title: Clinical trials in mechanical circulatory support.
abstract: Recent advances in mechanically assisted circulation, including refinement of patient selection criteria and enhancements in device design, have been associated with improvements in survival, functionality and quality of life as well as reductions in adverse events. Novel and innovative trial design, methodology and endpoints have been utilized in the development of the cumulative database supporting the role of ventricular assist devices for the management of patients with advanced heart failure. The rapid and significant improvements in patient-centric outcomes support the expansion of this technology into less moribund populations where the potential benefits may be even more robust.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
authors.forename: Gregory
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Egnaczyk
authors.forename: Carmelo A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Milano
authors.forename: Joseph G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Rogers
mesh_terms: D001243:Assisted Circulation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004867:Equipment Design; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D018579:Patient Selection; D016896:Treatment Outcome