The carvedilol hibernation reversible ischaemia trial; marker of success (CHRISTMAS). The CHRISTMAS Study Steering Committee and Investigators.
BACKGROUND
Carvedilol improves left ventricular (LV) function when heart failure is due to LV systolic dysfunction, but the magnitude of the response is heterogeneous among patients with coronary disease, possibly reflecting the presence or volume of hibernating myocardium.


OBJECTIVE
The primary objective of the study is to determine whether the presence of hibernating myocardium predicts the magnitude of improvement in LV ejection fraction in response to carvedilol among patients with heart failure and LV systolic dysfunction due to coronary disease.


METHODS
The study is a prospective, randomised, parallel-group, double-blind, multi-centre study comparing carvedilol and placebo over a period of approximately 6 months in the above patient population. The primary end-point is the comparison of the mean change, from baseline to the final visit, in radionuclide-determined LV ejection fraction among patients on placebo with those on carvedilol stratified according to the presence of hibernating myocardium. Hibernating status will be determined by a combination of echocardiographic and myocardial perfusion (technetium-99m sestamibi) imaging.


RESULTS
255 patients have undergone screening tests of which 207 have been randomised so far. The study intends to randomise 400 patients and the first report of results is expected in 2000.


CONCLUSIONS
As far as we are aware this is the first randomised controlled trial to investigate the effects of treatment in patients stratified according to the presence of hibernating myocardium. The study will provide insights into the prevalence of myocardial hibernation, its natural history, and its influence on prognosis as well as the interaction between the presence of hibernating myocardium and the effects of treatment with carvedilol.
J G
JG
Cleland
D
D
Pennel
S
S
Ray
G
G
Murray
P
P
MacFarlane
A
A
Cowley
A
A
Coats
A
A
Lahiri
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D002227:Carbazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077261:Carvedilol; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000187:drug effects*; D017682:Myocardial Stunning / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011412:Propanolamines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015635:Radionuclide Ventriculography; D013318:Stroke Volume / Q000187:drug effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D002227:Carbazoles; D011412:Propanolamines; D000077261:Carvedilol