Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35696442›Full record

ArticlePLoS computational biology2022

Design and execution of a verification, validation, and uncertainty quantification plan for a numerical model of left ventricular flow after LVAD implantation.

Alfonso Santiago, Constantine Butakoff, Beatriz Eguzkitza, Richard A Gray, Karen May-Newman, Pras Pathmanathan, Vi Vu, Mariano Vázquez

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PLoS computational biology, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
11citing papers in PubMed
2.3field-weighted citation impact, top 12% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

11 citing papers in PubMed, 30 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Optimization of flow rate and orientation of outflow graft at implantation for patients with left ventricular assist device.Zhong nan da xue xue bao. Yi xue ban = Journal of Central South University. Medical sciences · 2025
    Article
  8. Uncertainty quantification of the pressure waveform using a Windkessel model.International journal for numerical methods in biomedical engineering · 2024
    Article
  9. Review
  10. Article
  11. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Alfonso SantiagoBarcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Barcelona, Spain.ORCID 0000-0002-9374-1275
Constantine ButakoffELEM biotech, Barcelona, Spain.ORCID 0000-0002-8526-5045
Beatriz EguzkitzaBarcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Barcelona, Spain.ORCID 0000-0002-3302-6667
Richard A GrayUS Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America.ORCID 0000-0003-2798-6378
Karen May-NewmanDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, San Diego State University (SDSU), San Diego, California, United States of America.ORCID 0000-0001-9307-3687
Pras PathmanathanUS Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America.ORCID 0000-0003-2111-6689
Vi VuDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, San Diego State University (SDSU), San Diego, California, United States of America.
Mariano VázquezBarcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Barcelona, Spain.ORCID 0000-0002-2526-6708
Barcelona Supercomputing Center · ESSan Diego State University · USUnited States Food and Drug Administration · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundLeft ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are implantable pumps that act as a life support therapy for patients with severe heart failure. Despite improving the survival rate, LVAD therapy can carry major complications. Particularly, the flow distortion introduced by the LVAD in the left ventricle (LV) may induce thrombus formation. While previous works have used numerical models to study the impact of multiple variables in the intra-LV stagnation regions, a comprehensive validation analysis has never been executed. The main goal of this work is to present a model of the LV-LVAD system and to design and follow a verification, validation and uncertainty quantification (VVUQ) plan based on the ASME V&V40 and V&V20 standards to ensure credible predictions.

methodsThe experiment used to validate the simulation is the SDSU cardiac simulator, a bench mock-up of the cardiovascular system that allows mimicking multiple operation conditions for the heart-LVAD system. The numerical model is based on Alya, the BSC's in-house platform for numerical modelling. Alya solves the Navier-Stokes equation with an Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) formulation in a deformable ventricle and includes pressure-driven valves, a 0D Windkessel model for the arterial output and a LVAD boundary condition modeled through a dynamic pressure-flow performance curve. The designed VVUQ plan involves: (a) a risk analysis and the associated credibility goals; (b) a verification stage to ensure correctness in the numerical solution procedure; (c) a sensitivity analysis to quantify the impact of the inputs on the four quantities of interest (QoIs) (average aortic root flow [Formula: see text], maximum aortic root flow [Formula: see text], average LVAD flow [Formula: see text], and maximum LVAD flow [Formula: see text]); (d) an uncertainty quantification using six validation experiments that include extreme operating conditions.

resultsNumerical code verification tests ensured correctness of the solution procedure and numerical calculation verification showed a grid convergence index (GCI)95% <3.3%. The total Sobol indices obtained during the sensitivity analysis demonstrated that the ejection fraction, the heart rate, and the pump performance curve coefficients are the most impactful inputs for the analysed QoIs. The Minkowski norm is used as validation metric for the uncertainty quantification. It shows that the midpoint cases have more accurate results when compared to the extreme cases. The total computational cost of the simulations was above 100 [core-years] executed in around three weeks time span in Marenostrum IV supercomputer.

conclusionsThis work details a novel numerical model for the LV-LVAD system, that is supported by the design and execution of a VVUQ plan created following recognised international standards. We present a methodology demonstrating that stringent VVUQ according to ASME standards is feasible but computationally expensive.

Indexed as

Heart-Assist DevicesHeart FailureComputer SimulationHeart VentriclesHemodynamicsHumansUncertainty

Identifiers

PMID35696442
PMCPMC9232142
OpenAlexW4282600777

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC0
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.