PIVSD HES Data
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A pilot study to evaluate the incidence, distribution and referral pathways for Post Infarction Ventricular Septal Defect in England using NHS Hospital Episode Statistics
IRAS ID
364032
Contact name
Joel Giblett
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 23 days
Research summary
A post-infarct ventricular septal defect (PIVSD) is rare complication of a heart attack in which there is a tear between the two main pumping chambers of the heart. This causes severe heart failure and carries a high risk of death. Because it is uncommon, there is very limited data on how often this occurs, to which hospitals patients first arrive, and whether they are all transferred to specialist centres. It also not clearly what proportion get lifesaving surgical treatment.
This project will aim to answer four questions for patients in England:
1. How many people develop PIVSD each year?
2. Where do they first present and how often are they moved through the system to heart surgery centres?
3. What treatments are used and how long do patients wait?
4. What are short-term outcomes (for example, survival in hospital and at 30 days)?We will use existing NHS data: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) and linked death records from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The data the researchers will see will not allow individual patients to be identified. It will be accessed, analysed and stored only inside the NHS England Secure Data Environment, which has strict safeguards. We will not contact any patients, and no decisions about individual care are involved.
The study findings will provide a picture of the current landscape in England including how frequently the condition occurs. This will help us to decide the next steps in research such as future clinical trials to improve care for patients with PIVSD.
REC name
North of Scotland Research Ethics Committee 2
REC reference
25/NS/0144
Date of REC Opinion
21 Nov 2025
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion