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Routine Versus As-Needed Stress Testing in Asymptomatic Patients With High-Risk Coronary Calcium

Not Applicable
Recruiting
Conditions
Coronary Atherosclerosis Due to Calcified Coronary Lesion
Interventions
Diagnostic Test: Medical treatment without further testing
Diagnostic Test: Non-invasive stress test
Registration Number
NCT05796739
Lead Sponsor
Samsung Medical Center
Brief Summary

The purpose of the SMART-EXAM (SMart Angioplasty Research Team-Pragmatic Randomized Trial for Comparing Routine versus As-Needed EXercise or Pharmacologic Stress Testing in Asymptomatic Patients with High-Risk Coronary CalciuM) trial is to compare the major adverse cardiovascular events between routine stress testing and as-needed stress testing in asymptomatic patients with high-risk coronary calcium (Agatston Score ≥ 400) without proven ASCVD.

Detailed Description

The coronary artery calcium (CAC) scan, a marker of subclinical coronary atherosclerosis, has become popular for individuals at risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. CAC is strongly associated with atherosclerotic burden and predicts coronary heart disease events and mortality, regardless of their age, sex, race, or atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk. Furthermore, the progression of CAC is associated with an increased risk for future hard and total coronary heart disease events. The use of CAC scoring was associated with significant improvements in the reclassification and discrimination of incident ASCVD. Nevertheless, the current guidelines recommend CAC measurement for selected cases only with borderline or intermediate risk of ASCVD. However, in real-world practice, CAC testing is increasingly being promoted to the public as a means of self-assessment of cardiovascular risk and is widely being used regardless of ASCVD risk.

Non-invasive stress testing is often recommended to exclude potentially dangerous coronary artery disease. However, stress testing in asymptomatic individuals has low sensitivity and specificity.9 Although the 2019 Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease Guidelines do not comment on functional or invasive testing in asymptomatic individuals with a high CAC score, the 2009 Appropriate Use Criteria for Cardiac Radionuclide Imaging report gives a level A recommendation for obtaining a stress test in asymptomatic individuals with CAC score ≥400.10 In addition, the 2013 update of the 2009 document also considers stress imaging appropriate for patients with CAC score \>100. However, there have been no large randomized controlled trials or observational studies that have evaluated the utility of functional or invasive testing in asymptomatic individuals free of ASCVD with high CAC scores. Theoretically, early detection and revascularization of ischemia producing lesions in asymptomatic patients with high-risk coronary calcification without proven ASCVD might reduce the future risk of major adverse cardiovascular events.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
RECRUITING
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
3000
Inclusion Criteria
  • Subject must be at least 19 years of age. ② Asymptomatic patients with high-risk coronary calcium (Agatston Score ≥ 400)
Exclusion Criteria
  • Documentation of objective evidence of inducible ischemia before enrollment

    • Presence of significant coronary artery stenosis (≥ 70% diameter stenosis) confirmed by coronary angiography or coronary computed tomography angiography before enrollment

      • History of coronary revascularization procedure ④ Pregnancy or breast feeding ⑤ Non-cardiac co-morbid conditions are present with life expectancy <1 year or that may result in protocol non-compliance (per site investigator's medical judgment) ⑥ Unwillingness or inability to comply with the procedures described in this protocol.

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
As-needed stress testingMedical treatment without further testingIn this group, optimal medical treatment will be performed by current guidelines without further testing. A stress test will be performed only when new symptoms (exertional chest pain or dyspnea) occur that may clinically suggest significant coronary artery disease.
Routine stress testingNon-invasive stress testIn this group, the preselected functional stress testing (exercise electrocardiography, stress echocardiography, nuclear imaging, or stress cardiac magnetic resonance imaging) will be performed within three months (± 2 months) according to the practice pattern of each participating center.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular eventsup to 4.5 years of median follow-up

a composite of death from cardiovascular causes, myocardial infarction, unplanned hospitalization leading to an urgent revascularization procedure, or heart failure hospitalization

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
total medical costup to 4.5 years of median follow-up

total medical cost

heart failure hospitalizationup to 4.5 years of median follow-up

heart failure hospitalization

strokeup to 4.5 years of median follow-up

stroke

myocardial infarctionup to 4.5 years of median follow-up

myocardial infarction

performing revascularization procedureup to 4.5 years of median follow-up

performing revascularization procedure

performing invasive coronary angiography procedureup to 4.5 years of median follow-up

performing invasive coronary angiography procedure

bleedingup to 4.5 years of median follow-up

Bleeding Academic Research Consortium type 2-5

cardiovascular deathup to 4.5 years of median follow-up

death from cardiovascular causes

unplanned hospitalization leading to an urgent revascularization procedureup to 4.5 years of median follow-up

unplanned hospitalization leading to an urgent revascularization procedure

all-cause deathup to 4.5 years of median follow-up

death from any causes

a composite of death from cardiovascular cause or myocardial infarctionup to 4.5 years of median follow-up

a composite of death from cardiovascular cause or myocardial infarction

any hospitalizationup to 4.5 years of median follow-up

any hospitalization

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

SamsungMedicalCenter

🇰🇷

Seoul, Korea, Republic of

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