixed cardiogenic-vasoplegic shock. The study will analyze clinical, biological, and invasive hemodynamic data routinely collected during patient management for M-CS. All included patients will have been admitted for cardiogenic shock, with or without vasoplegia, defined by low cardiac output and, when present, decreased systemic vascular resistance despite adequate filling pressures requiring vasopressor support. The primary objective is to describe mortality and organ failure rates, while secondary analyses will identify determinants of adverse outcomes and potential phenotypic subgroups. The PROMIX registry will be conducted across three French university hospitals (CHU Amiens-Picardie, CHU Dijon-Bourgogne, and CHU Rouen-Normandie). This study is non-interventional, involving only data obtained as part of routine critical care, and will provide the first multicenter overview of this complex and underrecognized form of cardiogenic shock.

Hong Kong Cardiogenic Shock Initiative

Acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock (AMI-CS) is a severe condition with high mortality. Early revascularization and Impella device (Abiomed) support improve outcomes. Observational studies like the National Cardiogenic Shock Initiative (NCSI), Inova-Shock registry, and J-PVAD (Japan registry for percutaneous ventricular assist device) registry emphasize the importance of structured care systems when using mechanical circulatory support (MCS). Following the release of the Danger Shock trial, MCS use is expected to rise. Hospitals will need to monitor practices and work with payers to ensure coverage. Using regional real-world data can assist this process, making the collection and analysis of MCS outcomes essential. The NCSI (NCT03677180) aimed to evaluate outcomes with a protocolized approach prioritizing rapid diagnosis, timely MCS delivery, and invasive hemodynamic monitoring via pulmonary artery (PA) catheters. The study involved 406 patients from 2016 to 2020, with an average age of 64 years. Most (67%) had shock, with 85% on vasoactive drugs. Witnessed outof-hospital cardiac arrest occurred in 17%, and in-hospital arrest in 30%. During MCS implantation, 9% were actively resuscitating. Patients mostly in SCAI stage C/D (73%) and stage E (27%) presented with low blood pressure, high lactate, and reduced cardiac power output. About 70% received MCS before PCI, with 90% using PA catheters. Most had STEMI, with median door-to-support and door-to-balloon times of about 78 and 81 minutes. Survival rates were high: 99% procedural, 79% to discharge, 77% at 30 days, and 62% at one year for stage C/D shock. Patients with stage E shock had lower survival. Early use of MCS improved hemodynamics and survival. Further research, like the CERAMICS (Can Escalation Reduce Acute Myocardial Infarction in Cardiogenic Shock) study, aims to refine escalation strategies. The Danger Shock trial highlighted the importance of minimizing complications such as bleeding, limb ischemia, haemolysis, and kidney injury. Currently in Hong Kong, prevalence of CS among AMI patients is 5-10%, in-line with global statistics. Among which, 30-day and 1-year mortality of AMI-CS patients in Hong Kong was reported at 29% and 39.5% respectively. Although the use of MCS has been shown in the above overseas studies to improved survival rates of AMI-CS patients, the utilisation rate of MCS among AMI-CS patients in Hong Kong was reported at 36.5% in a previous single-centre study, limited by an array of factors including limited device availability, allocations of resources and patient selection strategy, lack of region-specific evidence and device affordability. Global Cardiogenic Shock Initiative (GCSI) is an ongoing international multicenter registry involving centers from USA, Germany, and Hong Kong, and focus on the outcomes of AMI-CS patients received Impella support. The GCSI is expanding to many other regions. In the Hong Kong Cardiogenic Shock Initiative (HK-CGSI) study we aim to include sites with experience in MCS, all of whom have the capability of MCS escalation and evaluate outcomes across these centers. The goal is not only to capture the effects of previously established best practices but gain insights into regional best practices, and together with data from the global cardiogenic shock initiative (GCSI), to better establish the adoption of novel best practices and their effect on complication rates. In parallel to GCSI-eligible cohort, i.e. Impella used as the first supporting device for patients with AMI-CS, given the significant portion of patients who could not receive MCS under current limitations in Hong Kong, in the HK-CSI, we will include also the GCSI-ineligible cohort, i.e. AMI-CSI without using Impella or not as the first MCS used, to understand the full picture of clinical outcomes of AMI-CS patients of Hong Kong. The HK-CSI study is an observational registry solely and not a treatment study. This single-arm registry captures data generated during procedures which are considered standard of care. Participation in this registry will be performed with waiver of consent of the patient and will have no influence on the type and extent of treatment.

Platelet Function and Impella Support

Mechanical circulatory support (MCS) with the Impella microaxial pump in the setting of cardiogenic shock/cardiac arrest (CS/CA) is accompanied by substantial risk of life-threatening complications, including hemolysis, thrombotic and bleeding events. Previous studies in patients on durable MCS suggest that device-induced platelet dysfunction plays a major contributory role in the development of such events and that selected markers of platelet function have the potential to stratify patients according to an elevated risk of adverse events. To date, the potential clinical utility of markers of altered platelet function in patients supported with an Impella pump is unexplored. The proposed study will analyze changes in platelet function in the setting of Impella support (primary aim) and possibly identify a platelet function "profile" indicative of patients at high-risk to develop adverse events (secondary aim). The study is a prospective observational study. Changes in the expression levels of markers of both platelet activation and aggregation in patients supported with an Impella pump will be measured. Data will be longitudinally measured: pre-implant (before Impella implantation) and then after 24, 48 and 72h of Impella support. Markers that will be analyzed include surface platelet receptors and platelet microRNAs. Experimental data will be correlated with clinical outcomes, including the occurrence of adverse events. This study will provide mechanistic insights into the effect of Impella support on the protein and miRNA expression of platelets. The intention is to get a better understanding of distinct pathways of platelet function related to Impella support and their relationship to adverse events. Our data might open the perspective for the future clinical use of markers of platelet function to enhance the early recognition of patients at high risk of developing an adverse event and the definition of novel, personalized therapeutic strategies targeted to platelet biology to prevent their occurrence.

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.