Catheter-directed thrombolysis in patients with acute pulmonary embolism

ISRCTN ISRCTN22121045
DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN22121045
Secondary identifying numbers EK-VP/49/0/2019
Submission date
30/01/2022
Registration date
31/01/2022
Last edited
08/06/2022
Recruitment status
No longer recruiting
Overall study status
Completed
Condition category
Circulatory System
Prospectively registered
Protocol
Statistical analysis plan
Results
Individual participant data

Plain English summary of protocol

Background and study aims
Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is a common and life-threatening disease. It occurs when a blood clot gets lodged in an artery in the lung, blocking blood flow to part of the lung. Patients with intermediate- to high-risk acute PE have an increased risk of early death. Based on the current treatment recommendations, systemic thrombolysis (treatment to dissolve blood clots) is not recommended in these patients because of the increased risk of severe bleeding complications (including bleeding in the brain), so anticoagulation treatment (medicines that help prevent blood clots) have been the mainstay of treatment over the last decades. The aim of this study is to compare catheter-directed local thrombolysis to standard anticoagulation treatment in patients with intermediate to high-risk acute PE. Catheter-directed thrombolysis uses x-ray imaging to help guide medication to the site of a blood clot and dissolve it.

Who can participate?
Patients aged over 18 years with acute pulmonary embolism.

What does the study involve?
Participants are randomly allocated to undergo catheter-directed treatment or standard anticoagulation treatment. All participants will undergo CT scans, first as a standard diagnostic procedure and a second at 48 hours after random allocation.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
The study will provide information about the effectiveness and safety of catheter-directed local thrombolysis in patients with intermediate to high-risk acute PE. There is a small risk of bleeding complications taking into account invasive procedures and the use of a small dose of antithrombotic drugs.

Where is the study run from?
University Hospital Kralovske Vinohrady, Prague (Czech Republic)

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
September 2019 to May 2021

Who is funding the study?
1. University Hospital Kralovske Vinohrady (Czech Republic)
2. Charles University in Prague (Czech Republic)

Who is the main contact?
Josef Kroupa
mudr.kroupa@gmail.com or josef.kroupa@fnkv.cz

Contact information

Mr Josef Kroupa
Public

Srobarova 1150/50
Prague
10034
Czech Republic

ORCiD logoORCID ID 0000-0002-5644-0449
Phone +420 (0)267162701
Email josef.kroupa@fnkv.cz

Study information

Study designSingle tertiary care centre investigator-initiated randomized interventional study
Primary study designInterventional
Secondary study designRandomised controlled trial
Study setting(s)Hospital
Study typeTreatment
Participant information sheet Not available in web format, please use the contact details to request a participant information sheet
Scientific titleCatheter-directed thrombolysis in patients with intermediate-high risk acute pulmonary embolism: a randomized pilot study
Study objectivesCatheter-directed local thrombolysis in patients with intermediate-high risk acute pulmonary embolism improves right ventricle function more effectively in comparison to standard anticoagulation therapy without an increased risk of severe bleeding complications.
Ethics approval(s)Approved 04/09/2019, University Hospital Kralovske Vinohrady Ethics Committee (Srobarova 1150/50, 100 34 Prague, Czech Republic; +420 (0)267 16 2272; eticka.komise@fnkv.cz), ref: EK-VP/49/0/2019
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studiedAcute pulmonary embolism
InterventionStudy participants with CT angiographically (CTA) verified acute pulmonary embolism are randomized using the envelope method into two groups - catheter-directed local thrombolysis (CDT group - interventional) and standard anticoagulation therapy (standard care group). Patients randomized into the CDT group will undergo the interventional procedure catheter-directed local thrombolysis using two thrombolytic catheters placed in each of the right and left interlobar pulmonary arteries with a short overlap in the main pulmonary artery. Subsequent continuous infusion of alteplase at 1 mg/h/catheter will be initiated for 10 h (total dose 20 mg). After the end of local thrombolysis, the catheters will be removed and standard anticoagulation therapy will be continued. Patients randomized into the standard care group will continue standard anticoagulation therapy. All patients will undergo a second CTA at 48 h after randomization. Follow-up periods in-hospital, discharge, 30 days.
Intervention typeProcedure/Surgery
Primary outcome measure1. Effectiveness of CDT, defined as improved right ventricle function (at least two of the following criteria are met):
1.1. Reduction of the RV/LV ratio by 25% between admission and 48 h post-randomization, as revealed by CTA
1.2. Reduction of the systolic pulmonary artery pressure (sPAP) by 30% from baseline or attainment of normotension (≤35 mmHg sPAP), as revealed by echocardiography at 24 h post-randomization
1.3. Reduction of the Qanadli score by 30% between admission and 48 h post-randomisation, as revealed by CTA
2. Safety of CDT, defined as the absence of intracranial or life-threatening bleeding according to the Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) classification (i.e., type 5 or 3c bleeding) within 72 h post-randomisation
Secondary outcome measures1. Technical success of catheter-directed treatment, defined as successful catheter placement followed by continuous infusion of alteplase at the time of the procedure
2. All bleeding complications scored by Bleeding Academic Research Consortium classification during hospitalization
3. Hemodynamic instability, defined as cardiac arrest or persistent hypotension (systolic blood pressure <90 mmHg or blood pressure drop ≥40 mmHg, either lasting >15 minutes, not caused by hypovolaemia, sepsis, or arrhythmia), recorded during hospitalization
4. Length of hospitalization collected from medical records during hospitalization
5. In-hospital mortality collected from medical records during hospitalization
Overall study start date04/09/2019
Completion date31/05/2021

Eligibility

Participant type(s)Patient
Age groupAdult
Lower age limit18 Years
SexBoth
Target number of participants45
Total final enrolment28
Key inclusion criteria1. Aged >18 years
2. Computed tomography angiography (CTA)-verified proximal* PE and symptom onset <14 days prior
3. Intermediate-high risk PE with a SPESI score ≥1 and RV dysfunction** and an elevated biomarker *** (hs-troponin or NT-proBNP) level

* A perfusion defect in at least one main or one lobar pulmonary artery evident on CTA
** RV/LV ratio ≥0.9 on transthoracic echocardiography or CTA
*** hs-troponin I (TnI) >53 ng/l (men) or >34 ng/l (women); NT-proBNP level >600 pg/ml
Key exclusion criteria1. Active clinically significant bleeding
2. Any hemorrhagic stroke OR a recent (< 6 months) ischaemic stroke/transient ischaemic attack
3. Recent (<3 months) cranial trauma OR another active intracranial/intraspinal process
4. Major surgery within 7 days prior
5. RV/LV ratio <0.7 on transthoracic echocardiography or CTA
6. Active malignancy or other severe illness with expected survival <2 years
7. Haemoglobin level <80 g/l; international normalised ratio >2.0, platelet count ≤100 x 10e9; creatinine level >200 µmol/l
8. Pregnant or breastfeeding, fertility without previous exclusion of gravidity
9. Allergic to thrombolytics or heparin or low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH), contrast allergy, a history of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia
10. Participation in another clinical trial
Date of first enrolment01/11/2019
Date of final enrolment30/04/2021

Locations

Countries of recruitment

  • Czech Republic

Study participating centre

University Hospital Kralovske Vinohrady
Srobarova 1150/50
Prague
10034
Czech Republic

Sponsor information

Fakultní nemocnice Královské Vinohrady
Hospital/treatment centre

Srobarova 1150/50
Prague
10034
Czech Republic

Phone +420 (0)267162621
Email kardsekr@fnkv.cz
Website http://www.fnkv.cz/
ROR logo "ROR" https://ror.org/04sg4ka71

Funders

Funder type

University/education

Univerzita Karlova v Praze
Government organisation / Universities (academic only)
Alternative name(s)
Charles University, Charles University in Prague, Univerzita Karlova, Karls-Universität zu Prag, UK
Location
Czech Republic

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date01/02/2022
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to shareYes
IPD sharing plan summaryAvailable on request
Publication and dissemination planPlanned publication in a peer-reviewed journal. Additional documents are not available.
IPD sharing planParticipant level data will be available upon request to principal investigator Josef Kroupa (mudr.kroupa@gmail.com). Data are already available, will be available for 5 years, and are anonymized. Participant consent was not obtained for sharing other data.

Study outputs

Output type Details Date created Date added Peer reviewed? Patient-facing?
Results article 27/05/2022 08/06/2022 Yes No

Editorial Notes

08/06/2022: Publication reference added.
31/01/2022: Trial's existence confirmed by the Multicentric Ethics Committee of The University Hospital Kralovske Vinohrady.