Evaluation of the Clinical Value of NT-proBNP (or BNP) Measurement, Alone or in Combination With the EPOF Questionnaire, for the Screening of Chronic Heart Failure (CHF) in Adults Aged 40 Years and Older Referred for a Cardiology Consultation Without Suspected CHF. (DECLIC)

September 17, 2026 updated by: French Cardiology Society

This observational study aims to evaluate whether measuring NT-proBNP (or BNP), either on its own or alongside the EPOF questionnaire, can improve the early detection of chronic heart failure (CHF) in adults aged 40 years or over who are referred for an outpatient cardiology evaluation and have no known or suspected CHF.

The study will address the following questions:

Does systematic NT-proBNP (or BNP) testing help to identify previously unrecognised CHF? Does combining NT-proBNP (or BNP) with the EPOF questionnaire enhance diagnostic accuracy compared with using each tool alone? Participants will attend their routine cardiology consultation, complete the EPOF questionnaire and undergo NT-proBNP (or BNP) testing as part of the clinical assessment. They will also allow the collection of relevant medical data. The diagnostic performance of these tools will then be compared with the final diagnosis made by the outpatient cardiologist.

The study focuses on a population referred from primary care with increased cardiovascular risk. The early use of simple, accessible tools could reduce diagnostic delays, improve referral appropriateness and facilitate the earlier detection of CHF in general practice.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
1000

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • France
      • Nîmes, France, 30900
        • Private Cardiology Practice
        • Contact:
      • Poitiers, France, 86000
        • Polyclinique de Poitiers - GCS ELSAN
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

40 years to 80 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Adults aged 40 to 80 years with no known history of chronic heart failure (CHF), referred for an outpatient cardiology consultation at participating centers for reasons other than suspected CHF or any of the four EPOF signs. Participants underwent NT-proBNP or BNP measurement as part of routine clinical care, either before or during the cardiology consultation if considered clinically indicated by the treating cardiologist. The study is observational and does not require any additional diagnostic procedures or biomarker testing beyond routine clinical practice.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Adults aged 40 to 80 years.
  • Referred for a cardiology consultation for a reason other than suspected chronic heart failure or any of the four EPOF signs.
  • Informed about the study and not objecting to participation, in accordance with applicable regulations.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Known diagnosis of chronic heart failure (CHF).
  • Refusal to participate.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Observational Models: COHORT
  • Time Perspectives: PROSPECTIVE

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Group / Cohort

A group or subgroup of participants in an observational study that is assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.
Adults ≥40 years referred for cardiology consultation without suspected chronic heart failure

Adults aged 40 years and older with no history of chronic heart failure (CHF), referred for a cardiology consultation at participating centers for reasons other than suspected CHF, and who underwent NT-proBNP or BNP measurement as part of routine clinical care. The biomarker measurement may have been performed before the consultation or ordered by the treating cardiologist during the consultation if considered clinically indicated, independently of study participation. The study does not require or mandate any additional NT-proBNP or BNP testing; participants are included only if a routine-care biomarker result is available.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Sensitivity of the combined EPOF questionnaire and natriuretic peptide strategy for detecting chronic heart failure
Time Frame: Baseline

Sensitivity (with 95% confidence interval) of the combined screening strategy defined as a positive EPOF questionnaire (EPOF score ≥1) and/or a positive natriuretic peptide result (NT-proBNP ≥125 ng/L or BNP ≥35 ng/L), using the final diagnosis of chronic heart failure established by the treating cardiologist after completion of the routine diagnostic work-up as the reference standard.
Baseline

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Diagnostic performance of the EPOF questionnaire
Time Frame: Baseline

Diagnostic performance of the EPOF questionnaire and each of its individual components, including sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value with corresponding 95% confidence intervals, using the final diagnosis of chronic heart failure established by the treating cardiologist after completion of the routine diagnostic work-up as the reference standard.
Baseline
Diagnostic performance of natriuretic peptide measurement
Time Frame: Baseline

Diagnostic performance of a positive natriuretic peptide result (NT-proBNP ≥125 ng/L or BNP ≥35 ng/L), including sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value with corresponding 95% confidence intervals, using the final diagnosis of chronic heart failure established by the treating cardiologist after completion of the routine diagnostic work-up as the reference standard.
Baseline
Diagnostic performance of the combined EPOF + NT-proBNP strategy
Time Frame: Baseline

Diagnostic performance of the combined screening strategy defined as a positive EPOF questionnaire (EPOF score ≥1) and/or a positive NT-proBNP result (≥125 ng/L), including sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value with corresponding 95% confidence intervals, using the final diagnosis of chronic heart failure established by the treating cardiologist after completion of the routine diagnostic work-up as the reference standard.
Baseline
Diagnostic performance of the combined EPOF + BNP strategy
Time Frame: Baseline

Diagnostic performance of the combined screening strategy defined as a positive EPOF questionnaire (EPOF score ≥1) and/or a positive BNP result (≥35 ng/L), including sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value with corresponding 95% confidence intervals, using the final diagnosis of chronic heart failure established by the treating cardiologist after completion of the routine diagnostic work-up as the reference standard.
Baseline
Diagnostic performance in prespecified subgroups
Time Frame: Baseline

Diagnostic performance of the EPOF questionnaire, natriuretic peptide measurement, and the combined screening strategies in prespecified exploratory subgroups defined by sex (men and women), age (40-59 years and ≥60 years), and body mass index (<30 kg/m² and ≥30 kg/m²). Diagnostic performance measures include sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value with corresponding 95% confidence intervals.
Baseline
Prevalence of chronic heart failure
Time Frame: Baseline

Prevalence of chronic heart failure, defined as the proportion of participants with a final diagnosis of chronic heart failure established by the treating cardiologist after completion of the routine diagnostic work-up, reported with the corresponding 95% confidence interval.
Baseline

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
French Cardiology Society

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
September 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
April 1, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
April 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
August 7, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
September 17, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
September 23, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
September 23, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
September 17, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
September 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 2026-A00207-44

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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