Functional Outcomes in CondUction System Pacing and Right Ventricular Synchrony (FOCUS-Right)

NCT ID: NCT06601322

Last Updated: 2026-01-22

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

20 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2024-08-23

Study Completion Date

2026-03-31

Brief Summary

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The goal of this prospective single center clinical trial is to evaluate the safety and feasibility of performing simultaneous exercise stress cardiac magnetic resonance (CPET-CMR) and cardiopulmonary exercise testing in patients with pre-existing left bundle branch area pacemakers (LBBAP) programmed to an atrial sensing mode. Measurements of right ventricular, left ventricular function, and exercise capacity will be obtained at various LBBAP programming parameters at rest and during low intensity exercise. The main aims of the study are:

* Demonstrate the safety and feasibility of performing CPET-CMR in patients with pre-existing LBBAP programmed to P-synchronous ventricular pacing mode.
* Generate preliminary data evaluating differences in RV function, LV function, and exercise capacity during various pacemaker programming settings.

Detailed Description

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Conduction system pacing, namely left bundle branch area pacing (LBBAP) represents an important pacing modality introduced to avoid the deleterious effects of non-physiologic ventricular activation during chronic right ventricular pacing and /or left bundle branch block (LBBBP). Previous studies have demonstrated that LBBAP exhibits similar or superior left ventricular resynchronization compared to conventional treatment modalities, the impact of this novel pacing strategy on the right ventricle has not yet been addressed. This study aims to demonstrate the safety and feasibility of assessing LBBAP performance with a focus on right ventricular function in a novel way utilizing Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing and Exercise Stress Cardiac Magnetic Resonance.

The investigators plan a 1-day prospective non-randomized controlled pilot study in which up to 20 subjects with left bundle branch area pacemakers with evidence of output dependent anodal capture will undergo low intensity exercise CPET-CMR at three different LBBAP settings (underlying rhythm, non-selective left bundle pacing, non-selective left bundle pacing with anodal stimulation).

Conditions

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Left Branch Bundle Block RV - Right Ventricular Abnormality

Study Design

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Allocation Method

NON_RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Prospective non-randomized controlled pilot study
Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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No Ventricular Pacing (NVP)

Assessment 1 (No Ventricular Pacing) will be performed with no ventricular pacing to assess baseline right and left ventricular function at rest and during exercise.

Group Type OTHER

Pacemaker Interrogation and Electrocardiogram (ECG):

Intervention Type OTHER

Prior to the CMR study, subjects will undergo baseline interrogation of their dual chamber LBBAP to assess for appropriate device function. Lead capture characteristics will then be assessed with continuous intracardiac electrogram characteristics recorded from the atrial and ventricular lead with simultaneous 12-lead ECG rhythm strip recordings to assess for settings at which the investigators can differentiate aLBBAP, sLBBAP and nsLBBAP. Pacing output will be increased until left bundle branch area pacing with anodal capture is achieved, and then decreased until anodal capture is lost. These programming parameters will be recorded and utilized for Phase 2-3 of the CPET-CMR scan. 12-lead ECG rhythm strips of QRS morphology with each parameter set will be obtained and saved for later analysis.

Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test (CPET) and Exercise Stress Cardiac Magnetic Resonance (ExeCMR

Intervention Type OTHER

Following ECG and pacemaker analysis as above for safety, subjects will be fitted with 2 sets of MRI-compatible ECG monitoring systems a BP monitoring system , and a finger-tip pulse gating system. Imaging will be performed on a Magnetom Vida 3 Tesla scanner by trained CRM radiology technologists.

Continuous pacemaker telemetry (CPT)

Intervention Type OTHER

CPT will be established and supervised by a cardiac electrophysiologist to monitor for evidence of noise or artifact which may lead to inability to appropriately sense native atrial depolarization in DDD mode. Subjects with PM dependence are excluded. If noise is noted during scanning with NVP, then scanning will NOT be performed during P-synchronous pacing and will instead be performed during overdrive pacing at a rate above the patients maximal achieved heart rate with exertion during Phase 1. Thus, there is minimal risk to the subject from PM programming during CPET-CMR.

Non-selective or Selective Left Bundle Branch Area Pacing (nsLBBAP)

Phase 2 (non-selective or selective Left Bundle Branch Area Pacing or ns/sLBBAP) will assess right and left ventricular function at rest and during exercise with non-selective or selective left bundle branch area pacing

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Pacemaker Interrogation and Electrocardiogram (ECG):

Intervention Type OTHER

Prior to the CMR study, subjects will undergo baseline interrogation of their dual chamber LBBAP to assess for appropriate device function. Lead capture characteristics will then be assessed with continuous intracardiac electrogram characteristics recorded from the atrial and ventricular lead with simultaneous 12-lead ECG rhythm strip recordings to assess for settings at which the investigators can differentiate aLBBAP, sLBBAP and nsLBBAP. Pacing output will be increased until left bundle branch area pacing with anodal capture is achieved, and then decreased until anodal capture is lost. These programming parameters will be recorded and utilized for Phase 2-3 of the CPET-CMR scan. 12-lead ECG rhythm strips of QRS morphology with each parameter set will be obtained and saved for later analysis.

Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test (CPET) and Exercise Stress Cardiac Magnetic Resonance (ExeCMR

Intervention Type OTHER

Following ECG and pacemaker analysis as above for safety, subjects will be fitted with 2 sets of MRI-compatible ECG monitoring systems a BP monitoring system , and a finger-tip pulse gating system. Imaging will be performed on a Magnetom Vida 3 Tesla scanner by trained CRM radiology technologists.

Continuous pacemaker telemetry (CPT)

Intervention Type OTHER

CPT will be established and supervised by a cardiac electrophysiologist to monitor for evidence of noise or artifact which may lead to inability to appropriately sense native atrial depolarization in DDD mode. Subjects with PM dependence are excluded. If noise is noted during scanning with NVP, then scanning will NOT be performed during P-synchronous pacing and will instead be performed during overdrive pacing at a rate above the patients maximal achieved heart rate with exertion during Phase 1. Thus, there is minimal risk to the subject from PM programming during CPET-CMR.

Left Bundle Branch Area Pacing with Anodal Capture (aLBBAP)

Phase 3 (Left Bundle Branch Area Pacing with Anodal Capture or aLBBAP) will assess right and left ventricular function at rest and during exercise with left bundle branch area pacing with anodal capture.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Pacemaker Interrogation and Electrocardiogram (ECG):

Intervention Type OTHER

Prior to the CMR study, subjects will undergo baseline interrogation of their dual chamber LBBAP to assess for appropriate device function. Lead capture characteristics will then be assessed with continuous intracardiac electrogram characteristics recorded from the atrial and ventricular lead with simultaneous 12-lead ECG rhythm strip recordings to assess for settings at which the investigators can differentiate aLBBAP, sLBBAP and nsLBBAP. Pacing output will be increased until left bundle branch area pacing with anodal capture is achieved, and then decreased until anodal capture is lost. These programming parameters will be recorded and utilized for Phase 2-3 of the CPET-CMR scan. 12-lead ECG rhythm strips of QRS morphology with each parameter set will be obtained and saved for later analysis.

Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test (CPET) and Exercise Stress Cardiac Magnetic Resonance (ExeCMR

Intervention Type OTHER

Following ECG and pacemaker analysis as above for safety, subjects will be fitted with 2 sets of MRI-compatible ECG monitoring systems a BP monitoring system , and a finger-tip pulse gating system. Imaging will be performed on a Magnetom Vida 3 Tesla scanner by trained CRM radiology technologists.

Continuous pacemaker telemetry (CPT)

Intervention Type OTHER

CPT will be established and supervised by a cardiac electrophysiologist to monitor for evidence of noise or artifact which may lead to inability to appropriately sense native atrial depolarization in DDD mode. Subjects with PM dependence are excluded. If noise is noted during scanning with NVP, then scanning will NOT be performed during P-synchronous pacing and will instead be performed during overdrive pacing at a rate above the patients maximal achieved heart rate with exertion during Phase 1. Thus, there is minimal risk to the subject from PM programming during CPET-CMR.

Interventions

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Pacemaker Interrogation and Electrocardiogram (ECG):

Prior to the CMR study, subjects will undergo baseline interrogation of their dual chamber LBBAP to assess for appropriate device function. Lead capture characteristics will then be assessed with continuous intracardiac electrogram characteristics recorded from the atrial and ventricular lead with simultaneous 12-lead ECG rhythm strip recordings to assess for settings at which the investigators can differentiate aLBBAP, sLBBAP and nsLBBAP. Pacing output will be increased until left bundle branch area pacing with anodal capture is achieved, and then decreased until anodal capture is lost. These programming parameters will be recorded and utilized for Phase 2-3 of the CPET-CMR scan. 12-lead ECG rhythm strips of QRS morphology with each parameter set will be obtained and saved for later analysis.

Intervention Type OTHER

Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test (CPET) and Exercise Stress Cardiac Magnetic Resonance (ExeCMR

Following ECG and pacemaker analysis as above for safety, subjects will be fitted with 2 sets of MRI-compatible ECG monitoring systems a BP monitoring system , and a finger-tip pulse gating system. Imaging will be performed on a Magnetom Vida 3 Tesla scanner by trained CRM radiology technologists.

Intervention Type OTHER

Continuous pacemaker telemetry (CPT)

CPT will be established and supervised by a cardiac electrophysiologist to monitor for evidence of noise or artifact which may lead to inability to appropriately sense native atrial depolarization in DDD mode. Subjects with PM dependence are excluded. If noise is noted during scanning with NVP, then scanning will NOT be performed during P-synchronous pacing and will instead be performed during overdrive pacing at a rate above the patients maximal achieved heart rate with exertion during Phase 1. Thus, there is minimal risk to the subject from PM programming during CPET-CMR.

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* presence of dual chamber LBBAP implantation
* presence of anodal capture with bipolar pacing configuration as determined at pacing implant.

Exclusion Criteria

* Known history of chronotropic incompetence
* high degree or complete heart block
* inability to tolerate NVP during initial device interrogation
* pregnancy
* inability to undergo MRI or exercise utilizing supine bicycle at target work-load
* presence of MRI unsafe pacemaker components.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Virginia Commonwealth University

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Ajay Pillai

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Virginia Commonwealth University

Locations

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Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond, Virginia, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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United States

Central Contacts

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Ajay Pillai

Role: CONTACT

(478) 957-2109

Melissa Sears

Role: CONTACT

804-828-1601

Facility Contacts

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Ajay Pillai, MD,FHRS

Role: primary

478-957-2109

Melissa Sears

Role: backup

804-828-1601

Other Identifiers

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HM20028599

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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