RecruitingOBSERVATIONAL

Developing the Probability Algorithm for Pulmonary Hypertension Echocardiography

This research wants to improve how doctors find pulmonary hypertension, a serious condition where there's high blood pressure in the arteries leading to your lungs. It can make you very breathless and affect your heart. Doctors often use heart scans (echocardiograms) and electrical heart readings (ECGs) to check for it. This study is looking at whether including some newer measurements from these tests can help doctors spot pulmonary hypertension more reliably and at an earlier stage. Finding it sooner means people can start helpful treatments quicker, which can really make a difference to their health and quality of life.

At a glance

Status

Recruiting

Sponsor

Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust

Enrolment target

2,500

Start

06 Sep 2024

Estimated completion

01 Dec 2026

Pulmonary Hypertension

What is this study about?

Imagine your heart is a pump that sends blood around your body. The right side of your heart pumps blood to your lungs to pick up oxygen. Pulmonary hypertension (PH) means there's too much pressure in the blood vessels going from your heart to your lungs. This can make your heart work harder, leading to breathlessness and tiredness, and can be quite serious. Sadly, it's often tricky to diagnose early, and people might have symptoms for a couple of years before knowing what's wrong. Missing it early can mean delays in getting important treatments.

Doctors often use two main tests to get an idea of what's happening with your heart and lungs: an ECG and an echocardiogram. An ECG is a simple, quick, and painless test that records the electrical activity of your heart. It's like taking a snapshot of your heart's rhythm. An echocardiogram, often called an 'echo', is a safe scan that uses sound waves to create moving pictures of your heart, showing how well it's pumping. While these tests are good, sometimes they don't pick up the early or milder signs of PH very well.

This study aims to discover if adding some new, more detailed measurements to these existing tests can make them better at spotting PH. Researchers think that certain subtle changes in an echo, especially to do with the heart's right side, might appear before the more obvious signs. By looking at a lot of patient information, this study hopes to create a better way to check for PH, so that people can get diagnosed quicker and start life-improving treatments without delay.

Key takeaways

This study uses existing medical information to improve PH diagnosis.
It focuses on new measurements from heart scans (echos) and electrical readings (ECGs).
Earlier diagnosis of PH can lead to quicker treatment.
Participation involves no new tests or appointments for you.
The research aims to benefit future patients with pulmonary hypertension.

Who may be eligible?

To be included in this study, you need to be at least 18 years old. This study specifically looks at information from people who have already had three important tests as part of their regular medical care: a heart scan (echocardiogram), an electrical heart reading (ECG), and a more detailed internal heart pressure measurement called a right heart catheterisation (RHC).

You wouldn't be able to be part of this study if you are under 18 years old. Also, if you have a known or suspected heart problem that you were born with (congenital heart disease), you wouldn't be included. Finally, if you've previously said you don't want your health information used for research purposes, then your data won't be part of this study. The study looks at existing medical records, so you won't need to have any new tests or appointments specifically for this research.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you 18 years old or older?
Have you had an echocardiogram (heart scan) in the past?
Have you had an ECG (electrical heart reading) in the past?
Have you had a right heart catheterisation (RHC) test in the past?
Do you NOT have a heart condition you were born with (congenital heart disease)?
Have you NOT opted out of sharing your health data for research?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

This is an 'observational study', which means researchers will look at information already collected from your past medical tests. You won't need to visit a clinic, have any new assessments, take any new medication, or have extra follow-up appointments directly because of this study. Your participation simply involves allowing the research team to use information from your echocardiogram, electrocardiogram (ECG), and right heart catheter tests that you've already had.

Potential risks and benefits

Because this study only uses information that has already been collected from your past medical records, there are no direct risks to you. You won't have to undergo any additional procedures or changes to your treatment. The potential benefit is that the findings from this research could help doctors in the future to diagnose pulmonary hypertension earlier and more accurately, leading to better care for other patients. You have the right to withdraw your consent for your data to be used at any time, without it affecting your medical care.

Locations (5)

Some site locations are approximate. We're improving this — please verify with the trial team before travelling.

Royal United Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Verified postcode
Bath, United Kingdom· Recruiting
Golden Jubilee Hospital
Verified postcode
Glasgow, United Kingdom· Not yet recruiting
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Verified postcode
Sheffield, United Kingdom· Not yet recruiting
Royal Papworth Hospital
Verified postcode
Cambridge, United Kingdom· Not yet recruiting
Royal Free NHS Foundation Trust
Verified postcode
London, United Kingdom· Not yet recruiting

Common questions

What is pulmonary hypertension?

It's a serious condition where the blood pressure in the arteries going to your lungs is too high, making your heart work harder.

What is an echocardiogram?

It's a safe heart scan using sound waves to create moving pictures of your heart, showing how well it's pumping.

What is an ECG?

An ECG is a quick, painless test that records the electrical activity of your heart, like a printout of its rhythm.

Will I need to have extra tests for this study?

No, this study only uses information from tests you've already had as part of your normal medical care.

How will this study help patients?

It aims to find better ways to spot pulmonary hypertension earlier, which could mean faster diagnosis and more timely treatment for future patients.

How to find out more

Christopher Wild

chris.wild1@nhs.net +4407891662866 Official trial record

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