Dan was an extremely fit young man when he suddenly passed away at the end of triathlon in Hong Kong and his death came as a huge shock to his family. If Dan’s hidden cardiac condition had been diagnosed, he would still be alive today. It is for this reason that the family is committed to funding research into Sudden Adult Death Syndrome to try to prevent such a tragedy befalling other young people like Dan.

In 2014, Dan’s Trust made an exceptional commitment of £50,000 to Imperial College London to support the research activity of Dr Kevin Leong for the first year of his work on the PREDICT-VF study.

The PREDICT-VF study team, led by Dr Amanda Varnava, a consultant cardiologist at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, alongside DrPrapaKanagaratnam and Dr Fu Ng from the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College London, was set up to find ways of identifying the electrical causes of these dangerous heart rhythms.

Imperial College London’s expertise in the field of Inherited Cardiac Conditions, consisting of experienced clinical researchers, geneticists and specialist nurses, is complemented by state-of-the-art technology that cannot be found elsewhere in the UK.

PREDICT-VF

This project harnessed state-of-the-art genetic testing and novel electrical imaging of the heart to provide greater insights of the mechanisms that give rise to SADS.

The team used a novel wearable technology (ECVueTM vest) as the primary investigative tool. The ECVue vest captures surface Electrocardiographic Mapping data and combines it with anatomical data from a CT scan to provide accurate, high-resolution, real time electrical maps of the entire heart in a single beat.

Above: a digital image of the ECVueTM Vest

By processing hundreds of recordings from the skin surface using complex mathematical modelling, it allows us to visualise how electrical impulses moves around the heart in 3D. Using the ECVue vest the team were able to see and study how the heart behaves during exercise and relaxation, which are often the triggers for dangerous heart rhythms.

The important advances made during the project's first year - and the demonstrated potential for future breakthroughs - secured two more years of funding worth £250,000 from the British Heart Foundation, enabling the project's completion.

In 2016, the team presented work from this project and was awarded two prizes at the European Cardiac Arrhythmia Society Conference in Paris.

Next steps

Dan’s Trust has generously gifted a further £50,000 to support Imperial College’s continued research into SADS.

Over the next few years, the Imperial team will expand the PREDICT-VF project by conducting a long term follow up study to assess the predictive value of a new technique we have developed to identify SADS risk.

"My brothers and I had always talked about founding a charitable trust, and it felt like a fitting tribute to Dan to begin this in his name.

Our family had already been referred to Amanda for testing to see whether we were at risk of Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome (SADS), and we were incredibly impressed by her expertise. We were also motivated by the prospect of our donation helping to attract greater funding for research into this rare but catastrophic condition.

I'm proud that Dan's Trust is able to support this important work."

Ian Bagshaw

Dan's older brother

Publications

The following papers have been published on research findings to-date:

  • Leong KMW, Ng FS, Tomlinson L, Nuthoo S, Cajilog E, Lefroy D, Qureshi N, Koa-Wing M, Whinnett Z, Linton NW, Davies DW, Lim PB, Peters NS, Kanagaratnam P, Varnava A. Clinical characteristics of SCD survivors with Brugada Syndrome:- Are spontaneous Type I ECG and previous syncope really associated with high risk? Europace (2016) (in press)
  • Leong KMW, Ng FS, Roney C, Cantwell C, Shun-Shin M, Lim PB, Whinnett Z, Linton NW, Lefroy D, Davies DW, Harding SE, Francis DP, Peters NS, Varnava A, Kanagaratnam P. Identification of the arrhythmogenic substrate in sudden cardiac death survivors following exercise: A novel application of non-invasive electrocardiographical imaging (ECGi).J Interv Card Electrophysiol (2016) 45:233–333
  • Leong KMW, Chow J, Ng FS, Yates S, Wright I, Luther V, LeFroy D, Qureshi N, Koa-Wing M, Whinnett Z, Linton NW, Davies DW, Lim PB, Peters NS, Kanagaratnam P, Varnava A. Accuracy of the ESC Risk Scoring System in Predicting Sudden Death in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. Heart Rhythm 2016. Volume 13, Issue 5, Supplement, S1-S688
  • Leong KMW, Ng FS, Yao C, Yates S, Taraborrelli P, Linton NW, Whinnett Z, LeFroy D, Davies WD, Lim PB, Peters NS, Harding SE, Kanagaratnam P, Varnava A. Correlation between ST elevation in Type I Brugada Syndrome and conduction delay in right ventricular outflow tract. Heart Rhythm 2016. Volume 13, Issue 5, Supplement, S1-S688
  • Matthew J Shun-Shin, Kevin MW Leong, Fu Siong Ng, Phang Boon Lim, Nick W Linton, Zachary I Whinnett, David C Lefroy, D Wyn Davies, Nicholas S Peters, Amanda Varnava, Darrel P Francis, PrapaKanagaratnam.Rapid identification of an arrhythmogenic substrate in sudden cardiac death survivors using relative activation mapping to show failure of rate adaptation. J Interv Card Electrophysiol (2016) 45:233–333
  • Ng FS, Leong KMW, Hu M, Kanapeckaite L, Roney C, Lim PB, Harding SE, Peters NS, Varnava A, Kanagaratnam P. DIFFERENTIAL VENTRICULAR REPOLARISATION RESPONSES DURING SYMPATHETIC SURGE VERSUS SUSTAINED SYMPATHETIC STIMULATION – IN VIVO EVIDENCE FROM HUMANS. Europace 2015 Volume 17, Issue suppl 5
  • Leong KMW, Lim PB, Kanagaratnam P. Comparative analysis of diagnostic 12 lead ECG and 3D non-invasive mapping. Cardiac Elec Clin 2015 Volume 7, Issue 1, Pages 71-78
  • Leong KMW, Ng FS, Roney C, Lim PB, Peters N, Varnava A, Kanagaratnam P. Dynamic characterisation of the electrophysiological substrate in Brugada Syndrome during physiological autonomic stimulation. Heart 2015
  • Leong KMW, Ng FS, Roney C, Lim PB, Harding SE, Peters N, Varnava A, Kanagaratnam P. WHOLE HEART ACTIVATION PATTERNS DURING PHYSIOLOGICAL STRESS IN BRUGADA SYNDROME. Journal of Interventional Electrophysiology 2015 42; 3
  • Leong KMW, Ng FS, Roney C, Lim PB, Harding SE, Peters N, Varnava A, Kanagaratnam P. IMPAIRED ADAPTATION OF WHOLE HEART ACTION POTENTIAL DURATION IN RESPONSE TO PHYSIOLOGICAL AUTONOMIC STRESS IN BRUGADA SYNDROME. Journal of Interventional Electrophysiology 2015 42; 3