TORPEDO-NL will be an investigator-initiated, academically sponsored, multicentre, open-label, randomized controlled trial (RCT).
Patients with high-risk pulmonary embolism (PE) require immediate reperfusion therapy on top of anticoagulation. The standard reperfusion treatment in these patients is full-dose systemic thrombolysis. This carries a significant risk of major bleeding (10-25%) and intracranial haemorrhage (ICH, 3%). Catheter-directed thrombectomy (CDT) is a promising alternative to systemic thrombolysis with a more direct effect on reducing pulmonary artery clot burden and very likely a better safety profile. Randomized trials evaluating the safety and efficacy of CDT in high-risk patients are currently unavailable. The investigators hypothesize that in high-risk PE patients, CDT is superior to the current standard of systemic thrombolysis in terms of mortality and adverse events, i.e., is associated with a lower composite incidence of all-cause mortality, treatment failure, major bleeding and all-cause stroke. The investigators also hypothesize that CDT will lead to a shorter length of stay (LOS) at the intensive care unit (ICU) and in-hospital, faster recovery, and better long-term quality of life (QoL).
Objective: To determine whether CDT in high-risk PE relative to systemic thrombolysis is:
* more effective and safer in terms of a reduction of the composite endpoint on all-cause mortality and adverse events defined as treatment failure, major bleeding and all-cause stroke at day 30 (primary outcome) * leads to a better Desirability of Outcome Ranking (DOOR) at day 7 * associated with a lower level of oxygen supplementation at 48 hours * associated with shorter length of stay (LOS) at the intensive care unit (ICU) and in the hospital * associated with better functional recovery as well as better patient-reported outcomes such as QoL at one year * cost-effective after a time horizon of one year
Adult patients with confirmed acute PE, i.e. contrast filling defect in a lobar or more proximal pulmonary artery on computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA), and/or obstructive shock with echocardiographic confirmed dilatation of the right ventricle and a congested vena cava inferior, both with/without echocardiographic signs of clot in transit or deep vein thrombosis of the leg.
High risk for mortality, i.e.
post cardiac arrest (after temporary need for cardiopulmonary resuscitation), OR
obstructive shock (systolic blood pressure <90 mmHg and signs of end-organ hypoperfusion (e.g. elevated lactate levels >2 mmol/l) or the need for vasopressors (adrenalin or noradrenalin) to maintain an adequate blood pressure), OR
"Catastrophic PE", i.e. ongoing cardiac arrest and/or need for extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) and/or immediate indication for venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) as judged by the responsible physician(s)
Glascow Coma Scale <8 following resuscitation for cardiac arrest
Alternative diagnosis than acute PE contributing largely to the acute hemodynamic and/or respiratory failure, e.g. sepsis, COPD GOLD 3 or 4, or known heart failure with NYHA Functional Classification of 4, as judged by the treating physician.
A known "do not admit to the ICU" or "do not resuscitate" directive
Leiden University Medical Center
Lead sponsor
Dutch Heart Foundation
Collaborator
ZonMw: The Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development
Collaborator
Zorginstituut Nederland: The Health Care Insurance Board
Collaborator