Using Fibrillation Factor to Predict the Source of VT in Man
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Using Fibrillation Factor to Predict the Source of VT in Man
IRAS ID
127174
Contact name
Jaswinder Gill
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Guy's and St Thomas' Foundation NHS Trust
Research summary
This study involves recording electrical signals inside the heart during a procedure to treat an abnormal heart rhythm, and by studying these electrical signals in detail we may be able to better identify and treat patients at risk of ventricular tachycardia (VT).
VT is where the lower chambers (ventricles) of your heart beat fast and this condition can be life-threatening. An ablation procedure is performed in patients who have VT despite the best treatment available with tablets. Cardiac ablation involves interrupting the abnormal electrical signals, which cause VT, by applying electrical energy through a catheter. An important part of the ablation procedure is the identification of the exact part of the heart muscle responsible for causing VT. This typically involves sampling the electrical signals in lots of different areas of the heart, which allows the construction of computer generated 3 dimensional pictures of the structure and the electrical circuits inside the ventricle. Research has identified a new method to interpret these electrical signals (called Fibrillation Factor – FF), which may allow better identification of the area within the ventricle that should be ablated.
A standard VT ablation often involves controlling the heart-beat by pacing the heart through 1 of our catheters within the heart. The electrical response to pacing at different heart rates can often provide your doctor with information to help the ablation. This study will involve an additional period of pacing at different heart rates, during which the electrical response is measured in different areas around the ventricle. This will allow us to calculate areas of the ventricle which our new measure FF would predict to be the source of the VT. In the future this may allow us to better identify patients who are at risk of VT, and to better locate the areas that needs to be ablated.
REC name
London - Dulwich Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/LO/1372
Date of REC Opinion
24 Oct 2013
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion