ClinicalTrials.gg
Status unknownNCT03415945Updated Feb 12, 2018

Left Ventricular Septal Pacing: Potential Application for Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy

An interventional study of Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) in Heart Failure, Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy and Left Bundle-Branch Block, sponsored by Maastricht University Medical Center. Status unknown at 1 site in Netherlands. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2018-02-12.

Sponsored by Maastricht University Medical Center · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

The sponsor has not verified this record recently (last verified Feb 2018), so the status shown — last known as Recruiting — may be out of date.
Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
30
Allocation
Not applicable
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

In cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), biventricular pacing is performed by pacing the right ventricle (RV) and epicardium of the left ventricular (LV) postero-lateral wall. A significant proportion of apparently suitable patients fail to benefit from CRT. One of the problems of CRT is proper positioning and fixation of the LV pacing lead in the coronary vein. LV septal pacing may be a good alternative for BiV pacing in patients with an indication for CRT.

Read the detailed description

Cardiac pump function depends on physiological electrical activation of the ventricles. This normal activation is disturbed during artificial electrical stimulation (pacing) of the right ventricle (RV), the common therapy to treat symptomatic slow heart rate ("rate control"), as well as during electrical dyssynchrony such as left bundle branch block (LBBB). As a consequence, RV pacing and LBBB reduce cardiac pump function and increase cardiac morbidity and mortality. During the last two decades cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has emerged as treatment to "resynchronize" ventricular electrical activation by pacing the RV apical septum and left ventricular (LV) postero-lateral wall simultaneously ("biventricular" (BiV) pacing).

Since initial approval of the therapy over 10 years ago, there have been hundreds of thousands of implants performed worldwide. In the Netherlands currently more than 2000 CRT devices are implanted each year. Large clinical trials have shown that CRT improves LV systolic pump function, reverses structural remodelling, improves quality of life and exercise tolerance, and decrease mortality. However, a significant proportion of apparently suitable patients fail to benefit. Depending on the definition used, the response to CRT is positive in 50-70% of treated patients, leaving 30-50% without significant effect. One of the problems of CRT is proper positioning and fixation of the LV pacing lead in the coronary vein.

Research in the laboratory of the the investigators revealed that in dogs with AV-block and in patients with sinus node disease, pacing at the LV endocardial side of the interventricular septum (LV septal pacing) provides near physiological ventricular activation, near uniform distribution of workload, and near normal pump function. Furthermore, pump function during LV septal pacing was at least as good as during BiV pacing. A recent study, with acute hemodynamic data in dogs with LBBB and in a small group of patients with LBBB, further indicates that LV septal pacing may be used for CRT. A weakness of the patient data is that these patients were either non-responders to conventional CRT or patients where no access to the coronary sinus was obtained. Therefore, this group may not be representative for the entire CRT candidate population.

Two factors appear to determine the positive effect of LV septal pacing: the slow impulse conduction across the interventricular septum and the fast impulse conduction along the inner layers of the LV wall through superficial, non-Purkinje fibers. Following this reasoning, the investigators expect that the exact pacing site at the septum is not critical. This would be of great advantage for future applications in patients, since proper implantation of an LV lead in the coronary sinus requires attention in order to position the lead in the latest activated region.

The aim of the present study is to compare the electrophysiological and hemodynamic effects of several modes and sites of LV septal pacing with those of BiV pacing in patients undergoing CRT device implantation. The results may have a large impact on future pacing therapy. The LV septum may become an alternative for BiV pacing, but easier to apply, less invasive, and more cost-effective.

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Conditions studied

  • Heart Failure
  • Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy
  • Left Bundle-Branch Block
03

In context

Heart Failure

6,331 studies on the registry are indexed under Heart Failure; 1,396 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 30 is below the median of 76 across 4,049 interventional studies indexed under Heart Failure.

Browse Heart Failure studies →

Lead sponsor

Maastricht University Medical Center is the lead sponsor of 853 studies on the registry; 114 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

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Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • Chronic heart failure with functional class II-IV
  • (LVEF) \< 35%
  • LBBB and QRS duration ≥ 130 ms or non-LBBB and QRS duration ≥ 150 ms
  • In sinus rhythm
  • Optimal pharmacological therapy

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Persistent atrial fibrillation
  • ≥ 2 premature ventricular complexes on standard 12-lead (ECG)
  • Age \< 18 years
  • Incapable of giving
  • Moderate to severe aortic valve stenosis
  • Peripheral vascular disease
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(4)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

NYHA class (heart failure)

The New York Heart Association’s four classes of how much heart failure limits physical activity.

I
No limits: ordinary activity causes no undue tiredness or breathlessness.
II
Slight limits: comfortable at rest, ordinary activity causes symptoms.
III
Marked limits: comfortable at rest, less than ordinary activity causes symptoms.
IV
Symptoms even at rest; any activity makes them worse.

Studies set their own limit — many outside heart failure leave out class III–IV, while heart failure studies may ask for a particular class. Check the class this study names.

LVEF (left ventricular ejection fraction)

The share of blood the heart’s main pumping chamber (the left ventricle) pushes out with each beat, measured by an echocardiogram (heart ultrasound) or a MUGA scan. About 50–70% is normal.

ECG (electrocardiogram)

A recording of the heart’s electrical activity, taken with stickers on the chest, arms and legs. It takes a few minutes and does not hurt.

Informed consent

Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.

You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.

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Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
30 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    CRT implantation

    In cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), biventricular pacing is performed by pacing the right ventricle (RV) and epicardium of the left ventricular (LV) posterolateral wall.

    Device: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT)

Interventions

  • DeviceCardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT)

    All study participants have a clinical indication for CRT and will receive CRT implantation as part of their routine medical care. Additionally, participants will receive temporary left and right ventricular septal pacing electrodes and a temporary PressureWire to investigate the acute hemodynamic effect of left ventricular septal pacing, using patients as their own controls.

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What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Acute hemodynamic effect (LV dP/dtmax) of the best LV septal pacing side and conventional BiV pacing.

    A RadiAnalyzer Physio monitor version 2.02 (St. Jude Medical, St. Paul, USA) is used to calculate LV dP/dtmax as a measure of LV systolic function.

    Time frame: The outcome measure will be assessed during the CRT implantation procedure (the total procedure time will increase 45 to 60 minutes).

Secondary outcomes

  1. Acute hemodynamic effects (LV dP/dtmax) of the different LV septal pacing sides with RV apical septum pacing, His pacing, RV septum pacing, LV epicardial postero-lateral wall pacing and intrinsic ventricular activation.

    A RadiAnalyzer Physio monitor version 2.02 (St. Jude Medical, St. Paul, USA) is used to calculate LV dP/dtmax as a measure of LV systolic function.

    Time frame: The outcome measure will be assessed during the CRT implantation procedure (the total procedure time will increase 45 to 60 minutes).

  2. The effect on the sequence of LV electrical activation and body surface electrocardiographic mapping

    The sequence of LV electrical activation will be assessed by 3-dimensional vectorcardiography (VCG) and non-invasive body surface electrocardiographic mapping using the Verathon Heartscape system (developed by Medtronic)

    Time frame: The outcome measure will be assessed during the CRT implantation procedure (the total procedure time will increase 45 to 60 minutes).

07

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
  • Maastricht University Medical Center
    Maastricht, Limburg 6229 HX, Netherlands
    Recruiting
    • Floor Salden, MD · Contactfloor.salden@mumc.nl · +31-43-3884520
    • Frits Prinzen, PhD · Sub investigator
    • Floor Salden, MD · Sub investigator
    • Kevin Vernooy, MD, PhD · Principal investigator
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References and documents

Publications

  • Cleland JG, Daubert JC, Erdmann E, Freemantle N, Gras D, Kappenberger L, Tavazzi L; Cardiac Resynchronization-Heart Failure (CARE-HF) Study Investigators. The effect of cardiac resynchronization on morbidity and mortality in heart failure. N Engl J Med. 2005 Apr 14;352(15):1539-49. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa050496. Epub 2005 Mar 7. PubMed 15753115 ↗
  • Abraham WT, Fisher WG, Smith AL, Delurgio DB, Leon AR, Loh E, Kocovic DZ, Packer M, Clavell AL, Hayes DL, Ellestad M, Trupp RJ, Underwood J, Pickering F, Truex C, McAtee P, Messenger J; MIRACLE Study Group. Multicenter InSync Randomized Clinical Evaluation. Cardiac resynchronization in chronic heart failure. N Engl J Med. 2002 Jun 13;346(24):1845-53. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa013168. PubMed 12063368 ↗
  • Mills RW, Cornelussen RN, Mulligan LJ, Strik M, Rademakers LM, Skadsberg ND, van Hunnik A, Kuiper M, Lampert A, Delhaas T, Prinzen FW. Left ventricular septal and left ventricular apical pacing chronically maintain cardiac contractile coordination, pump function and efficiency. Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol. 2009 Oct;2(5):571-9. doi: 10.1161/CIRCEP.109.882910. Epub 2009 Aug 25. Erratum In: Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol. 2009 Dec;2(6):e47-8. PubMed 19843926 ↗
  • Mafi-Rad M, Luermans JG, Blaauw Y, Janssen M, Crijns HJ, Prinzen FW, Vernooy K. Feasibility and Acute Hemodynamic Effect of Left Ventricular Septal Pacing by Transvenous Approach Through the Interventricular Septum. Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol. 2016 Mar;9(3):e003344. doi: 10.1161/CIRCEP.115.003344. PubMed 26888445 ↗
  • Strik M, Rademakers LM, van Deursen CJ, van Hunnik A, Kuiper M, Klersy C, Auricchio A, Prinzen FW. Endocardial left ventricular pacing improves cardiac resynchronization therapy in chronic asynchronous infarction and heart failure models. Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol. 2012 Feb;5(1):191-200. doi: 10.1161/CIRCEP.111.965814. Epub 2011 Nov 7. PubMed 22062796 ↗
  • Strik M, van Deursen CJ, van Middendorp LB, van Hunnik A, Kuiper M, Auricchio A, Prinzen FW. Transseptal conduction as an important determinant for cardiac resynchronization therapy, as revealed by extensive electrical mapping in the dyssynchronous canine heart. Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol. 2013 Aug;6(4):682-9. doi: 10.1161/CIRCEP.111.000028. Epub 2013 Jul 19. PubMed 23873141 ↗
  • Singh JP, Fan D, Heist EK, Alabiad CR, Taub C, Reddy V, Mansour M, Picard MH, Ruskin JN, Mela T. Left ventricular lead electrical delay predicts response to cardiac resynchronization therapy. Heart Rhythm. 2006 Nov;3(11):1285-92. doi: 10.1016/j.hrthm.2006.07.034. Epub 2006 Aug 10. Erratum In: Heart Rhythm. 2006 Dec;3(12):1515. PubMed 17074633 ↗
  • Kors JA, van Herpen G, Sittig AC, van Bemmel JH. Reconstruction of the Frank vectorcardiogram from standard electrocardiographic leads: diagnostic comparison of different methods. Eur Heart J. 1990 Dec;11(12):1083-92. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.eurheartj.a059647. PubMed 2292255 ↗
  • Man S, Algra AM, Schreurs CA, Borleffs CJ, Scherptong RW, van Erven L, van der Wall EE, Cannegieter SC, Schalij MJ, Swenne CA. Influence of the vectorcardiogram synthesis matrix on the power of the electrocardiogram-derived spatial QRS-T angle to predict arrhythmias in patients with ischemic heart disease and systolic left ventricular dysfunction. J Electrocardiol. 2011 Jul-Aug;44(4):410-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jelectrocard.2011.04.007. PubMed 21704219 ↗
  • Schreurs CA, Algra AM, Man SC, Cannegieter SC, van der Wall EE, Schalij MJ, Kors JA, Swenne CA. The spatial QRS-T angle in the Frank vectorcardiogram: accuracy of estimates derived from the 12-lead electrocardiogram. J Electrocardiol. 2010 Jul-Aug;43(4):294-301. doi: 10.1016/j.jelectrocard.2010.03.009. Epub 2010 Apr 24. PubMed 20417936 ↗
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Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Feb 12, 2018, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT03415945
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Jan 30, 2018
Start date
Nov 23, 2017
Primary completion
May 23, 2019 (estimated)
Completion
May 23, 2020 (estimated)
Last update
Feb 12, 2018

Study contacts

Floor Salden, MD
Contact
floor.salden@mumc.nl
+31-43-3884520
Kevin Vernooy, MD, PhD
principal investigator · Maastricht University Medical Centre

Oversight

FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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