The effect of cardiac resynchronisation therapy on heart failure
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The effect of cardiac resynchronisation therapy on patients with symptomatic heart failure.
IRAS ID
260001
Contact name
Nicholas Crust
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Newcastle University
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 9 months, 4 days
Research summary
Cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT) is a form of cardiac pacing that is designed to improve heart function by electrically activating the left and right heart chambers simultaneously in an effort to co-ordinate the heart chambers. CRT involves implanting pacing leads into the different heart chambers to simultaneously activate the heart muscle.
The aim of this research project is to evaluate whether these devices significantly improve the patient's heart function following its implantation. This will be assessed in three different ways; firstly, by assessing the hearts ability to pump by calculating the volume of blood that is pumped from the heart during each beat. This is often used to classify heart failure and determine the significance of the patient’s heart dysfunction. Secondly, by measuring the patient's QRS duration, signifying heart contraction within the electrical cycle. A wide QRS complex often indicates a defect within the conduction system and may lead to desynchrony between the heart chambers. Finally, by assessing the participants quality of life using a short patient administered questionnaire that will be completed before and after the device implantation. From this it can be identified whether CRT is having a significant effect on the severity of the participants heart failure.
I aim to complete ultrasound imaging of the heart (echocardiography) as well as recording the electrical activity of the heart (electrocardiography) both before and after the implant of a CRT device. These techniques are frequently used within cardiology and will help to assess the patient’s heart function. Calculating the ejection fraction and QRS duration at varying time intervals will allow me to investigate whether there is a significant improvement in heart function following the implantation of such device.
REC name
London - West London & GTAC Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/LO/1602
Date of REC Opinion
18 Oct 2019
REC opinion
Unfavourable Opinion