Professorship for Multicenter Clinical Trials

Stavros V. Konstantinides, MD, PhD, FESC
Medical Director of the CTH

At the CTH, we design, coordinate and conduct academic multicenter clinical trials on thrombotic disorders in collaboration with our European and overseas partners. Our research focuses on advancing and optimizing the risk-adjusted management of venous thromboembolism (VTE).

In ongoing prospective randomized and cohort trials we are investigating:

• advanced reperfusion strategies, including reduced-dose systemic thrombolysis or catheter-directed pharmacomechanical thrombus removal, for risk-adapted treatment of acute severe (intermediate-high-risk) pulmonary embolism

• identification of patients with low-risk pulmonary embolism who may be candidates for early discharge and home treatment

• approoaches to secondary VTE prevention beyond chronic oral anticoagulation, with a focus on modifying the patient’s global cardiovascular risk profile

• reliable, cost-effective algorithms for patient follow-up after pulmonary embolism, aiming at the prevention or early detection of severe late sequelae

• innovative strategies for de-escalation of postoperative primary thromboprophylaxis in parallel to the progress in surgical techniques and early patient mobilization.

Beyond individual clinical research projects, the vision of the professorship for multicenter clinical trials at the CTH is to play a leading role in networking centers of excellence in the field of thrombosis and pulmonary embolism research.

Team - Module Clinical Trials

Project management

Research associates

Guest scientists

Study Nurses

Selected original articles

• Hobohm L, Schmidt FP, Gori T, Schmidtmann I, Barco S, Münzel T, Lankeit, M, Konstantinides SV, Keller K. In-hospital outcomes of catheter-directed thrombolysis in patients with pulmonary embolism. Eur Heart J Acute Cardiovasc Care 2021;10(3):258-264

• Klok FA, Toenges G, Mavromanoli AC, Barco S, Ageno W, Bouvaist H, […], Meyer G, Konstantinides SV; PEITHO Investigators. Early switch to oral anticoagulation in patients with acute intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism (PEITHO-2): a multinational, multicentre, single-arm, phase 4 trial. Lancet Haematol 2021;8(9): e627-e636

• Hobohm L, Kölmel S, Niemann C, Kümpers P, Krieg VJ, Bochenek ML, […], Konstantinides SV, Schäfer K, Lankeit M. Role of angiopoietin-2 in venous thrombus resolution and chronic thromboembolic disease. Eur Respir J 2021;58(6). doi: 10.1183/13993003.04196-2020

• Barco S, Valerio L, Ageno W, Cohen AT, Goldhaber SZ, Hunt BJ, […], Wendelboe AM, Konstantinides SV. Age-sex specific pulmonary embolism-related mortality in the USA and Canada, 2000-18: an analysis of the WHO Mortality Database and of the CDC Multiple Cause of Death database. Lancet Respir Med 2021;9(1):33-42

• Barco S, Mahmoudpour SH, Valerio L, Klok FA, Münzel T, Middeldorp S, Ageno W, Cohen AT, Hunt BJ, Konstantinides SV. Trends in mortality related to pulmonary embolism in the European Region, 2000-15: analysis of vital registration data from the WHO Mortality Database. Lancet Respir Med 2020;8(3):277-287

• Barco S, Schmidtmann I, Ageno W, Bauersachs RM, Becattini C, Bernardi E, […], Wild PS, Konstantinides SV, Lankeit M; HoT-PE Investigators. Early discharge and home treatment of patients with low-risk pulmonary embolism with the oral factor Xa inhibitor rivaroxaban: an international multicentre single-arm clinical trial. Eur Heart J 2020;41(4):509-518

• Bochenek ML, Leidinger C, Rosinus NS, Gogiraju R, Guth S, Hobohm L, Jurk K, Mayer E, Münzel T, Lankeit M, Bosmann M, Konstantinides S, Schäfer K. Activated endothelial TGFβ1 signaling promotes venous thrombus nonresolution in mice via endothelin-1: Potential role for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. Circ Res 2020;126(2):162-181

• Keller K, Hobohm L, Ebner M, Kresoja KP, Münzel T, Konstantinides SV, Lankeit M. Trends in thrombolytic treatment and outcomes of acute pulmonary embolism in Germany. Eur Heart J 2020;41(4):522-529

• Hobohm L, Anušić T, Konstantinides SV, Barco S; HoT-PE Investigators. Ambulatory treatment of low-risk pulmonary embolism in fragile patients: A subgroup analysis of the multinational Home Treatment of Pulmonary Embolism (HoT-PE) Trial. Eur Respir J 2020;56(4). doi: 10.1183/13993003.00663-2020

• Tziakas DN, Chalikias G, […], Konstantinides SV, Schäfer K. Lysed erythrocyte membranes promote vascular calcification: possible role of erythrocyte-derived nitric oxide. Circulation 2019;139(17):2032-2048

• Barco S, Mahmoudpour SH, Planquette B, Sanchez O, Konstantinides SV, Meyer G. Prognostic value of right ventricular dysfunction or elevated cardiac biomarkers in patients with low-risk pulmonary embolism: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur Heart J 2019;40(11):902-910

• Barco S, Ende-Verhaar YM, Becattini C, Jimenez D, Lankeit M, Huisman MV, Konstantinides SV, Klok FA. Differential impact of syncope on the prognosis of patients with acute pulmonary embolism: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur Heart J 2018;39(47):4186-4195

• Konstantinides SV, Vicaut E, Danays T, Becattini C, Bertoletti L, Beyer-Westendorf J, […], Meyer G. Impact of thrombolytic therapy on the long-term outcome of intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism. J Am Coll Cardiol 2017;69(12):1536-1544

• Barco S, Vicaut E, Klok FA, Lankeit M, Meyer G, Konstantinides SV; for the PEITHO Investigators. Improved identification of thrombolysis candidates amongst intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism patients: implications for future trials. Eur Respir J 2018;51(1). doi: 10.1183/13993003.01775-2017

• Meyer G, Vicaut E, Danays T, Agnelli G, Becattini C, Beyer-Westendorf J, [….], Konstantinides S; PEITHO Investigators. Fibrinolysis for patients with acute intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism. N Engl J Med 2014;370(15): 1402-1411

• Verhoef TI, Ragia G, de Boer A, Konstantinides S, et al; the EU-PACT Group. A randomized trial of genotype-guided dosing of acenocoumarol and phenprocoumon. N Engl J Med 2013;369(24):2304-231

Selected guidelines and position papers

• Konstantinides SV, Meyer G, Becattini C, Bueno H, Geersing GJ, Harjola VP, […], Zamorano JL; ESC Scientific Document Group. 2019 ESC Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of acute pulmonary embolism developed in collaboration with the European Respiratory Society (ERS). Eur Heart J 2020;41(4):543-603

• Bauersachs R, Langer F, Kalka C, Konstantinides S, Klamroth R, Oldenburg J, Schellong S, Scholz U, Stucker M, Lindhoff-Last E. Treatment of the antiphospholipid syndrome with direct oral anticoagulantsPosition statement of German societies. Vasa 2019;48(6):483-486

• Harjola VP, Mebazaa A, Čelutkienė J, Bettex D, Bueno H, Chioncel O, […], Konstantinides S. Contemporary management of acute right ventricular failure: a statement from the Heart Failure Association and the Working Group on Pulmonary Circulation and Right Ventricular Function of the European Society of Cardiology. Eur J Heart Fail 2016;18:226-24

• Konstantinides SV, Torbicki A, Agnelli G, Danchin N, Fitzmaurice D, Galiè N, […], Zompatori M; ESC Scientific Document Group. 2014 ESC Guidelines on the diagnosis and management of acute pulmonary embolism: The Task Force for the Diagnosis and Management of Acute Pulmonary Embolism of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC)Endorsed by the European Respiratory Society (ERS). Eur Heart J 2014;35(43):3033-3073

Selected editorials & reviews

• Konstantinides SV. Thrombotic complications of vaccination against SARS-CoV-2: what pharmacovigilance reports tell us - and what they don't. Eur Respir J 2021;58(1). doi: 10.1183/13993003.01111-2021

• Bikdeli B, Madhavan MV, Jimenez D, Chuich T, Dreyfus I, Driggin E, […], Konstantinides SV, Weitz JI, Lip GYH. COVID-19 and thrombotic or thromboembolic disease: Implications for prevention, antithrombotic therapy, and follow-up. J Am Coll Cardiol 2020;75(23):2950-2973

• Schulman S, Hu Y, Konstantinides S. Venous Thromboembolism in COVID-19. Thromb Haemost 2020;120(12):1642-1653

• Meyer G, Konstantinides S. Should oral anticoagulation be discontinued after 3 months in the setting of a first high-risk pulmonary embolism secondary to a major transient/reversible risk factor? Eur Respir J 2020;55(1). doi: 10.1183/13993003.02323-2019