Catheter removal of lung blood clots for submassive pulmonary embolism
2/2 Pulmonary Embolism: Thrombus Removal with Catheter-Directed Therapy (PE-TRACT Trial) –DCC
This compares catheter-directed clot removal with lower-dose clot-busting medicine to usual care for people who have submassive pulmonary embolism with right-heart strain but normal blood pressure.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York University School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11167691 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, you would be randomly assigned to get catheter-directed therapy that delivers a low dose of clot-busting medicine directly into the lung arteries or to receive usual care without that catheter procedure. The trial is open-label (you and your care team will know which treatment you get) but the people who judge outcomes are blinded. Up to 500 people will be enrolled, and the study can stop early if the catheter approach clearly helps or clearly does not help. Doctors will measure exercise capacity at 3 months and heart-failure symptoms at 12 months to see if the catheter approach improves recovery.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with submassive pulmonary embolism who have evidence of right-heart dysfunction but maintain normal blood pressure and are eligible for catheter-directed therapy are the intended candidates.
Not a fit: People with massive PE (low blood pressure), those at high risk of bleeding, or those who cannot undergo catheter procedures are unlikely to benefit from this intervention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could improve short-term exercise capacity and long-term heart–lung symptoms without substantially increasing major bleeding.
How similar studies have performed: Smaller trials and observational studies suggest catheter-directed therapy can reduce clot burden and may lower bleeding compared with full-dose systemic thrombolysis, but long-term patient-centered benefits remain uncertain.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- New York University School of Medicine — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Troxel, Andrea B — New York University School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Troxel, Andrea B
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.