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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 PREDICTVF study.
The PREDICT-VF study team, led by Dr Amanda Varnava, a consultant cardiologist at
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, alongside Dr Prapa Kanagaratnam 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 stateof-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, KoaWing 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, KoaWing 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, Prapa Kanagaratnam. 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