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Perioperative Interdisciplinary, Intersectoral Process Optimization in Heart Failure

Not Applicable
Recruiting
Conditions
Heart Failure
Interventions
Other: Interdisciplinary decision-making for perioperative care
Registration Number
NCT06381427
Lead Sponsor
University of Giessen
Brief Summary

Chronic heart failure affects up to three million people in Germany, with prevalence increasing with age. It is a leading cause of cardiovascular disease-related deaths. Patients with heart failure undergoing non-cardiac surgery face higher risks of complications and death compared to those with coronary artery disease. Despite guidelines recommending comprehensive preoperative evaluation, there is no systematic risk assessment structure in place, leading to inadequate perioperative care. This study aims to evaluate a multidisciplinary approach for high-risk patients aged 65 and above, regardless of prior heart failure diagnosis, to mitigate postoperative complications. The investigators measure the NTpro BNP before surgery and include patients with NTproBNP\> 450 in this study and randomize them either to the standard care group or the intervention group.The hypothesis is that standardized risk screening and multidimensional care (Intervention group) can reduce complications in these patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery.

Detailed Description

Currently, up to three million people in Germany suffer from chronic heart failure, with prevalence increasing with age. Chronic heart failure ranks among the most common cardiovascular diseases, leading to over 50,000 deaths annually. The proportion of older patients at risk of developing or already having heart failure undergoing non-cardiac surgical procedures is also rising. Studies from the USA indicate that patients with chronic heart failure face a higher risk of cardiac complications, including death, following non-cardiac surgeries compared to those with coronary heart disease. A significant proportion of deaths after non-cardiac surgeries are due to cardiac complications. In Europe, this translates to at least 167,000 cardiac complications annually from non-cardiac surgeries, with around 19,000 being life-threatening. Recent analysis suggests that preoperative elevation of NT-proBNP, a heart failure biomarker, is associated with a significantly increased risk of cardiac complications post-surgery. While German data on this topic are lacking, anesthesia and cardiology guidelines advocate for comprehensive evaluation and risk assessment of heart failure patients before non-cardiac surgeries with medium to high operative risk. However, there's a lack of systematic structures for assessing postoperative morbidity and mortality risks in an interdisciplinary and intersectoral context. Due to workload and resource constraints, comprehensive risk assessments are often delayed until shortly before surgery, leading to inadequate peri- and postoperative care. Evidence supporting improved outcomes through preoperative optimization of heart failure patients and risk-adapted precision medicine for non-cardiac surgeries is also lacking. Consequently, this study aims to evaluate a care model providing multimodal, interdisciplinary, and intersectoral optimization for high-risk patients aged 65 and above with elevated heart failure biomarkers (NT-proBNP\>450), regardless of prior heart failure diagnosis. The null hypothesis posits that standardized risk screening and multidimensional interdisciplinary care cannot reduce postoperative complications in these high-risk patients undergoing non-cardiac surgeries.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
RECRUITING
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
1057
Inclusion Criteria
  • Age ≥ 65 years
  • Elective non-cardiac surgical operation with intermediate or high operative risk under general anesthesia or combined anesthesia (general and regional anesthesia) as per Figure 1
  • ASA (American Society of Anesthesiologists) grade ≥ II
  • Qualification for randomization: NT-proBNP ≥ 450pg/ml during routine preoperative evaluation and anesthesia consultation.
Exclusion Criteria
  • Age < 65 years
  • Cardiac surgery and cardiology interventional procedures
  • Transplantation surgery (e.g., kidney, liver, lung transplantation)
  • Kidney surgery (e.g., nephrectomy, partial nephrectomy)
  • Procedures involving cardiopulmonary bypass
  • Emergency surgery
  • Surgery under general anesthesia within the last 30 days
  • Primary use of local or regional anesthesia
  • Chronic kidney insufficiency with eGFR < 15 ml/min or dialysis-dependent kidney insufficiency
  • Surgical time < 30 minutes
  • Participation in another interventional study
  • Lack of consent
  • Limited language proficiency
  • Patient's limited or absent capacity to provide consent, as well as patients under legal guardianship

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Intervention groupInterdisciplinary decision-making for perioperative careA cardiology consultation is conducted, which includes a standardized evaluation. This includes, medical history and physical examination:ECG, Echocardiography, Determination of cardiac troponins and natriuretic peptides in the local central laboratory. The echocardiography aims to qualitatively and quantitatively describe the left and right ventricular systolic and diastolic dimensions and function, as well as the valvular apparatus, the collected findings are presented at the interdisciplinary and intersectoral preoperative medical (POM) conference. Bedside visits with the patient are also possible.During this conference, structured preoperative interdisciplinary and intersectoral case discussions take place, involving the attending outpatient physicians. The POM conference consists of Anesthesiology, Cardiologist, Treating surgeon and optimize preoperative therapy and plan further pre-, intra-, and postoperative as well as outpatient care.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
combined primary endpoint at 90 days post-operation : re-hospitalization,AKI, bacterial infection and cardiac decompensation90 days post-operation

The combined primary endpoint at 90 days post-operation consists of re-hospitalization for any reason, acute kidney injury according to KDIGO definition, any bacterial infection, and cardiac decompensation.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Incidence of re-hospitalizationat 30 and 90 days

Incidence of re-hospitalization

Incidence of any, treatable, suspected, or confirmed bacterial infectionat 30 and 90 days

Incidence of any, treatable, suspected, or confirmed bacterial infection

Incidence of cardiac decompensationat 30 and 90 days

Incidence of cardiacx decompensation including lung edema, peropheral edema, dyspnoe, pleural effusion

Mortalityat 30 and 90 days

Mortality

Quality of life assessed using GAD-7at 30 and 90 days

Quality of life assessed using Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-7 (GAD-7), score between 0 and 21, best score is 0

Incidence of Myocardial Injury after Non-Cardiac Surgery (MINS)at 30 and 90 days

Incidence of Myocardial Injury after Non-Cardiac Surgery defined as an elevated troponin level

Quality of life assessed using PHQ-9at 30 and 90 days

Quality of life assessed using Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9), score between 0 and 27, best score is 0

Incidence of acute kidney injuryat 30 and 90 days

Indicidence of acute kidney injury based on KDIGO classification, Stage 1,2,3

Incidence of myocardial infarction (STEMI, NSTEMI)at 30 and 90 days

Incidence of myocardial infarction (STEMI, NSTEMI)

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Justus Liebig University Giessen, University Hospital Giessen and Marburg

🇩🇪

Gießen, Germany

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