COPIA FeasibilityTrial
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Comparison between Propofol and Inhalational Anaesthetic Agents (COPIA) on Cardiovascular Outcomes following Cardiac Surgery - a Randomised Controlled Feasibility Trial
IRAS ID
216646
Contact name
Gudrun Kunst
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Kings College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Eudract number
2019-000171-16
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
The most common cause of death in the world is heart vessel disease with about 9.4 million deaths globally. Treatment of the severe form of this condition is with bypass graft heart surgery and about 20,000 of these procedures are performed yearly in the UK. These operations are successful for most patients, but for every hundred operations about 3-4 people die in the year after surgery. As an increasing number of older and frailer patients are undergoing heart surgery, possible risks such as heart damage, kidney damage and stroke are increasing. Therefore, new treatment strategies to improve health outcomes in these high-risk individuals undergoing bypass surgery have the potential to improve health and wellbeing.
All patients undergoing heart bypass surgery are given anaesthetics during the operation. There are two types of anaesthetic commonly given to patients undergoing heart bypass surgery. Propofol is an anaesthetic that is delivered into the patient’s vein using a drip. Other anaesthetics which are inhaled include Isoflurane, Sevoflurane and Desflurane and these are called volatile anaesthetics
Preliminary studies over the past ten years suggests that maintenance of general anaesthesia using only volatile anaesthetics has the potential to improve health outcomes after bypass surgery, when compared with propofol. Volatile anaesthetics have been shown to protect the heart, the kidneys and the brain, however results of studies have been inconclusive. Currently both volatile anaesthetics and propofol are used equally in clinical practice in the UK.
The objective of this research proposal is to find out whether comparing the two different anaesthetic maintenance techniques in adult patients undergoing heart surgery is practical for the anaesthetist treating the patients and whether it is feasible for the research team to recruit patients and follow them up after the operation.
If this feasibility study is successful, a full trial will be developed to investigate whether the anaesthetic gas technique is beneficial.REC name
London - Chelsea Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/LO/1071
Date of REC Opinion
2 Aug 2019
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion