Projects
Danish CRT
30-40% of CRT patients do not benefit measurably from the treatment (non-responders). LV-lead placement is one of the major determinants of beneficial effect from CRT. DANISH-CRT is a national randomized controlled trial (N=1000) investigating whether targeted positioning of the LV lead to the CS branch with the latest local electrical LV activation reduces the incidence of death or hospitalisation for heart failure compared to standard CRT implantation in patients with heart failure and prolonged QRS.
Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT03280862
Imaging
Long-term follow up after CRT: Outcome and Cardiac Remodeling
Very long-term follow-up of the 2011-2014 ImagingCRT trial cohort (Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT02346097) including echocardiography, cardiac CT, ECG, blood tests and clinical evaluation. The study will provide important knowledge on the clinical impact of imaging-guided LV lead placement in CRT and increase existing knowledge on short- and long-term changes in geometry and function of the LA, LV and MV apparatus induced by CRT.
Analysis of the dynamics of the LV from the 4DCT to identify possible correlations in outcomes with changes in measured functional parameters.
Comparison of echocardiography derived mechanical parameters (EF and strain) vs. CT derived parameters. Analysis of the images will result in graphs of parameters characterizing mechanical function of LV-interpretation of data and correlation with clinical findings.
Echocardiography (collaboration with Peter Søgaard, Aalborg University and Aalborg University Hospital).
Peter Søgaard and colleagues investigate new echocardiographic indices for predicting CRT response.
ECG
ECG analysis using the CGS technology
A new and innovative diagnostic method enabling improved treatment of heart failure patients with a need for CRT has been evolved by Claus Graff and his team. The CGS technology has shown strong preliminary results in retrospective studies. ECGs from the DANISH-CRT trial are stored digitally and analysed using this technology. (Collaboration with Claus Graff, Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University).