Projects

Ventricular arrhythmias in patients with arrhythmic mitral valve prolapse

This research project focuses on patients with arrhythmic mitral valve prolapse. There is a lack of data on prognostics risk markers and the effect of antiarrhythmic therapy in patients with arrhythmic mitral valve prolapse. Our aim is to improve general knowledge about ventricular arrhythmias in these patients, by better understanding arrhythmia mechanics, triggers and substrates. We also want to explore possible treatment options for decreasing ventricular arrhythmia burden in these patients. By better understanding the characteristics of arrhythmic mitral valve prolapse, we can better target risk stratification to prevent sudden cardiac death and provide better treatment options of these patients

Project leader: Kristina Haugaa
PhD fellows: Cecilie Bugge, Christian Five, Julie Bergh

Flecapro: Flecainide in arrhythmic mitral valve prolapse

FLECAPRO is an investigator-initiated, prospective, randomized, open-label, blinded-endpoint, crossover study with the goal to assess the efficacy and safety of adding flecainide to standard beta-blocker therapy in patients with arrhythmic mitral valve prolapse. The primary endpoint is the number of ventricular tachyarrhythmias (severe and life-threatening arrhythmias) on implantable heart rhythm monitors during 12 months in each treatment arm.

Project leader: Eivind Aabel
PhD fellow: Cecilie Bugge

Covid-19 vaccine induced heart inflammation in Norway

The Covid-19 pandemic led governments worldwide to launch mass vaccination campaigns to prevent Covid-19. In Europe and the USA, two vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna) were developed at record speed using new technology. As the mass vaccination efforts continued, reports began to surface about heart inflammation in some individuals, including younger people, following vaccination. This naturally raised concerns: Is the vaccine safe? Why should younger individuals, who typically don't get severely ill from Covid-19, get vaccinated?

Project leader/main supervisor: Nina Eide Hasselberg
Co-supervisor: Kristina Haugaa, Mette Estensen, Kaspar Broch
PhD-fellow: Bendik Skinningsrud

Mutations in the desmoplakin (DSP) gene and arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC), and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) – treatment and prognosis

The aim of this research project is to investigate how physical activity impacts the prognosis in patients with desmoplakin (DSP) mutations. The aim is also to investigate how patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) should be treated, their prognosis and when they should have an implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD).

Project leader/main supervisor: Kristina Haugaa
Co-supervisor: Ida Leren
PhD-fellow: Paul Andre Sletten Olsen

SCAD

SCAD has emerged as an important cause of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in women and a few conditions are known to predispose to SCAD, e-g- fibromuscular dysplasia. However, there are gaps in knowledge regarding risk factors for SCAD, how SCAD can be prevented and what constitutes optimal medical follow-up after SCAD.

Project leader/main supervisor: Mette-Elise Estensen
Co-supervisor: Kristina Haugaa, Nina Hasselberg
PhD-fellow: Anna Sørlie 

Brugada syndrome: Drugs in pregnancy (BrS-DIP)

BrS-DIP is a multicenter retrospective study investigating the anesthetic management of women with Brugada syndrom or genotype SCN5A during pregnancy and delivery. Brugada syndrome is a rare genetic cardiac condition which implies impaired voltage-gated sodium channels which affect the electrophysiology of heart muscle cells. This results in an increased risk of ventricular tachyarrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. The arrhythmogenic risk associated with BrS is increased by various metabolic and pharmacological factors, and the setting of pregnancy and anesthesia is therefore challenging.

Project leader: Kristina Haugaa
Co-supervisors: Mette-Elise Estensen, Nina Hasselberg
PhD-fellow: Anna Sørlie

Risk Stratification of Patients with Mitral Valve Prolapse by Precision Medicine

This research project focuses on the understanding of the pathogenesis of mitral valve prolapse and associated risk markers for ventricular arrythmia. We aim to increase knowledge about factors correlating with phenotypes of the disease.

Project leader: Kristina Haugaa
Main supervisor: John-Peder Kvitting
Phd-fellow: Julie Bergh

Harmful effects of exercise on cardiac function and arrhythmic outcome in patients at risk

The benefits of physical activity are well established, but growing evidence suggests that sustained and vigorous endurance exercise may increase the risk of cardiac arrhythmias. Cardiac arrest in an otherwise healthy young individual is a particularly feared example. The overall aim of this project is to increase knowledge about management and risk stratification in athletes with ventricular arrhythmias and patients with exercise intolerance.

Project leader: Kristina Haugaa
Main supervisor: Øyvind Lie
PhD-fellow: Linda Aaserud

LaMinOs

This translational research cooperation between University of Minnesota and ProCardio Center for Innovation represents an innovative approach to understanding and treating the progression of myocardial fibrosis in patients with Lamin A/C mutations, a condition associated with high risks of sudden cardiac death and severe heart failure. The “LaMinOs” study has been granted a NOCC (Norwegian Centennial Chair) grant, promoting academic collaborations between Minnesota and Norway.

Project leader: Nina Eide Hasselberg
Co-supervisor: Kristina Haugaa
PhD-fellow: Bendik Skinningsrud

Progression of Aortic Stenosis

This research project focuses on enhancing risk stratification tools to make precise decisions about when and how to intervene in aortic stenosis (AS). One of our key questions is how aortic stenosis progresses in patients who do and do not require transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). Could early signs of myocardial impact signal the need for intervention? Novel echocardiographic methods are being explored to identify potential treatment responders and non-responders, potentially avoiding unnecessary TAVI procedures.

Main supervisor: Jan Otto Beitnes
Co-supervisor: Kristina Haugaa
PhD-fellow: Sverre Høie

Cardiomyopathy Prediction with Foundation Models

The research focuses on applying deep learning techniques to cardiac ultrasound imaging. We are investigating the capabilities of foundation models and self-supervised learning to automate measurements from echocardiograms, assess image quality, and improve diagnostic support. This work will help extend these models to new use cases in cardiac ultrasound, including the detection, characterization and progression study of cardiomyopathy.

Project leaders: Kristina Haugaa
Co-supervisors: Jan Otto Beitnes, Christian Five
Main supervisor: Anna Solberg
PhD-fellow: Preetraj Bhoodoo, Paul Olsen

Anabolic-androgenic steroids and cardiovascular risk

This project aims to explore the cardiovascular risks associated with long-term use of anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS). AAS are synthetic derivates of the male sex hormone testosterone, commonly used by men to enhance physical appearance or performance.

Main supervisor: Vibeke Almaas
Co-supervisor: Kristina Haugaa
PhD-fellow: Rang Abdullah 

Novel imaging modalities for myocardial tissue characterisation

The research project focusses on novel imaging modalities for myocardial tissue characterisation by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and high frame rate echocardiography. Remodelling of the myocardium and development of myocardial fibrosis is associated with cardiac dysfunction and severe arrhythmia. Enhanced imaging techniques for myocardial tissue characterisation may improve diagnostics and treatment across a broad spectrum of cardiac diseases.

Project leader/main supervisor: Thor Edvardsen
PhD-fellows: Kristoffer Andresen and Lisa-Marie Selmer

Mangafodipir as an intracellular contrast agent in cardiac MRI

This research project investigates the use of Mangafodipir as an intracellular contrast agent in cardiac MRI for patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) due to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or cardiac amyloidosis

Project leader: Einar Hopp
Main supervisor: Thor Edvardsen
PhD-fellow: Sigrun Skarstad

The IMPROVE study

Improved Prediction of Clinical Outcome With the Use of Myocardial Strain in Patients with Myocardial Infarction and Heart Failure: The IMPROVE study is an international multi-center study aimed to investigate whether global strain and mechanical dispersion, in addition to left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), can improve the prediction of clinical outcomes (death and life-threatening arrhythmias) in patients with myocardial infarction and heart failure, regardless of cause.

Project leader/Main Supervisor Thor Edvardsen
Co-supervisor: Kristina Haugaa
PhD-fellows: Mi Nguyen, Jorun Tangen, Daniela Melichova, Jireh Tang

Lamin A/C cardiomyopathy in children

Lamin A/C (LMNA) variants cause familial dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) with variable expressivity of symptoms such as early-onset atrioventricular block, ventricular arrhythmia and progressive DCM. LMNA variants are defined as high-risk mutations that should be followed particularly close with regard to the development of severe arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death at an early stage of disease development. However, data on children with LMNA variants are missing, and the prevalence of LMNA cardiomyopathy in childhood and the optimal age for starting genetic and clinical follow-up on relatives are not defined. We aim to explore the prevalence of cardiac events in LMNA genotype-positive children and to investigate the penetrance of LMNA cardiac phenotype in genotype positive relatives during childhood.

Project leader: Marit Kristine Smedsrud

Atrial myopathy in lamin A/C cardiomyopathy

Lamin A/C cardiomyopathy is a disease causing heart failure and cardiac arrhythmias. Atrial arrhythmias are often one of the first symptoms of the disease and may result in severe complications such as stroke. We are investigating the relationship between atrial cardiomyocyte dysfunction and development of atrial arrhythmias, and exploring echocardiographic predictors of future atrial arrhythmias in these patients.

Project leader: Nina Hasselberg
PhD fellow: Bendik Skinningsrud

Nordic multicentre study on arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy

Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy is a genetic disease that causes damage to the cardiac muscle cells, which in turn results in high risk of experiencing life-threatening arrhythmias. Implantation of a cardiac defibrillator (ICD) is an important, but challenging, part of patient management.

In this multicentre Scandinavian research project, patient data from more than 700 patients from Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland, have been made available through the “Nordic ARVC registry”. OUS Rikshospitalet is the largest contributor to the registry. Several papers describing disease manifestations, arrhythmic risk and ICD complications in arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy patients have already been published, and further publications are planned.

Project leader: K.H. Haugaa

Optimized recommendations in Titin cardiomyopathy

The aim of this project is to identify factors associated with the onset and outcome of dilated cardiomyopathy in patients carrying a truncated variant of Titin protein (TvTTR). We explore the role pregnancy and physical exercise have as lifestyle factors that may influence the prognosis of cardiac disease in this population. In addition, we collaborate with Amsterdam University Medical Centre in an international project aimed at exploring the role of polygenic inheritance on clinical phenotype in dilated cardiomyopathy associated to TvTTR. 

Main supervisor: Anna Isotta Castrini
Co-supervisors: Kristina Haugaa, Nina Hasselberg
Research student: Cordelia Hellstrand

Phase 2 study of a new antiarrhytmic drug in patients with catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) 

The goal of the study is to test safety and tolerability of the drug AGP 100, as well as exploring efficacy in patients with CPVT. We aim to include 10 patients, and assess occurrence and severity of ventricular arrhythmias by exercise stress testing. The study is in co-operation with Agiana Pharmaceuticals, and the drug is developed based on a patent from Insitute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo – hence this is a true translational project from mice to men.

Project leader: Ida Skrinde Leren
Co-PI: Kristina H. Haugaa