Biomedical Research Informatics Centre for Cardiovascular Sciences (The BRICCS Study)

University Hospitals, Leicester9,500 enrolled

Overview

This project will examine the diagnosis and prognosis of patients with cardiovascular disease in hospital in- and outpatients and compare their characteristics with normal controls from the community. The cardiovascular diseases studied include coronary artery disease, heart failure, heart attacks, valve disease, cardiac surgery, dysrhythmias, aneurysms, embolism, strokes, peripheral vascular disease and hypertension. Current methods for diagnosis and predicting outcome in patients are limited and may lack accuracy. This study will collect clinical details, and blood and urine samples from patients for analysis of proteins, chemicals and genetic biomarkers which will enable an examination of the pathological mechanisms involved in cardiovascular disease. The data will also be used to improve diagnosis and also improve prediction of outcome in patients (future clinical events such as death, further hospitalisation with cardiovascular disease and the effects of any therapy given to the patients). In this way, we can develop accurate ways of assessing a patient's condition and how it could be effectively managed. The study will last for 20 years.

Study Type

OBSERVATIONAL

Enrollment

9,500

Conditions

Cardiovascular Diseases Cardiovascular Risk Factor

Interventions

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 90 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * All outpatients and inpatients with cardiovascular disease, of either gender * Aged 18-90 years old * Examples of conditions include: coronary artery disease, heart failure, heart attacks (myocardial infarction), valve disease, cardiac surgery, dysrhythmias (including atrial fibrillation), aneurysms, embolism, strokes, peripheral vascular disease, hypertension (and its complications, such as left ventricular hypertrophy) or those presenting with chest pain * Healthy volunteers * Aged 18-90 years old * From the community without cardiovascular or other diseases Exclusion Criteria: * Any patient who is unable to give consent * Any patient with non-cardiovascular comorbidity likely to cause death within 6 months * Patients know to be infected with HIV, Hepatitis B or any other agent posing an infection risk from unfixed material

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

To improve understanding of disease mechanisms in cardiovascular disease

The principal objective is to improve upon our understanding of disease mechanisms in cardiovascular disease, using plasma and urine proteins or chemicals and a patient's genetic makeup, which may impact on the diagnosis and assessment of prognosis of cardiovascular disease.

Time frame: 20 Years

Secondary Outcomes

To improve prediction of responses to different treatments, using blood proteins or chemicals and a patient's genetic makeup

Secondary objectives include predicting response to different treatments (which would include drugs, devices) using blood proteins or chemicals and a patient's genetic makeup, after appropriate matching by propensity scoring. Plus, assessing whether biomarkers in stool or other tissue can discern the presence and severity of coronary artery disease.