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Warfarin and Antiplatelet Therapy in Chronic Heart Failure

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ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00007683
Recruitment Status : Completed
First Posted : January 1, 2001
Last Update Posted : June 16, 2011
Sponsor:
Collaborators:
Sanofi-Synthelabo
Bristol-Myers Squibb
Information provided by:
VA Office of Research and Development

Brief Summary:
Whether patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) should be anticoagulated is one of the oldest unresolved questions in cardiovascular therapeutics. Some authorities do not recommend anticoagulation for CHF patients in sinus rhythm, others recommend anticoagulation in patients with primary cardiomyopathy, and still others consider it more appropriate in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). This absence of consensus reflects the lack of evidence in this area and different outlooks on the objectives of such therapy (e.g., prevention of arterial emboli or reduction in vascular events).

Condition or disease Intervention/treatment Phase
Heart Failure Drug: Warfarin titrated to an INR of 2.5-3.0 Drug: Aspirin Drug: Clopidogrel 75 Phase 3

Detailed Description:

Primary Hypothesis: The hypothesis to be tested is whether aspirin, warfarin, and clopidogrel are equally effective in the treatment of patients with symptomatic CHF and reduced ejection fraction.

Secondary Hypothesis: If one therapy proves to be superior with regard to outcomes, what is the cost of this benefit? Can subsets of patients be identified who benefit more from a specific approach to antithrombotic therapy?

Intervention: The three treatment regimens are:

  1. Open-label Warfarin titrated to an INR of 2.5-3.0;
  2. Double blind aspirin 162 mg once daily;
  3. Double blind clopidogrel 75 mg once daily.

Primary Outcomes: Any death (all causes), non-fatal stroke, non-fatal MI.

Study Abstract: Whether patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) should be anticoagulated is one of the oldest unresolved questions in cardiovascular therapeutics. Some authorities do not recommend anticoagulation for CHF patients in sinus rhythm, others recommend anticoagulation in patients with primary cardiomyopathy, and still others consider it more appropriate in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). This absence of consensus reflects the lack of evidence in this area and different outlooks on the objectives of such therapy (e.g., prevention of arterial emboli or reduction in vascular events).

The original target sample size was 4,500 over a 3 year enrollment period with a 2 year follow-up. This sample size yielded 90% power to detect a relative difference of 20% between treatment groups. The sample size was later amended to 1,500 over a 30 month enrollment period with a 12 month follow-up. The reduced sample size yielded 85% to detect a between treatment difference of 30%. This change became effective in March 2002.

This clinical trial enrolled 1,587 patients in 142 medical centers; VA and non-VA centers in the U.S., and medical centers in the United Kingdom and Canada. Patients were randomly and equally allocated to the 3 treatments: warfarin (administered open-label), aspirin and clopidogrel (the latter two administered double-blind). The study was conducted over a 3.5 year period, with a 2.5 year enrollment phase.

Patients with NYHA class II, III, or IV and left ventricular ejection fractions less than or equal to 35% on an ACE inhibitor (unless not tolerated) and a diuretic were entered. The primary end point is the composite of death from any cause, non-fatal MI, and non-fatal stroke. All-cause mortality is the secondary end point.

The WATCH design paper has been published in the Journal of Cardiac Failure. Preliminary results were presented at the meeting of the American College of Cardiology in New Orleans on March 9, 2004. There were no significant differences between the treatment groups for the primary endpoints. The paper with final results is being prepared.

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Study Type : Interventional  (Clinical Trial)
Estimated Enrollment : 1587 participants
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Quadruple (Participant, Care Provider, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Primary Purpose: Treatment
Official Title: CSP #442 - Warfarin and Antiplatelet Therapy Study in Patients With Congestive Heart Failure (WATCH)
Study Start Date : October 1998
Actual Primary Completion Date : July 2003
Actual Study Completion Date : December 2004


Arm Intervention/treatment
Active Comparator: 1
Warfarin Titrated to an INR of 2.5-3.0
Drug: Warfarin titrated to an INR of 2.5-3.0
anticoagulation (administered without blinding) titrated to a target INR of 2.5 to 3.0, monitored by measurements at 6 week intervals after initial titration and stabilization.

Active Comparator: 2
Aspirin 182 mg
Drug: Aspirin
an antiplatelet agent whose mechanism is inhibition of thromboxane, a platelet activator) administered in a double blind manner.

Active Comparator: 3
Clopidogrel 75 mg
Drug: Clopidogrel 75
(an antiplatelet agent whose mechanism is ADP inhibition) administered in a double blind manner)




Primary Outcome Measures :
  1. acomposite of mortality, nonfatal myocardial infarction and nonfatal stroke [ Time Frame: 30 months intake; 12-42 months follow-up ]
    The primary safety end point was major bleeding episodes, defined as bleeding episodes leading to death or disability (including loss of neurological or special senses function), requiring surgical intervention, or associated with an acute decline of hemoglobin 2gm/dl or transfusion of >1 U packed red cells or whole blood.



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Ages Eligible for Study:   18 Years and older   (Adult, Older Adult)
Sexes Eligible for Study:   All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:   No
Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patients with NYHA class II, III, or IV and left ventricular ejection fractions less than or equal to 35%, on an ACE inhibitor (unless not tolerated) and on a diuretic.

Exclusion Criteria:


Information from the National Library of Medicine

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT00007683


Locations
Show Show 134 study locations
Sponsors and Collaborators
US Department of Veterans Affairs
Sanofi-Synthelabo
Bristol-Myers Squibb
Investigators
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Study Chair: Barry M. Massie, MD VA Medical Center, San Francisco
Publications of Results:
Other Publications:
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Responsible Party: Massie, Barry - Study Chair, Department of Veterans Affairs
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00007683    
Other Study ID Numbers: 442
First Posted: January 1, 2001    Key Record Dates
Last Update Posted: June 16, 2011
Last Verified: June 2011
Keywords provided by VA Office of Research and Development:
aspirin
clopidogrel
embolic events
Left ventricular ejection fraction less than or eq
NYHA Class II, III or IV CHF
symptomatic CHF
warfarin
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
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Heart Failure
Heart Diseases
Cardiovascular Diseases
Aspirin
Warfarin
Clopidogrel
Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal
Analgesics, Non-Narcotic
Analgesics
Sensory System Agents
Peripheral Nervous System Agents
Physiological Effects of Drugs
Anti-Inflammatory Agents
Antirheumatic Agents
Fibrinolytic Agents
Fibrin Modulating Agents
Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action
Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors
Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors
Enzyme Inhibitors
Antipyretics
Purinergic P2Y Receptor Antagonists
Purinergic P2 Receptor Antagonists
Purinergic Antagonists
Purinergic Agents
Neurotransmitter Agents
Anticoagulants