Interdisciplinary Research on Aortic Valve Stenosis: A Longitudinal Collection of Biospecimens and Clinical Data of Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

Abstract

The bioresource (>265 patients with >27,600 biospecimens until December 2019; recruitment ongoing) on severe aortic stenosis is of vital importance to improve the still incomplete understanding of its etiology as well as its transition to heart failure. The bioresource contains various biospecimens, standardised clinical and imaging data sets including transthoracic echocardiography, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging of the heart. Biospecimen sampling follows the SOP-driven collection scheme of the German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK) for venous blood and urine [1]. In addition, left-ventricular endomyocardial biopsies, rectal swabs and skin biopsies (for subsequent generation of induced pluripotent stem cells) are collected. Data management includes the use of a professional biospecimen management system as well as a Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) for imaging data. A Good Clinical Practice (GCP)-conform software for the management of clinical data and a trusted third party for the management of patient identifying data and pseudonyms are in place. Given these conditions, there is a high reuse-potential for biospecimens and data. Funding statement: Parts of the bioresource were financed by the German Research Foundation (DFG) within the Collaborative Research Center (SFB) 1002.