Safety and feasibility of pulmonary artery pressure-guided heart failure therapy: rationale and design of the prospective CardioMEMS Monitoring Study for Heart Failure (MEMS-HF).

BACKGROUND: Wireless monitoring of pulmonary artery (PA) pressures with the CardioMEMS HF™ system is indicated in patients with New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III heart failure (HF). Randomized and observational trials have shown a reduction in HF-related hospitalizations and improved quality of life in patients using this device in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: MEMS-HF is a prospective, non-randomized, open-label, multicenter study to characterize safety and feasibility of using remote PA pressure monitoring in a real-world setting in Germany, The Netherlands and Ireland.

METHODS AND RESULTS: After informed consent, adult patients with NYHA class III HF and a recent HF-related hospitalization are evaluated for suitability for permanent implantation of a CardioMEMS™ sensor. Participation in MEMS-HF is open to qualifying subjects regardless of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Patients with reduced ejection fraction must be on stable guideline-directed pharmacotherapy as tolerated. The study will enroll 230 patients in approximately 35 centers. Expected duration is 36 months (24-month enrolment plus ≥ 12-month follow-up). Primary endpoints are freedom from device/system-related complications and freedom from pressure sensor failure at 12-month post-implant. Secondary endpoints include the annualized rate of HF-related hospitalization at 12 months versus the rate over the 12 months preceding implant, and health-related quality of life. Endpoints will be evaluated using data obtained after each subject's 12-month visit.

CONCLUSIONS: The MEMS-HF study will provide robust evidence on the clinical safety and feasibility of implementing haemodynamic monitoring as a novel disease management tool in routine out-patient care in selected European healthcare systems.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov; NCT02693691.