1. Clinical Trials

Strides made in the sector of cardiac disease treatment over the past decade are attributable to preceding researches made in the sector. Clinical research as well as pre-clinical study must be developed first in order to enable the successful development of new treatment for coronary artery disease. As such, CVRF focuses on invigoration of clinical research on cardiovascular diseases, and will provide support clinical researches in cooperation with international and multi centers. The center provides the infrastructure to investigators who receive their primary research. It will become the research body in Asia to establish Core Laboratories and data management center for independent analysis of relevant data for higher efficiency and accuracy in operations.

CVRF has provided support for a total of 19 basic and clinical researches. In 2006, it will begin with the following 11 projects:

2. Core Laboratories

Myeong-Ki Hong, MD, PhD

The Cardiovascular Core Laboratories at the CRCC of CVRF is an academic cardiovascular imaging Core Lab which provides internationally recognized expertise in an efficient and responsive environment. The Core Labs provides the result of an unbiased interpretation about pharmaceutical or mechanical intervention in coronary artery disease and cardiac transplant studies. The independent processes reduce interobserver or interobserver variability and increase the accuracy and precision of results. Also the Core Labs will ensure the investigators are adequately trained to optimize the yield of the imaging data and see that all regulatory requirements are in place. It also will assist with data analysis and interpretation, presentations to the medical community and education of the regulatory agencies about the study results.

Intravascular Ultrasound (IVUS) Core Laboratory

The IVUS Core Lab offers a non-distortion analysis and conclusion of the data, as recorded ultrasonographically. The IVUS Core Lab contains sophisticated computer imaging equipment and analysis workstations designed specifically for qualitative and quantitative coronary and peripheral ultrasound analyses. It increases accuracy and reproducibility of interpreted results by decreasing inter-observer variability through consistent training and systematic analytical processes. The IVUS Lab had experience in providing intravascular ultrasound analysis for clinical studies in the area of atheroma progression/regression, various interventional techniques, transplant vasculopathy, quantitative IVUS analysis, plaque morphology, stent optimization, and quantitative and qualitative analysis for predicting the outcome of percutaneous coronary intervention.

Quantitative Coronary Angiographic (QCA) Core Laboratory

The QCA Core Lab exploits and adjusts catheterization and other procedure imaging protocols for each clinical trial and project. It achieves perfect and elaborate analysis of data for patients and clinical trial research’s accomplishment based on ceaseless attempt and mind aim at perfection. The Core Lab has experience in providing analysis for clinical studies of percutaneous coronary intervention with stent, direct angioplasty, new coronary devices, and interventions with concomitant drug therapy. Importantly, the Core Lab is dedicated to the collection of data on TIMI grading and frame counting, morphology assessments for AHA/ACC lesion classification, quantitative coronary angiography (QCA), including minimum lesion diameter, maximum percent diameter and area stenosis, normal (reference) vessel diameters and lesion length, left-ventricular ejection fraction and regional wall motion results, and ventricular volume indices.

3. Data Management

Young-Hak Kim, MD, PhD

The CRCC develops and plans a model for success and evaluate the feasibility of clinical researches working with international multi centers. Also, we analyze the characteristics and pattern of patients with cardiovascular disease and direct the tool of clinical research. Exact and efficient directing is the most of basic and essential steps for the derivation of useful data.

A goal of data management is to provide the essential information to prevent and control cardiovascular disease through analysis without bias. We specialize in the data collection and processing, outcome reporting of large data sets typically associated with healthcare eligibility, claims processing, and performance measurement. These data sets are used to provide meaningful reports that aid management in day-to-day operations. In addition, we have the capability to perform more detailed analysis and research on data in order to better understand the complexities of service delivery systems.