Does CT-derived fractional flow reserve help reduce healthcare costs and improve patient care in a real-world setting?

ISRCTN ISRCTN57392292
DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN57392292
IRAS number 285996
Secondary identifying numbers IRAS 285996, CPMS 46652
Submission date
22/06/2022
Registration date
29/07/2022
Last edited
09/08/2023
Recruitment status
No longer recruiting
Overall study status
Completed
Condition category
Circulatory System
Prospectively registered
Protocol
Statistical analysis plan
Results
Individual participant data
Record updated in last year

Plain English summary of protocol

Background and study aims
Coronary artery disease (CAD) remains the major cause of heart-related deaths and overall deaths in the United Kingdom. Angina is a symptom of chest pains that is a warning of the presence of CAD. In order to investigate patients with possible angina, doctors can perform a CT coronary angiogram (CTCA) that looks to identify CAD. Whilst CTCA is excellent at detecting CAD it cannot determine whether this is causing the patient's symptoms. A new technology, CT-derived fractional flow reserve (FFRCT), was introduced by NHS England in 2018 to help identify the patients with significant CAD that is causing angina. This study aims to look at the patients who had FFRCT and compare them to patients who didn’t have this test to determine whether the new technology has been useful. The researchers will assess its impact on the length of the patient journey, the number of tests the patients required and whether there was any difference in heart attack and death rates.

Who can participate?
Patients aged 18 years and over who underwent a CTCA as part of an investigation for CAD between 2017 and 2020 at participating sites

What does the study involve?
A retrospective analysis of data captured from NHS digital’s datasets.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
There are no specific benefits to the participants involved as their care will have already occurred and this is a retrospective observational study. The benefits are establishing the potential benefit of this technology in the NHS.

Where is the study run from?
Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital (UK)

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
January 2019 to August 2023

Who is funding the study?
Medical Research Council (UK)

Who is the main contact?
Dr Tim Fairbairn, Timothy.Fairbairn@lhch.nhs.uk

Contact information

Dr Tim Fairbairn
Principal Investigator

Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital
Thomas Drive
Liverpool
L14 3PE
United Kingdom

Phone +44 (0)151 600 1477
Email timothy.fairbairn@lhch.nhs.uk

Study information

Study designPragmatic ‘real world’ multi-centre retrospective observational analytic cohort study
Primary study designObservational
Secondary study designCase-control study
Study setting(s)Hospital
Study typeDiagnostic
Participant information sheet 41963_PIS_V1_Dec20.pdf
Scientific titleCT-derived fractional flow reserve in stable heart disease and coronary computed tomography angiography helps improve patient care and societal costs
Study acronymFISH and CHIPS
Study objectivesTo determine whether a coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) and CT-derived fractional flow reserve (FFRCT) diagnostic pathway reduces health-related events, time to diagnosis and overall healthcare costs compared to a ‘standard of care’ CCTA diagnostic chest pain pathway.
Ethics approval(s)Approved 24/02/2021, North West - Liverpool Central Research Ethics Committee (3rd Floor, Barlow House, 4 Minshull Street, Manchester, M1 3DZ, UK; +44 (0)2071048118, +44 (0)2071048035, +44 (0)2071048016; liverpoolcentral.rec@hra.nhs.uk), ref: 20/NW/0430
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studiedCardiovascular disease
InterventionParticipants will include all individuals who had a CCTA performed at an institute participating in NHS England’s Innovation and Technology Payment (ITP) programme during 2018-2020. All CCTA 12 months prior to and up to 24 months following the start of an FFRCT programme (total study period 36 months) will be assessed. The cohort from this population that received an FFRCT will be separately identified.

Patients will be followed up at 90 days, 12 months and a minimum of 24 months post CCTA for the pre-defined primary and secondary endpoints.
Intervention typeOther
Primary outcome measureCollected from NHS digital’s datasets for 90 days, 12 months and a minimum of 24 months follow-up post CCTA:
1. MI event rate, hospitalization for acute coronary syndrome, MI deaths and all-cause death
2. Downstream testing: numbers of non-invasive functional tests, and invasive coronary angiograms without revascularisation performed following the index FFRCT
3. Cost analysis: total cost to the NHS of the index test and all downstream investigations and hospital admissions
Secondary outcome measuresCollected from NHS digital’s datasets for 90 days, 12 months and a minimum of 24 months follow-up post CCTA:
1. Time to diagnosis - trust referral to treatment (RTT) time
2. Qualitative assessment of the impact of the FFRCT health technology
Overall study start date01/01/2019
Completion date01/08/2023

Eligibility

Participant type(s)Patient, Population
Age groupAdult
Lower age limit18 Years
SexBoth
Target number of participants100000
Key inclusion criteria1. Age ≥18 years
2. CCTA for the assessment of coronary artery disease (CAD)
Key exclusion criteria1. Age <18 years
2. Coronary artery calcium scoring alone
3. CCTA in addition to a second CT investigation for a non-coronary indication (CT transcatheter aortic valve implantation [TAVI], CT aorta)
4. Previous CCTA within 6 months
5. Prior coronary artery bypass graft (CABG)/myocardial infarction (MI)
6. Entry into a separate FFRCT research study during the study timeframe
Date of first enrolment01/03/2022
Date of final enrolment22/06/2022

Locations

Countries of recruitment

  • England
  • United Kingdom

Study participating centre

Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital
Thomas Drive
Liverpool
L14 3PE
United Kingdom

Sponsor information

Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital
Hospital/treatment centre

Thomas Drive
Liverpool
L14 3PE
England
United Kingdom

Phone +44 (0)151 600 1000
Email jennifer.crooks@lhch.nhs.uk
Website http://www.lhch.nhs.uk/About-Us/
ROR logo "ROR" https://ror.org/000849h34

Funders

Funder type

Research council

Medical Research Council
Government organisation / National government
Alternative name(s)
Medical Research Council (United Kingdom), UK Medical Research Council, MRC
Location
United Kingdom

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date26/08/2023
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to shareNo
IPD sharing plan summaryNot expected to be made available
Publication and dissemination planResults will be submitted for peer review with presentation and publication in high-impact peer-reviewed journals
IPD sharing planParticipant-level data will not be shared as per the Data Access Request Service (DARS) agreement

Study outputs

Output type Details Date created Date added Peer reviewed? Patient-facing?
Participant information sheet version 1 01/12/2020 30/06/2022 No Yes
Protocol file version 2 01/06/2022 30/06/2022 No No
HRA research summary 28/06/2023 No No

Additional files

41963_PROTOCOL_V2_Jun22.pdf
41963_PIS_V1_Dec20.pdf

Editorial Notes

09/08/2023: The following changes were made to the trial record:
1. The participant type 'Population' was added.
2. The intention to publish date was changed from 01/02/2023 to 26/08/2023.
04/08/2022: Internal review.
29/07/2022: Internal review.
30/06/2022: Trial's existence confirmed by the HRA.