Rationale and design of the British Heart Foundation (BHF) Coronary Microvascular Angina (CorMicA) stratified medicine clinical trial

Abstract

Background: Coronary angiography is performed to assess for obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD), but "nonobstructive CAD" is a common finding. Microvascular or vasospastic angina may be relevant, but routine confirmatory testing is not evidence based and thus rarely performed.

Aim: The aim was to assess the effect of stratified medicine guided by coronary function testing on the diagnosis, treatment, and well-being of patients with angina and nonobstructive CAD.

Design: The BHF CorMicA trial is a prospective, multicenter, randomized, blinded, sham-controlled trial of stratified medicine (NCT03193294). All-comers referred for elective coronary angiography for investigation of suspected CAD will be screened. Following informed consent, eligible patients with angina and nonobstructive CAD will be randomized 1:1 immediately in the catheter laboratory to either coronary artery function-guided diagnosis and treatment (intervention group) or not (control group). Coronary function will be assessed using a pressure-temperature-sensitive guidewire and adenosine followed by pharmacological testing with intracoronary acetylcholine. Patients will be stratified into endotypes with linked therapy. The primary outcome is change in Seattle Angina Questionnaire score at 6 months. Secondary outcomes include safety, feasibility, diagnostic utility (impact on diagnosis and diagnostic certainty), and clinical utility (impact on treatment and investigations). Health status is a key secondary outcome assessed according to the following domains: quality of life, treatment satisfaction, illness perception, physical activity, and anxiety-depression score. Patients with obstructive disease who are not randomized will form a registry group who will be followed up as a comparator for secondary outcomes including health status. Health and economic outcomes will be evaluated in the longer term using electronic health record linkage.

Value: CorMicA is a proof-of-concept clinical trial of a disruptive stratified intervention with potential benefits to patients and health care providers.