SCATECOPD
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Structured Cardiac Assessment and Treatment Following Exacerbations of COPD: a pilot randomised controlled trial
IRAS ID
277817
Contact name
John Steer
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
ISRCTN Number
ISRCTN26935612
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Submitted to ISRCTN - confirmation awaited., Awaited.
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 3 months, 12 days
Research summary
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common lung disease which causes breathlessness, cough and phlegm. Patients can experience episodes when their symptoms worsen, known as “flare-ups” or “exacerbations”, which may need hospital treatment. Unfortunately, in the first 3 months after being admitted to hospital, approximately 4 out of 10 patients with COPD are readmitted to hospital. These episodes disrupt patients’ lives, worsen their quality of life, and increase the risk of dying.
Patients with COPD often have heart disease, which worsens symptoms and increases the chances of dying and being admitted to hospital. Heart disease is difficult to diagnose in COPD as it causes similar symptoms. This means that heart disease is often not recognised or not treated adequately. In the short period after a flare up of COPD, patients are at a high risk of heart attacks, irregular heart rhythms and heart failure, which cause many of deaths and hospital readmissions experienced.
We will test whether carefully finding and treating heart disease in patients admitted to hospital with COPD exacerbation is beneficial. 120 patients will take part in this study. 60 patients will be randomly allocated to 'intervention group' and have detailed tests to identify and then treat heart disease. We will compare their outcomes to 60 patients who do not have this assessment.
In all 120 patients, we will record routine clinical information, simple questionnaires and breathing tests. These tests will be repeated 3 and 12 months later. The 60 patients in the intervention group will have detailed heart tests (blood tests, heart scans, and heart monitors). If we find a heart problem we will start treatment. We will compare the two groups to see if patients in the intervention group spend more time living at home during the year after they start the study.REC name
East of Scotland Research Ethics Service REC 2
REC reference
20/ES/0112
Date of REC Opinion
23 Nov 2020
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion