Active clinical trials for "Heart and Blood Diseases"

If deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is suspected among patients who have symptoms such as pain or swelling of the lower extremities, duplex ultrasound of the lower limb is the first-line imaging modality to diagnose DVT. However, duplex ultrasound is time consuming, requires patient transport to a diagnostic imaging facility. In recent years, abbereviated bedside ultrasound technique has been accepted by emergency physician to diagnose the presence of DVT. Several studies have proven that the accuracy of this abbreviated bedsude ultrasound for assessing the presence of deep vein thrombosis is not inferior to experts, but how much ultrasound experience is required to obtain the accuracy that does not inferior to experts has yet to be studied. The aim of this study is to identify how much learning by emergency physicians is needed to obtain the accuracy of the lower extremity ultrasound examination comparable to that of experts.

The study will investigate the influencing factors of exercise adherence of home-based cardiac rehabilitation in patients with coronary artery disease.

Tissue perfusion assessment is key to more accurate measurement of foot ischemia, which is in turn an important factor in appropriate treatment decisions. In practice though, tissue perfusion measurements are not routinely undertaken as few practical solutions exist that are easy to use and fit in everyday clinical practice. Pedra has developed a novel easy to use, non-invasive device that can be used in practice to better inform treatment decisions.

Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and disability-adjusted life-years worldwide. Carotid high-risk atherosclerotic plaques are considered to be one of the major sources of ischemic stroke. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship of carotid plaque characteristics with brain perfusion and cognitive function in patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy.

The aims of this study are: • To assess 14-3-3 η (eta) protein antibodies in the serum of rheumatoid arthritis patients and its relation to disease activity and severity. • To investigate the role of 14-3-3 η (eta) protein in the diagnosis or assessment of subclinical carotid artery atherosclerosis.

Children born with congenital heart problems face numerous physical, developmental, and social challenges. Complications in pregnancy have potential to impair brain development, leading a smaller brain volume and less mature brain even in babies born at full term. As the brain is less mature, it may be more susceptible to oxygen deprivation and other forms of brain injury. Urgent surgery is often required in the first few weeks of life to improve functioning of the heart, but this surgery also carries a risk of additional brain injuries. The aim of this study is to provide a better understanding of factors associated with the development of brain injury in neonates undergoing heart surgery in the first year or life. The short-term aim of this study is to provide data to help our team to develop advanced monitoring software that can be used to guide perfusion of the brain during surgery with a view to preventing surgery-related brain injury. The mid-term goal of the study is to identify risk factors associated with brain injury and inflammation around the time of surgery, through using MRI and taking blood samples. A longer term aim of this study is to be able to follow the children as they develop to see if any problems develop later in life. In this study, we will ask parents to complete two brief questionnaires when their infant reaches 2 years of age. Overall, this study aims to improve our understanding of the causes of brain injury in patients born with congenital heart problems. The data provided by this study will help us to develop new tools for monitoring brain perfusion during surgery.

The main purpose of this study is to examine differences in quality of life and psychological distress for both Multiple Myeloma patients receiving treatment and their caregivers and to assess patient and caregiver prognostic understanding (understanding of the likely course of a disease over time) of Multiple Myeloma to guide development of more personalized treatment plans. This study looks to further understand quality of life changes throughout multiple myeloma therapy for both patients and caregivers to help determine ways to improve patient and caregiver understanding of illness and in turn, tailor customized treatment that best aligns with patient preferences. The study will use a series of questionnaires to measure quality of life, mood, coping strategies, and prognostic understanding.

The aim of the project is to develop an artificial intelligence software capable of analysing heart sounds to provide early diagnosis of a variety heart diseases at an early stage. Since the invention of the stethoscope by Laennec in 1816, the basic design has not changed significantly. Our software could be coupled with existing electronic stethoscopes to create an 'intelligent' stethoscope that could be used by healthcare assistants or practice nurses to screen for sound producing heart diseases. It could also be used at home by patients who would otherwise go undiagnosed. The study investigators at Cambridge University Engineering Department (CUED) have developed a proof-of-concept AI algorithm to detect heart murmurs. However, in order to accurately detect the specific pathology and severity underlying the murmur, more heart sound recordings (matched with the ground truth from the patient's echocardiogram) are required. Patients presenting to one of the partner hospitals requiring an echocardiogram as part of their routine care will be invited to consent to this study. Participation will entail recording of a patient's heart sounds using an electronic stethoscope as well as collection of routine clinical data and a routine clinical echocardiogram at a single routine out patient visit.

It is estimated that >200 million people have Peripheral artery disease (PAD) worldwide. PAD is related to increased morbidity or mortality in affected patients. More severe forms of PAD are surgically managed. Estrogen receptors (ERs) are strictly linked with vascular disease, and may be involved also in PAD onset and progression. This study will explore the expression of ERs, (ER-alpha, ER-beta,and a G protein-coupled of estrogen receptor -GPER-) in vessel wall of arteries of operated PAD patients, through the entire clinical spectrum of PAD.

Barlow disease (BD) is a common cause of mitral insufficiency. In 2012 the University Hospital of Basel started to perform a simplified mitral valve repair technique in BD just by implanting an annuloplasty-ring. It is hypothesized that the major mechanism of the valvular insufficiency in Barlow disease is a deformation of the left ventricle and the posterior mitral annulus, causing its aberrant displacement during the systole towards posterior and basal and thus impairing the coaptation of the leaflets. This prospective individual MRI study is to investigate the ventricle and the mitral annulus pre- and postoperatively for detailed analysis.