Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm (TAA)NCT06854588
POCUS Screening for TAA in Hypertensive Patients in the ED
An observational study of Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm (TAA) and Aortic Dissection, run by Chinese University of Hong Kong at 2 sites in Hong Kong.
Trial summary
The investigators are going to recruit hypertensive patients in the emergency department of Prince of Wales Hospital. Point-of-care ultrasound of the aorta and measurements of the aortic diameter will be obtained. Other relevant clinical data will also be obtained for analysis. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm (TAA), Aortic Dissection
- What is being tested?
- Point-of-care ultrasound
- How many people
- 1,483 participants
- Where
- 2 sitesHong Kong
- Study dates
- 22 Apr 2025to 31 Jul 2026
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Study population: hypertensives patients attending the emergency department without known history of aortic diseases.
Who may be able to join
- Adult patients aged ≥ 18 years attending the ED during the study period
- Known history of hypertension or newly diagnosed hypertension in the ED
Who cannot join
- Known history of aortic aneurysm or dissection
- Previous thoracic aortic interventions or endovascular stenting
- Patients in cardiopulmonary resuscitation
- Traumatic patients
- Patients refuse to participate the study
Trial locations and contacts
2 sites in 1 country.
Hong Kong2 sites
Accident and Emergency Medicine Academic Unit
Hong Kong
Prince of Wales Hospital
Shatin, NT
About this study
Official title: Point-of-care Ultrasound Screening of Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm in Hypertensive Patients in the Emergency Department
The investigators are going to recruit hypertensive patients in the emergency department of Prince of Wales Hospital. Point-of-care ultrasound of the aorta and measurements of the aortic diameter will be obtained. Other relevant clinical data will also be obtained for analysis. The primary outcome is the number of patients with a maximum aortic diameter of ≥ 4.5 cm and/or ≥ 50% localized enlarged diameter relative to the adjacent normal segment as indicated by POCUS.
Read the detailed description
Investigators trained with point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) will recruit hypertensive patients in the emergency department (ED) of Prince of Wales Hospital. POCUS will be performed using a handheld ultrasound device to visualise the aortic root, ascending aorta, aortic arch and descending aorta. Measurements of the diameter will be obtained from different segments of the thoracic aorta for analysis. The definition of aortic aneurysm is a maximum aortic diameter of ≥ 4.5 cm and/or ≥ 50% localized enlarged diameter relative to the adjacent normal segment as indicated by POCUS. The primary outcome is the prevalence of thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) in hypertensive patients in the ED. The secondary outcomes include the number of patients with confirmed TAA as verified by CTA, BMI for all participants, the number of CTA scans conducted for TAA confirmation, the number of surgical interventions performed among TAA patients, the ICU admission rate, ICU length of stay, hospital length of stay and mortality, proportion of adequate visualisation of POCUS studies obtained, agreement of aortic diameter measurement between CTA and POCUS, and signs and symptoms of TAA patients presenting to the ED. In addition, the investigators will assess the 28-day all-cause mortality and any advanced imaging done outside the ED.
- Conditions
- Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm (TAA), Aortic Dissection
- Being tested
- Point-of-care ultrasound
- Medical subject headings
- Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic, Aortic Dissection
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Point-of-care ultrasoundDiagnostic test
POCUS screening will be conducted to measure the maximum diameters at end diastole of the aortic root, ascending aorta, aortic arch, and descending thoracic aorta.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| hypertensive patients presenting to the emergency department | 1. Adult patients aged ≥ 18 years attending the ED during the study period
2. Known history of hypertension or newly diagnosed hypertension in the ED Receives: Diagnostic Test: Point-of-care ultrasound |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
number of patients with a dilated aorta
is the number of patients with a maximum aortic diameter of ≥ 4.5 cm and/or ≥ 50% localized enlarged diameter relative to the adjacent normal segment as indicated by POCUS
Measured: Day 1
Secondary outcomes (1)
number of patients with confirmed TAA
number of patients with confirmed TAA as verified by CTA
Measured: through study completion, an average of 1 year
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted3 Mar 2025
- Study start22 Apr 2025
- Primary completion31 May 2026
- Study completion31 Jul 2026
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm (TAA)Studies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Chinese University of Hong KongThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Enrolment
- 1,483 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Chinese University of Hong Kong
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Hospital Authority, Hong Kong
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Colin Graham, Chinese University of Hong Kong
- Investigators
- Colin A Graham, Professor, Principal investigator, Accident and Emergency Medicine Academic Unit, CUHK
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06854588
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- NTEC-2024-753
- Status last verified
- Oct 2026
- First submitted
- 12 Feb 2025
- Last updated
- 21 Oct 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: Not allowed by the ethics committee
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 21 Oct 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Point-of-care Ultrasound Screening of Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm in Hypertensive Patients in the Emergency Department
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06854588
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- NTEC-2024-753
- Conditions
- Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm (TAA), Aortic Dissection
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 1,483 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Chinese University of Hong KongUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Hospital Authority, Hong Kong
- Study start
- 22 Apr 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 May 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 31 Jul 2026 (actual)
- First posted
- 3 Mar 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The investigators are going to recruit hypertensive patients in the emergency department of Prince of Wales Hospital. Point-of-care ultrasound of the aorta and measurements of the aortic diameter will be obtained. Other relevant clinical data will also be obtained for analysis. The primary outcome is the number of patients with a maximum aortic diameter of ≥ 4.5 cm and/or ≥ 50% localized enlarged diameter relative to the adjacent normal segment as indicated by POCUS.
Detailed description
Investigators trained with point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) will recruit hypertensive patients in the emergency department (ED) of Prince of Wales Hospital. POCUS will be performed using a handheld ultrasound device to visualise the aortic root, ascending aorta, aortic arch and descending aorta. Measurements of the diameter will be obtained from different segments of the thoracic aorta for analysis. The definition of aortic aneurysm is a maximum aortic diameter of ≥ 4.5 cm and/or ≥ 50% localized enlarged diameter relative to the adjacent normal segment as indicated by POCUS. The primary outcome is the prevalence of thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) in hypertensive patients in the ED. The secondary outcomes include the number of patients with confirmed TAA as verified by CTA, BMI for all participants, the number of CTA scans conducted for TAA confirmation, the number of surgical interventions performed among TAA patients, the ICU admission rate, ICU length of stay, hospital length of stay and mortality, proportion of adequate visualisation of POCUS studies obtained, agreement of aortic diameter measurement between CTA and POCUS, and signs and symptoms of TAA patients presenting to the ED. In addition, the investigators will assess the 28-day all-cause mortality and any advanced imaging done outside the ED.
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| hypertensive patients presenting to the emergency department | – | Diagnostic Test: Point-of-care ultrasound1. Adult patients aged ≥ 18 years attending the ED during the study period 2. Known history of hypertension or newly diagnosed hypertension in the ED |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- hypertensives patients attending the emergency department without known history of aortic diseases.
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Adult patients aged ≥ 18 years attending the ED during the study period
- Known history of hypertension or newly diagnosed hypertension in the ED
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Known history of aortic aneurysm or dissection
- Previous thoracic aortic interventions or endovascular stenting
- Patients in cardiopulmonary resuscitation
- Traumatic patients
- Patients refuse to participate the study
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Point-of-care ultrasoundPOCUS screening will be conducted to measure the maximum diameters at end diastole of the aortic root, ascending aorta, aortic arch, and descending thoracic aorta. | Diagnostic test | hypertensive patients presenting to the emergency department |
Primary outcome
number of patients with a dilated aorta
Time frame: Day 1
is the number of patients with a maximum aortic diameter of ≥ 4.5 cm and/or ≥ 50% localized enlarged diameter relative to the adjacent normal segment as indicated by POCUS
1 secondary outcome
number of patients with confirmed TAA
Time frame: through study completion, an average of 1 year
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 21 Oct 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. Not allowed by the ethics committee
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Colin A Graham, Professor principal investigator
Accident and Emergency Medicine Academic Unit, CUHK
2 sites in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm (TAA) and Aortic Dissection, run by Chinese University of Hong Kong at 2 sites in Hong Kong.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 21 Oct 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 2 sites in Hong Kong. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
number of patients with a dilated aorta (time frame: Day 1). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 21 Oct 2026.