RecruitingOBSERVATIONAL

Barts-MINOCA Registry

The Barts-MINOCA Registry is a study focusing on a specific type of heart attack called MINOCA, where patients have heart attack symptoms but their main heart arteries are not blocked. This can be confusing for doctors, as usual treatments like stents don't apply. This study uses information already collected from patients at Barts Health NHS Trust to learn more about MINOCA. The goal is to understand how common it is, what causes it, how patients are treated, and what their health is like afterwards. This will help doctors improve care for people with MINOCA. Patients won't have any extra tests or appointments for this study.

At a glance

Status

Recruiting

Sponsor

Queen Mary University of London

Enrolment target

3,000

Start

01 Jul 2020

Estimated completion

16 Sep 2026

Myocardial Infarction Gender Coronary Microvascular Disease

What is this study about?

Imagine you have symptoms of a heart attack, but when doctors check your main heart arteries, they find they aren't blocked. This can happen, and it's called MINOCA (Myocardial Infarction with Non-Obstructive Coronary Arteries). For many years, treatments for heart attacks have mainly focused on unblocking arteries, so MINOCA is a bit of a mystery.

Because MINOCA is different, doctors aren't always sure of the best way to treat it, and there aren't clear guidelines. Even though it's not as severe as a heart attack caused by a blocked artery, it's still serious, and doctors want to learn more to help these patients. This study aims to gather existing information from patient records at Barts Health NHS Trust to get a clearer picture of MINOCA. This includes understanding how many people have it, what their journeys are like, and how they recover.

By carefully looking at the information already collected as part of regular patient care, the researchers hope to find patterns and answers. This will help them understand if certain investigations are helpful in diagnosing MINOCA and how different treatments affect patients over time. The information gathered from this study will help improve the care for future patients with MINOCA, making sure they receive the most effective and appropriate treatments.

Key takeaways

Looks at heart attack patients with clear arteries (MINOCA).
Uses existing medical records, no new tests or procedures.
Aims to improve understanding and treatment of MINOCA.
Your personal details will be kept private and anonymous.
No impact on your current medical care.
Study includes patients aged 16 and over.

Who may be eligible?

This study focuses on patients who have been diagnosed with MINOCA, or who have experienced a rise in a substance called troponin in their blood but doctors haven’t found a clear reason for it. Troponin is a sign that your heart muscle might have been damaged.

Patients taking part will be aged 16 or older – there’s no upper age limit. Both men and women are included. You don't need to do anything to be included; if you meet these criteria and are a patient at Barts Health NHS Trust, your existing de-identified health information may be part of this study.

Children under the age of 16 cannot be included in this study.

Quick self-check

Are you 16 years old or older?
Have you been diagnosed with MINOCA?
Or, have you had a high troponin level with an unclear cause?
Are you or have you been a patient with the Interventional Cardiology team at Barts Health NHS Trust?

This is a guide only — the research team will confirm whether you can take part.

What does participation involve?

Taking part in this study is very straightforward because it uses information that has already been collected as part of your normal medical care at Barts Health NHS Trust. This means you will not have any extra appointments, tests, or procedures specifically for this research. You won't be given any new medications or asked to change your current ones.

The researchers will access your existing anonymised medical records, such as test results, diagnoses, and treatments, which were gathered when you saw the Interventional Cardiology team. Your personal details will be removed before the research team sees the data, so your identity will be protected. Because this study uses information that's already available, there's no specific 'duration' or 'follow-up' beyond your usual medical care—the study effectively uses your ongoing health information.

Potential risks and benefits

Since this study only uses information already collected for your routine care and does not involve any new tests, procedures, or changes to your treatment, there are no direct risks to your health. Your personal information will be kept private and anonymised, meaning your name or other identifying details won't be linked to the data used for research. The potential benefit is that the findings from this study could help doctors better understand MINOCA and improve care for future patients. You have the right to withdraw your consent for your anonymised data to be used in the study at any time without it affecting your medical care.

Locations (1)

Barts Health NHS Trust
London, United Kingdom· Recruiting

Common questions

What is MINOCA?

MINOCA stands for Myocardial Infarction with Non-Obstructive Coronary Arteries. It's a type of heart attack where heart muscle is damaged, but the main heart arteries aren't blocked, which is different from a typical heart attack.

Will I need extra tests or appointments?

No, you won't need any extra tests or appointments specifically for this study. It uses information already gathered during your regular medical care.

Will my personal details be safe?

Yes, your personal details will be kept confidential. All the information used in the study will be made anonymous so that your identity is protected and cannot be linked to the data.

How long will the study last?

This study is ongoing and will continue indefinitely, collecting de-identified data from patients over time to learn more about MINOCA.

How can this study help me?

While it won't directly change your current treatment, the findings from this study will help doctors better understand MINOCA and improve care for all patients with this condition in the future.

How to find out more

Daniel Jones, MBBS, PhD

dan.jones8@nhs.net 020 7377 7000 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.