Does a detailed assessment for heart disease help patients who have been admitted to hospital with a flare-up of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)?

Structured cardiac assessment and treatment following exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a pilot randomised controlled trial

Status

Active, not recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

ISRCTN

Registry ID

ISRCTN26935612

Enrollment

120

Registered

2020-10-29

Start date

2020-11-30

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2025-09-08

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Identification of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in patients admitted to hospital with COPD exacerbations. Circulatory System

Interventions

Participants will be randomized to receive usual care for COPD exacerbation, or to receive usual care plus structured assessment for cardiovascular disease. Stratified randomisation by the presence of

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: 1. Age >35 years 2. Current/former smoker & smoking burden >10 pack-years 3. Clinical diagnosis of COPD, supported by previous obstructive spirometry 4. Admission to hospital with the primary cause being an exacerbation of COPD

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: 1. Reason for admission not ECOPD in view of attending clinical team 2. Unable to provide informed consent 3. Any non-COPD condition likely to limit survival to less than 12 months 4. Contraindication to non contrast CT scan 5. Pregnancy or breastfeeding

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
The number of days spent alive outside of a hospital environment, measured using electronic hospital records during 12 months post hospital discharge	—

Secondary

Measure	Time frame
1. Time to readmission or death following hospital admission for ECOPD, collected from hospital health records using Patient Administration System (PAS) 2. All-cause readmission rates at 90 days and 12 months post discharge, collected from hospital health records using Patient Administration System (PAS) 3. All-cause mortality rates at 90 days and 12 months post discharge, collected from hospital health records using Patient Administration System (PAS) 4. COPD exacerbation rates, from health records and self-report, at 90 days and 12 months 5. Rates of adverse cardiovascular events (nonfatal stroke or myocardial infarction, and cardiovascular death) at 90 days and 12 months post discharge 6. Rate of new diagnosis of cardiovascular disease at 90 days and 12 months 7. Rate of undertreated cardiovascular disease at baseline, 90 days and 12 months 8. Change in 4-m gait speed at 90 days and 12 months, compared to baseline 9. Mean change in quality of life measured by St. Georges' Respiratory Questionnaire over 12 months 10. Health costs and estimated Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALY), measured by health records and patient-completed resource utilisation proforma, at 12 months In the intervention arm the researchers will also report as secondary outcomes: 11. Changes in right heart function (estimated pulmonary artery systolic pressure [PASP] and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion [TAPSE] measured by echocardiography) between baseline and 90 days 12. Relationship between changes in right heart function (estimated pulmonary artery systolic pressure [PASP] and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion [TAPSE] measured by echocardiography) and ECOPD severity measured using DECAF score at admission and 90 days 13. Relationship between changes in right heart function (estimated pulmonary artery systolic pressure [PASP] and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion [TAPSE] measured by echocardiography) and comorbid CVD at admission and 90 days 14. Relationship bet	—

Measure

Time frame

1. Time to readmission or death following hospital admission for ECOPD, collected from hospital health records using Patient Administration System (PAS) 2. All-cause readmission rates at 90 days and 12 months post discharge, collected from hospital health records using Patient Administration System (PAS) 3. All-cause mortality rates at 90 days and 12 months post discharge, collected from hospital health records using Patient Administration System (PAS) 4. COPD exacerbation rates, from health records and self-report, at 90 days and 12 months 5. Rates of adverse cardiovascular events (nonfatal stroke or myocardial infarction, and cardiovascular death) at 90 days and 12 months post discharge 6. Rate of new diagnosis of cardiovascular disease at 90 days and 12 months 7. Rate of undertreated cardiovascular disease at baseline, 90 days and 12 months 8. Change in 4-m gait speed at 90 days and 12 months, compared to baseline 9. Mean change in quality of life measured by St. Georges' Respiratory Questionnaire over 12 months 10. Health costs and estimated Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALY), measured by health records and patient-completed resource utilisation proforma, at 12 months In the intervention arm the researchers will also report as secondary outcomes: 11. Changes in right heart function (estimated pulmonary artery systolic pressure [PASP] and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion [TAPSE] measured by echocardiography) between baseline and 90 days 12. Relationship between changes in right heart function (estimated pulmonary artery systolic pressure [PASP] and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion [TAPSE] measured by echocardiography) and ECOPD severity measured using DECAF score at admission and 90 days 13. Relationship between changes in right heart function (estimated pulmonary artery systolic pressure [PASP] and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion [TAPSE] measured by echocardiography) and comorbid CVD at admission and 90 days 14. Relationship bet

—

Countries

England, United Kingdom

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ISRCTN (via WHO ICTRP) · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026