Tunneled Pleural Catheters for Refractory Effusions Attributed to Congestive Heart Failure (TREAT… (NCT03696524) | Clinical Trial Compass
WithdrawnNot Applicable
Tunneled Pleural Catheters for Refractory Effusions Attributed to Congestive Heart Failure (TREAT-CHF) Trial
Stopped: Lack of enrollment
United States0Started 2020-10-01
Plain-language summary
Congestive heart disease (CHF) can frequently cause transudative pleural effusions, some of which do not completely resolve with diuretics alone. These effusions can cause significant morbidity, leading to ongoing dyspnea and hypoxia, resulting in additional office and hospital visits. TREAT-CHF is a randomized trial studying tunneled pleural catheter (TPC) versus standard medical management for the treatment recurrent symptomatic pleural effusions secondary to CHF that are refractory to maximal medical therapy. TREAT-CHF will study whether the addition of a TPC can improve quality of life and minimize health care utilization over the one year following insertion.
Who can participate
Age range
18 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion criteria
. Age \> 18 years of age at enrollment
. Able to give consent
. Documented heart failure defined by echocardiography demonstrating depressed left ventricular ejection fraction and/or left ventricular diastolic dysfunction
. Recurrent and symptomatic pleural effusions refractory to medical management
. Maximal medical management will be determined by the referring provider a. This should include use of at least three of the classes of medications that are standard of care for heart failure: i. Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blockers ii. Beta blockers iii. Loop diuretics iv. Potassium-sparing diuretics b. If the patient is not on at least three drugs from the above classes, documentation of drug intolerance must be present
. Documented subjective symptomatic relief after thoracentesis and drainage of the pleural space
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
What they're measuring
1
Change in quality of life scores from baseline as measured by the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire
Timeframe: Change from baseline at 3 time points over the year of follow up (3, 6, and 12 months)
2
Incidence of hospitalizations and emergency room encounters
. Pleural fluid clinically determined to be due only to CHF
. Pleural fluid analysis consistent with transudate or pseudoexudate a. Transudate: defined by Light's criteria, all of the following must occur, i. Pleural:serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) \< 0.6 ii. Pleural LDH \< 2/3 x upper limit of normal of serum LDH iii. Pleural:serum protein \< 0.5 b. Pseudoexudate: defined by all of the following, i. Pleural:serum LDH \> 0.6 but \< 1 ii. Pleural:serum protein \< 0.5 iii. Serum-pleural protein gradient \> 3.2 and/or serum-pleural albumin gradient \> 1.2
Exclusion criteria
. Imminent death within 1 month
. Heart transplant candidate
. Lone right sided heart failure with normal left sided cardiac function
. Active malignancy
. Active pulmonary infection
. Alternate etiology for pleural effusion origin
. On hemodialysis during enrollment
. Exudative pleural effusion, defined as any effusion that dose not meet criteria for transudate or pseudoexudate