MaGiCAD

Study information

The information provided below is intended as a brief summary of the MaGiCAD study. More technical and complete information is provided for the use of scientists and professionals here.

Information is provided below on the following topics:

Aims of the MaGiCAD Study

The MaGiCAD Study Design

Patient Confidentiality

Approaching the partners of patients entered into MaGiCAD


Aims of MaGiCAD

MaGiCAD has two major aims. The first is to test the usefulness of metabonomics as a minimally invasive alternative to angiography for determining the presence and extent of atherosclerosis. Secondly, we aim to use MaGiCAD as a resource for the development of novel diagnostic tests for atherosclerosis.

We recently published a paper in the scientific journal Nature Medicine that described the use of metabonomics as an alternative to angiography for determining the number of diseased coronary vessels in the heart of the patient. However, despite the high degree of accuracy obtained using metabonomics, the study examined in total less than 200 patients. MaGiCAD will extend that study, by examining over 1500 patients both by angiography and using the new metabonomics test. This will give us a clearer picture of the potential for metabonomics as an alternative for angiography in some cases.

Secondly, we have been working for some time on developing other clinical tests for the presence of atherosclerosis. Many of these studies are ongoing, and may have clinical use alongside metabonomics. Furthermore, identification of biochemical differences between patients with and without heart disease may lead to the identification of new molecular targets for therapy.

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Study Design

MaGiCAD is a cross-sectional study, with an aim of recruiting approximately 1650 patients. Patients are selected at random amongst all of those attending Papworth Hospital for routine angiography.

Each patient is consented into the study and then taken through a detailed questionnaire about their life history. A comprehensive medical history is taken, and the patient is asked to provide a small urine sample. A blood sample is taken from the arterial sheath used during the angiography.

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Patient confidentiality

The record stored on computer containing all of the personal information about the patient (from both the questionnaire and the medical records) is anonymised. Neither the patient's name, address or hospital numbers are stored on this database, and the records are therefore identified solely by study number.

A master list of patients name vs. study name is kept by the clinical research assistants at Papworth Hospital, and is not available to the scientists involved in the study. This master list is kept solely for the purpose of identifying the partners of patients, who represent an important control group in the study (see below).

In addition, all databases are password protected, and when not in use, all laptop computers holding MaGiCAD data are locked when not in use.

Where collaborations are entered into between the MaGiCAD study group and other scientists around the world, only the anonymous data may be distributed. In addition, prior to any data being passed on, the collaborating scientists must sign to state that they will not use any of the information in the database to attempt to identify any of the MaGiCAD study participants.

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Approaching the partners of patients

In order to obtain a control population of people with which to compare the MaGiCAD study patients, we will be writing to a random selection of the partners of MaGiCAD study patients to ask them if they would also like to take part in MaGiCAD. Please remember that this selection process is random, and therefore it is of no consequence if you are selected or not. In addition, it does not matter if you are healthy or not - our aim is to obtain a group of people who are representative of East Anglia. Further information is available here.