What the trial was testing
The trial enrolled 1,232 patients with heart failure. The study was sponsored by Mayo Clinic and tracked outcomes across the full group of patients who matched the trial's eligibility profile.
Researchers followed patients through treatment and into recovery, tracking the outcomes that mattered most for the disease being studied.
What the results showed
2.1x higher detection of pregnancy-related heart pumping problems with AI screening.
Nature Medicine · 2024 · NCT05438576
These findings — that detection of left ventricular dysfunction with AI-guided screening vs. standard care — were published in the Nature Medicine and represent the headline result of the study.
Researchers tracked outcomes across 1,232 patients enrolled in the trial. The result was consistent enough across the group that the team felt confident reporting it.
What this means for patients
For patients with heart failure, this result changes the calculus on what to ask their care team about. Whether it changes day-to-day care depends on factors like disease subtype, prior treatments, and where the patient is in their care journey.
What you can do now
AI-enabled stethoscopes are increasingly available, especially in larger health systems. The technology is FDA-cleared for some applications. Ask your obstetrician or cardiologist about access if you have heart failure symptoms during or after pregnancy — early detection saves lives.
Eligibility for the treatments mentioned above depends on specific test results and clinical history. Bring this summary, the trial name, and your most recent labs or pathology report to your next visit.
Open heart failure trials
The Prognostic Role and Diagnostic Efficacy of Exercise Right Heart Catheterization With a Simultaneous Echocardiography in Patients With Dyspnea on Exertion
To evaluate the role of exercise hemodynamic testing in the diagnostic workup for patients with dyspnea on exertion referred to the catheterization lab.
A Study to Learn More About How Well Finerenone Works, How Safe it is, and How it Moves Into, Through, and Out of the Body Compared to Placebo When Taken With Standard Treatment in Children With Heart Failure and Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction
Researchers are looking for a better way to treat children who have heart failure with left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD). Heart failure is a serious condition where the heart is unable to pump enough blood to meet the body's needs. This can lead to symptoms like shortness of breath, fatigue, and poor growth in children. The study treatment, finerenone (also called BAY94-8862), works by blocking a protein involved in inflammation, scarring, and thickening of the heart and blood vessels. This may help the heart to pump blood more effectively. This is the first study to explore its use specifically for children with heart failure and LVSD. The main purpose of this study is to learn if finerenone works to help the heart compared to placebo in children with heart failure and LVSD. For this, the researchers will collect and analyze data on the levels of a protein called NT-proBNP in the blood, which indicates heart stress, and monitor the safety of the treatment. The study will include children with heart failure and LVSD aged from 6 months to less than 18 years. The study participants will be randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups. Based on their group, they will receive either finerenone or a placebo for a duration of 3 months. A placebo looks like a treatment but does not have any medicine in it. Throughout the study, all participants will continue to receive their standard heart failure treatments. At the start of this study, the doctors will check each participant's medical history and current medications. If participants qualify for the treatment phase, they will undergo treatment for about 90 days. During this time, they will visit the study site at least 3 times. During these visits, the participants will: * have their blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, respiratory rate, height and weight measured * have their heart examined by electrocardiogram (ECG) and echocardiogram * have blood samples taken * have physical examinations * answer questions about their medication and whether they have any adverse events, or have their parents or guardians' answers An adverse event is any medical problem that a participant has during a study. Doctors keep track of all adverse events that happen in studies, even if they do not think the adverse events might be related to the study treatments. After the initial three-month study, eligible participants will have the option to join a nine-month open-label extension study where all will receive finerenone. Participants who choose not to enroll in the extension will have a follow-up visit 30 days after their last treatment.