Clinical Trial Details
— Status: Completed
Administrative data
NCT number |
NCT04124237 |
Other study ID # |
H15-00658 |
Secondary ID |
|
Status |
Completed |
Phase |
|
First received |
|
Last updated |
|
Start date |
May 15, 2015 |
Est. completion date |
August 30, 2020 |
Study information
Verified date |
November 2020 |
Source |
University of British Columbia |
Contact |
n/a |
Is FDA regulated |
No |
Health authority |
|
Study type |
Observational [Patient Registry]
|
Clinical Trial Summary
Risk prediction in in inherited heart rhythm conditions that may cause sudden cardiac arrest
or death is difficult. Sometimes the risks may be low but the loss of life in an otherwise
healthy young individual is catastrophic. Clinicians often treat to the extreme to prevent
this and so often those at unknown risk for a serious cardiac event are treated with an
implanted cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) to protect against sudden death even though the
risk is low or unknown. ICDs them selves are not without adverse events such as needing
battery replacements, mechanical complications, inappropriate shocks and body image and self
esteem issues for the patient. This study will use an inject able monitor that is less
invasive to monitor inherited heart rhythm patients long term to help gather long term heart
rhythm data (3 years) on patients with an inherited heart rhythm that will help to detect
symptoms of dangerous heart rhythms so that the appropriate care can be provided.
Description:
Risk stratification is challenging in latent genetically mediated sudden death syndromes,
where the absolute risks are low but the loss of life is catastrophic in otherwise well young
individuals. Countering this is the manifest drawbacks of liberal use of Implantable
Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICDs) in this population, who may suffer harm from the
limitations of ICDs with respect to repeated generator changes, lead/mechanical
complications, non-target shocks and issues with body image and self esteem. This balance is
struck with patients and clinicians in the inherited arrhythmia clinics daily.
The Principal Investigator has a longstanding interest in cardiac monitoring and syncope,
with extensive experience with cardiac monitoring technologies. Recently published data from
the study team indicates that 69% of unexplained cardiac arrest patients had suffered
syncope, presyncope, chest pain or palpitations, significantly greater than the 43% incidence
in their first-degree relatives8. The prevalence of syncope was 34% in those patients with
subsequently diagnosed inherited causes of cardiac arrest. This suggests an excellent
opportunity to detect symptomatic and asymptomatic arrhythmias in patients to risk stratify
patients and direct ICD resources to patients that are likely to benefit. Coupling of
recording with remote monitoring of device-detected events enables a short time from detected
arrhythmia to reporting and resultant clinical decision-making (base station in the patient's
home transmits any acquired data daily).
An intermediate risk population is seen regularly in the inherited arrhythmia clinic, based
on a wide array of clinical features that are proven or suspected risk markers in patients
who either prefer to avoid an ICD, or whose risk is insufficient to clearly warrant an ICD.
The risk in these individuals is hampered by the relatively uncommon short-term risk of
spontaneous arrhythmia that is detected by routine 24-48 Holter surveillance to assist as a
"tie breaker", to favor more aggressive therapy with an ICD. This study will extend the
monitoring period of intermediate risk patients to 3 years and enable detection of
symptomatic and asymptomatic ventricular arrhythmia that would inform risk discussion with
the patient and favor more aggressive therapy. The latter may involve incremental drug
therapy, cardiac sympathectomy or an ICD.
Loop recorder implantation (Reveal LINQ, Medtronic, Minneapolis MN), also called an
insertable cardiac monitor (ICM) has the ability to analyze the beat to beat variability of
cardiac cycles on a 2 minute ECG strip and stores the tracing for visual confirmation of any
cardiac events. The device also provides the patient with the ability to activate the device
manually and so facilitates analysis of heart rhythm during symptomatic events.
The device is manufactured and will be provided by Medtronic Canada Ltd, 99 Hereford Street,
Brampton, Ontario L6Y 0R3 +1 905-460-3800. The Medtronic Reveal LINQ is a programmable device
that continuously monitors a patient's ECG and other physiological parameters. The device
records cardiac information in response to automatically detected arrhythmias and patient
activation. The form factor of the device has changed from that similar to a USB thumb drive
that requires surgical implantation to that of a paper clip that can be injected in a
minimally invasive environment including office based clean rooms. This device is small
leadless and is inserted under the skin, in the chest. The device can be inserted by the
physician in the office, saving precious healthcare resources.
Potential Adverse Events include but are not limited to:
- Device rejection phenomena (including local tissue reaction)
- Device migration
- Infection
- Erosion through the skin