Right ventricular inflammation after lung resection
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Cardiac magnetic resonance assessment of right ventricular inflammation after lung resection – a feasibility study
IRAS ID
234671
Contact name
Ben Shelley
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Golden Jubilee Foundation
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Lung cancer is the second most common cancer in the UK and is the leading cause of cancer related death. Where appropriate, surgery (lung resection) to remove the tumour and the surrounding lung provides the best chance of cure. Post-operatively patients may however suffer long-term shortness of breath greatly limiting their day-to-day function. This shortness of breath is not solely caused by the decrease in lung function but also from a decrease in the performance of the heart. Although the surgery does not directly involve the heart it is thought that it is indirectly affected by the surgery.
Background:
In a previous study our research group showed that the function of the right side of the heart (the part of the heart that pumps blood to the lungs) is decreased following lung resection. The decrease in function in the right heart may be caused during surgery by the diminished blood supply to the cancerous lung and, post operatively, as surgery can cause a long-term increase in blood flow through the lungs causing back pressure. Diseases that cause an increase in resistance to the right-heart have been shown to cause damage to different parts of the right-heart. An increase in resistance can cause inflammation, thinning and scarring whilst a long-term increase causes the right heart to thicken. We believe that the potential damage during the operation will cause permanent damage to the right heart and contribute to shortness of breath and functional limitation.
Methods:
We will image the heart with specialised MRI scans before, two days and two months after lung resection, of 15 patients.
Aims:
The aim of the research is to determine whether damage occurs in the right heart following lung resection and, if so, does it result in scarring? We will compare the function of the right heart before, during and after surgery to determine if the inflammation causes the decrease in right-heart function following surgery. We believe this will guide further studies aiming to prevent such damage, ultimately limiting the disabling breathlessness and decrease in heart function that so greatly affects patients’ lives.
REC name
West of Scotland REC 3
REC reference
18/WS/0006
Date of REC Opinion
31 Jan 2018
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion