Pathogenesis of Acute Stress Induced (Tako-tsubo) Cardiomyopathy

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Pathogenesis of Acute Stress Induced (Tako-tsubo) Cardiomyopathy: Energy Shut-Down or Intense Inflammation?

• IRAS ID

  156002

• Contact name

  Dana Dawson

• Contact email

  dana.dawson@abdn.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  University of Aberdeen

• Research summary

  Acute stress induced cardiomyopathy (Tako-tsubo syndrome, TTC) is an acute condition characterised by sudden onset of chest pain that, in most cases, mimics a heart attack. The condition can recurr and there is no treatment available for the acute disease, nor any preventative medication for recurrences. The condition proves to be much less benign than previously thought, therefore important gaps in knowledge remain to be addressed. We aim to investigate in detail the alterations of heart metabolism in acute TTC patients and to explore the type and intensity of the heart inflammation in acute TTC. Patients will undergo several tests:
  1. Blood tests which are routine for clinical care but we ask permission to use the results also for research.
  2. Blood tests which are only for research purposes, to examine the general inflammatory status/activation pathways
  3. A psychological assessment to explore the potential distinctive psychological background that could predispose these patients to developing this condition.
  After these, patients will be enrolled in only one of the 2 imaging arms below, or in both if patients wish to participate in both arms:
  A. A cardiac PET study to explore the metabolic pathways (this will use typical glucose and fatty acid tracers) and/or
  B. A cardiac MR study, which will use inflammation specific contrast for research purposes. A late gadolinium study is part of routine clinical care of these patients but we ask permission to use this information also in research.
  The bloods and the respective imaging study (A or B or both) will be repeated at 4 months.

• REC name

  North of Scotland Research Ethics Committee 1

• REC reference

  14/NS/1009

• Date of REC Opinion

  27 Jun 2014

• REC opinion

  Unfavourable Opinion