An interventional study of Guideline-Directed Medical Therapy(GDMT) and left bundle branch pacing combined with Guideline-Directed Medical Therapy(LBBP+GDMT) in Non-ischemic Cardiomyopathy, Heart Failure and Left Bundle-Branch Block, sponsored by The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University. Active, not recruiting at 6 sites in China. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 80 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-05-14.
Sponsored by The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
The present study will recruit 50 symptomatic non-ischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM) patients with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) below 35% and complete left bundle branch block (CLBBB), who have not received complete guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT). Each patient was randomized to 2 groups, GDMT or left bundle branch pacing combined with GDMT (LBBP+GDMT) as initial therapy and was followed up for 2 phases: 0-6 months (phase I), 7-18 months (phase II). The primary objective is to compare the LVEF change , syncope and malignant ventricular arrhythmias between GDMT group and LBBP+GDMT group, and to observe which strategy will significantly reduce the percentage of recommendations for an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) during phase I study. The second outcome measures including health economics, echocardiography parameters[left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVESV), left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV)], N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) level, New York Heart Association (NYHA) class, 6-minute walking distance (6MWD), quality of life score(QOL) and incidence of clinical adverse events.
Therapies currently approved to treat heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) have generally shown significant benefit on morbidity and mortality, resulting in strong recommendations in treatment guidelines. Four standard drugs classes, composed of beta-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme-inhibitor/angiotensin receptor blocker/angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor (ACE-I/ARB/ARNI), mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist (MRA) and sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitor (SGLT2i), have already been standard background therapy in HFrEF. Cardiac resynchronization therapy with pacemaker/Cardiac resynchronization therapy with defibrillation (CRT-P/CRT-D) is an established treatment to HF patients, especially in LVEF ≤35%, sinus rhythm, CLBBB with a QRS duration (QRSd) ≥150 ms, and symptoms on 3-6 months of GDMT. Both the 2021 ESC and the 2022 AHA/ACC/HFSA guidelines for HF included LVEF≤35% after 3-6 months of GDMT as a strong indication for ICD implantation in non-ischemic heart disease.
The traditional biventricular pacing (BiVP) could correct the cardiac dyssynchrony to improve clinical symptoms and reduce all-cause mortality in HF. However, almost 30%-40% of patients with successful implantation show no response and BiVP just corrects the mechanical dyssynchrony caused by LBBB not corrects the LBBB. His Purkinje conduction system pacing (HPCSP) technology has made significant progress in recent five years. His bundle pacing (HBP) and left bundle branch pacing(LBBP) can correct LBBB and achieve physiological cardiac resynchronization only by ordinary single-chamber or dual-chamber pacemaker. LBBP has been reported to produce stable pacing thresholds, adequately sensed R-wave amplitude, and higher likelihood to correct LBBB by pacing more distal to the site of conduction block compared with HBP. The feasibility and efficacy of LBBP for CRT in HF patients with LBBB was demonstrated by previous observational studies showing that LBBP-CRT achieves a narrower QRSd, higher percentage of super responders, and lower pacing thresholds than BiVP-CRT. The LBBP-RESYNC study showed that LBBP-CRT demonstrated greater LVEF improvement than BiVP-CRT in HF patients with NICM and LBBB.
It remains unclear as to the following questions: 1. After 3-6 months of GDMT, what is the percentage of patients with LVEFs improvement from ≤35% to >35% in HFrEF patients with NICM and CLBBB, and what are the absolute values of the increase in LVEFs; 2. How is the long-term prognosis of those patients with LVEF increased to >35% after GDMT. Whether these patients still need an ICD/CRT-D since they do not fall within the recommendations for primary prevention of sudden cardiac death (SCD); 3. What are the differences of LVEFs changes if LBBP is added to the medical treatment at the beginning.
There are to date no randomized studies comparing GDMT and LBBP combined with GDMT (LBBP+GDMT) as the initial therapy in HFrEF patients with NICM and CLBBB. The purpose of this study is to compare the therapeutic effects of LBBP+GDMT and GDMT on LV function and clinical endpoints in such patients. The present study will randomize about 50 patients in multiple centres to LBBP+GDMT group or GDMT group.
The study is divided into two phases:
Phase I (0-6 months) : Patients are randomly assigned to either the drug therapy group (GDMT group) or the experimental group (LBBP+GDMT group). In GDMT group at 3-month follow-up, CRT-P/CRT-D will be implanted if LVEF is still ≤35% with absolute increase \<5% from baseline or ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation (VT/VF) events are recorded; otherwise, GDMT will be continued when LVEF >35% or LVEF≤35% but absolute increase >5% from baseline and no VT/VF event is observed. Patients in LBBP+GDMT group are directly treated with LBBP and GDMT after enrollment. The proportions of patients with LVEF ≤35% or VT/VF events in LBBP+GDMT group are assessed at 3-month and 6-month. The percentages of patients with LVEF ≤35% or VT/VF events in GDMT group are also assessed after 3 and 6 months as well.
Phase II (7-18 months): Patients in each group are followed up regularly (every 3-6 months, with mandatory at 12 and 18 months, with additional as appropriate) to assess the need for CRT-P/CRT-D/ICD when EF decreasing to ≤35%, syncope, or VT/VF events occurred.
6,331 studies on the registry are indexed under Heart Failure; 1,396 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 50 is below the median of 76 across 4,049 interventional studies indexed under Heart Failure.
Browse Heart Failure studies →The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University is the lead sponsor of 568 studies on the registry; 317 are open to participants now.
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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.
Exclusion Criteria:
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.
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.
The New York Heart Association’s four classes of how much heart failure limits physical activity.
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.
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.
The study doctor’s estimate of how long someone is likely to live. Criteria use it so that people can stay in the study long enough for it to answer its question.
Able to become pregnant: from the first period until menopause, unless permanently unable to through surgery (removal of the womb, or of both ovaries or both fallopian tubes).
Criteria for people of childbearing potential usually ask for a negative pregnancy test and for contraception during the study and for a time after it.
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.
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.
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.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
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.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Life expectancy
The study doctor’s estimate of how long someone is likely to live. Criteria use it so that people can stay in the study long enough for it to answer its question.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Childbearing potential
Able to become pregnant: from the first period until menopause, unless permanently unable to through surgery (removal of the womb, or of both ovaries or both fallopian tubes).
Criteria for people of childbearing potential usually ask for a negative pregnancy test and for contraception during the study and for a time after it.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
With the current guidelines of recommended therapies for HF, each patient who meets the inclusion criteria should begin being on all 4 drug classes after enrollment, including a beta-blocker (BB), a RAS inhibitor (ACEI, ARB) or ARNI (preferred), an MRA, and an SGLT2i. The appeal drugs should be gradually uptitrated to the maximum tolerated dose within the first 3-6 months. Ivabradine will be added to the patients whose resting heart rates remain above 70 beats per minute (bpm) after adequate medical treatment, including a BB at maximum tolerated dose.
Drug: Guideline-Directed Medical Therapy(GDMT)
In this arm, medications are the same as the GDMT group. The LBBP lead is introduced into the right ventricle (RV) and is placed on the right side of the interventricular septum (IVS). The lead is advanced deeply into the IVS until reaching the LV septal subendocardium and right bundle branch block (RBBB) morphology of the paced QRS complex is observed in electrocardiogram (ECG) lead V1. If LBBP fails, his bundle pacing (HBP) should be considered when HBP could correct LBBB. If both of LBBP and HBP fail, conventional BiVP-CRT could be the last option.
Combination Product: left bundle branch pacing combined with Guideline-Directed Medical Therapy(LBBP+GDMT)
Quadruple anti-heart failure drug therapy: BB, ACEI/ARB/ARNI, MRA, and SGLT2i. If the initial dose according to guidelines is tolerated, the protocol would then direct the uptitration of medication dose over time to a specified target dose, unless not well tolerated. \*Criteria for \<3 months of optimized (complete) GDMT: 1) according to the latest management of HF, any of the "new quadruple therapy" is not used if the condition allowed; Or 2) the dose of any drug dose not reach the maximum tolerated target; Or 3) under the maximum tolerated dose of BB, ivabradine is not added with a heart rate still ≥70 bpm at rest.
Also known as: Optimal Medical Therapy(OMT)
GDMT is the same as Drug intervention. LBBP is confirmed when: 1) the LBBB morphology disappeared and the paced RBBB pattern (typical or atypical) is observed in V1; and 2) LVAT is ≤100 ms at low output(≤3 V/0.5 ms); and at least 1 of the following is achieved: a) abrupt shortening of LVAT by \>10 ms during mid/deep septal lead placement with a RBBB pattern in V1 at high output, which then remains short and constant at high and low output with further advancement of the lead to the final position; b) transition from nonselective to selective LBBP (QRS morphology transition from atypical RBBB to typical rsR' pattern in V1 and wide/large S-wave in V6 , with the appearance of an isoelectric segment and no LVAT change at high and low outputs); and c) transition from nonselective LBBP to LV septal pacing (lengthening of LVAT by at least 10 ms with or without obvious QRS morphology transition during threshold testing). HBP or BiVP is attempted using the standard-of-care technique.
Proportion of patients requiring ICD implantation for prevention of sudden cardiac death(SCD)
After treatment with two strategies(GDMT, LBBP+GDMT), the percentages of LVEF still ≤35% and/or ventricular arrhythmia events was assessed in both groups. That is, the percentage of patients who are eligible for primary/secondary prevention ICD implantation.
Time frame: 6-month follow-up
Health economics
The cost of the two treatment strategies were evaluated comprehensively, including each inpatient, outpatient and unplanned follow-up
Time frame: 3-month, 6-month, 12-month, and 18-month follow-up
Changes in LVEF
LVEF is assessed by echocardiography (Simpson's rule) and compared between the baseline and follow-up.
Time frame: Baseline; 3-month, 6-month, 12-month, and 18-month follow-up
Changes in LVESV
LVESV is assessed by echocardiography (Simpson's rule) and compared between the baseline and follow-up.
Time frame: Baseline; 3-month, 6-month, 12-month, and 18-month follow-up
Changes in LVEDV
LVEDV is assessed by echocardiography (Simpson's rule) and compared between the baseline and follow-up.
Time frame: Baseline; 3-month, 6-month, 12-month, and 18-month follow-up
Changes in concentration of NT-proBNP in blood between baseline and follow-up
Blood test is performed at each time frame to determine the concentration of NT-proBNP(unit: pg/mL)
Time frame: Baseline; 3-month, 6-month, 12-month, and 18-month follow-up
Changes in New York Heart Association Heart Function Classification between baseline and follow-up
The higher the classification, the more severe the heart failure symptoms(four levels: I, II, III and IV)
Time frame: Baseline; 3-month, 6-month, 12-month, and 18-month follow-up
Change in Quality Of Life Questionnaire score between baseline and follow-up
Reflect the effect of heart failure on quality of life, and higher scores represent a worse outcome
Time frame: Baseline; 3-month, 6-month, 12-month, and 18-month follow-up
Incidence of clinical adverse events
Including date and number of all-cause mortality, heart failure hospitalization, cardiovascular hospitalization and malignant ventricular arrhythmia
Time frame: Baseline; 3-month, 6-month, 12-month, and 18-month follow-up
Plan to share: No
Started Oct 2022 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Oct 2027, 60 months after the start.
Of 1,118 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Heart Failure, half reached primary completion within 29 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 16 and three quarters within 50. This study's planned 60 months is above that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 1,354 studies reached it within 31 months; a quarter within 16 and three quarters within 52.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
This study is active, not recruiting, as verified in May 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University →