Driving Discoveries in Advanced Heart Failure Research
UW Health’s Advanced Heart Disease and Transplant program has a strong reputation of participating in novel drugs and device trials used in treatment of systolic and diastolic heart failure.
Our investigators actively participate in many multi-center investigator-initiated, industry-initiated and National Institute of Health-sponsored trials for the treatment of advanced heart failure, pulmonary hypertension and heart transplantation.
Heart Failure Research Databases
UW Department of Medicine trainees with an interest in heart failure have access to a robust clinical research environment and assist faculty investigators in maintaining the databases listed below.
- Invasive Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing (iCPET) Registry
Our program maintains a comprehensive Invasive Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing (iCPET) registry, led by Dr. Farhan Raza. This database integrates exercise right heart catheterization hemodynamics with simultaneous cardiopulmonary gas exchange data for the evaluation of unexplained dyspnea, heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), and pulmonary vascular disease, including pulmonary arterial hypertension.
With a cohort approaching 300 patients, this registry represents one of the more detailed invasive exercise datasets available at a single center. The database supports mechanistic investigation of ventricular–vascular interactions, pulmonary vascular physiology and exercise intolerance in heart failure. It has served as the foundation for multiple national abstract presentations and peer-reviewed publications in high-impact journals.
- Cardiogenic Shock – Impella 5.5 Registry
Dr. Veli Topkara and collaborators maintain a dedicated registry of patients with cardiogenic shock supported with the Impella 5.5 device. This database captures granular clinical, hemodynamic, procedural and outcomes data, enabling detailed evaluation of temporary mechanical circulatory support strategies in advanced heart failure and shock.
The registry supports investigations into patient selection, timing of device implantation, hemodynamic optimization, bridge-to-decision strategies and post-support recovery trajectories. Ongoing analyses aim to refine best practices and improve outcomes in this critically ill population.
- Heart Transplant Registry
Our Heart Transplant Registry includes patients who have undergone orthotopic heart transplantation over the past 25 years. Led by Dr. Topkara and colleagues, this longitudinal database integrates detailed clinical characteristics, immunosuppressive regimens, invasive and non-invasive hemodynamic data, coronary allograft vasculopathy assessments and myocardial biopsy findings.
This robust dataset supports investigation into long-term survival, rejection phenotypes, graft function, immunosuppression optimization and mechanisms of transplant vasculopathy. The registry provides a powerful platform for outcomes research and translational studies in advanced heart failure and cardiac transplantation.
