Multicenter Unsustained Tachycardia Trial (MUSTT)

To determine the value of electrophysiologic (EP)-guided antiarrhythmic therapy in coronary heart disease patients at increased risk for sudden death. The study included a controlled clinical trial and a registry.

Study Overview

Detailed Description

BACKGROUND:

Cardiac arrest (sudden cardiac death) occurs relatively frequently in asymptomatic patients who have had myocardial infarctions, have ejection fractions less than 40 percent, and non-sustained ventricular tachycardia. However, it is not possible to predict who will die suddenly or when cardiac arrest will occur. Current efforts to reduce sudden death in such long-term survivors of myocardial infarction or in patients with coronary disease have produced results that are not very encouraging.

Such patients may feel quite well. They survived their myocardial infarction and may have slight or even moderate reduction of exercise ability, but by 'pacing' themselves, such patients can lead relatively normal lives. They may be aware of their arrhythmia because of short periods of palpitations which may only trouble them transiently. Consequently, this group of patients, many still in the prime of their lives, are at relatively high risk of dying suddenly.

The multicenter trial may reveal the most effective treatment for such patients, the value of electrophysiologic studies in predicting who is most at risk of sudden cardiac death, and whether electrophysiologic studies can help select the best mode of treatment. The protocol for performing programmed stimulation and serial drug testing is designed to mirror those currently in use by many practicing electrophysiologists.

DESIGN NARRATIVE:

Randomized, non-blind. Patients were assigned to standard therapy or to an aggressive arm consisting of electrophysiologic-guided antiarrhythmic therapy. Patients in the aggressive arm whose ventricular tachycardia was suppressible or who were still inducible, but who were hemodynamically stable in ventricular tachycardia, were followed on drug therapy. Otherwise, patients in the aggressive arm received an implantable defibrillator. The primary endpoint was sudden cardiac death or cardiac arrest. Patients without inducible sustained ventricular tachycardia were followed in a registry. Recruitment ceased on October 31, 1996 after a recommendation from the DSMB.

The study completion date listed in this record was obtained from the "End Date" entered in the NIH Query View Report (QVR).

Study Type

Interventional

Phase

  • Phase 3

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

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 75 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Men and women patients with documented coronary artery disease, ejection fraction less than or equal to 40 percent, and nonsustained asymptomatic ventricular tachycardia.

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

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Investigators

  • Kerry Lee, Duke University

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

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

September 1, 1991

Study Completion (Actual)

September 1, 1996

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

October 27, 1999

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

October 27, 1999

First Posted (Estimate)

October 28, 1999

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

January 16, 2017

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 13, 2017

Last Verified

August 1, 2004

More Information

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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