Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 30, 2026

Transradial Access Chemoembolization for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients
05:31

Transradial Access Chemoembolization for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients

Published on: September 20, 2020

Overview of the DIG trial

Joseph F Collins1, Debra Egan, Salim Yusuf

  • 1Department of Veterans Affairs, Cooperative Studies Program, Perry Point, Maryland 21902, USA. joseph.collins2@med.va.gov

Controlled Clinical Trials
|December 4, 2003
PubMed

Insights

The Digitalis Investigation Group (DIG) trial found digoxin did not significantly affect overall mortality in heart failure patients. However, it did impact hospitalization rates, highlighting its role in managing heart failure symptoms.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Clinical Trials
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Congestive heart failure (CHF) presents a significant public health challenge in Western nations.
  • Effective management strategies for CHF are crucial for improving patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy of digoxin in reducing all-cause mortality in patients with heart failure.
  • To assess the impact of digoxin on hospitalization rates for heart failure.

Main Methods:

  • The Digitalis Investigation Group (DIG) trial was a large-scale, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.
  • 6800 patients with heart failure (left ventricular ejection fraction ≤0.45) and normal sinus rhythm were enrolled.
  • Participants were recruited from 302 centers across the US and Canada over 31.5 months and followed for at least 28 months.

Main Results:

  • Digoxin did not demonstrate a significant reduction in all-cause mortality.
  • The study provided insights into the drug's effect on heart failure hospitalizations.

Conclusions:

  • Digoxin's role in managing heart failure requires careful consideration of its impact on mortality and hospitalization.
  • The successful execution of the DIG trial underscores the feasibility of large simple trials in cardiovascular research.

More Related Videos

Intracranial Cannula Implantation for Serial Locoregional Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T Cell Infusions in Mice05:22

Intracranial Cannula Implantation for Serial Locoregional Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T Cell Infusions in Mice

Published on: February 24, 2023

Related Concept Videos

Clinical Trials: Overview01:11

Clinical Trials: Overview

Clinical development focuses on how the drug will interact with the human body and encompasses four key phases of clinical trials, each serving a specific purpose in assessing the safety and effectiveness of new drugs. These phases overlap and build upon one another. Phase I involves a small group of healthy volunteers (typically 20-80 individuals) or, in cases where significant toxicity is expected, patients with the targeted disease, such as cancer or AIDS. The volunteers are tested for...
Hazard Ratio01:12

Hazard Ratio

The hazard ratio (HR) is a widely used measure in clinical trials to compare the risk of events, such as death or disease recurrence, between two groups over time. It reflects the ratio of hazard rates—the instantaneous risk of the event occurring—between a treatment group and a control group. This measure provides valuable insights into the relative effectiveness of a treatment by assessing how the risk of an event differs between the two groups.
For example, in a clinical trial evaluating a...