Active clinical trials for "Atherosclerosis"

To test the association between anti-Chlamydia serum titers and anti-Mycoplasma antibodies with Acute Coronary Syndromes.

Aortic atheroma has been correlated with traditional cardiac risk factors, coronary, carotid, renal and peripheral atherosclerosis, and is probably a manifestation of generalized atherosclerosis. Aortic atheroma has also been shown to be associated with atrial fibrillation, aortic valve sclerosis, and other calcification of the fibrous skeleton of the heart. None of the previous studies have looked at the noninvasive prediction of aortic atheroma using the history and physical signs of cardiovascular disease. This would be a time and cost-effective bedside diagnostic tool that would be useful prior to cardiac surgery, cardiac catheterization, and workup of ischemic stroke patients, especially when transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) is being considered for diagnosis but cannot be obtained due to previously mentioned reasons. Although physical examination of peripheral vascular disease is non-specific, a combination of physical examination signs increases the probability of generalized atherosclerosis.

This study will determine the impact of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) on the developing cardiovascular system, the evolution of HAART-associated cardiovascular changes over time, and the association between cardiovascular measurements with HAART exposure.

Atherosclerosis is a condition that occurs when fatty deposits build up along the inner walls of arteries. New strategies are needed to prevent and treat atherosclerosis. The purpose of this study is to analyze the DNA of participants in two ongoing studies to identify genetic variations responsible for the development of atherosclerosis.

To investigate the relationship between genetic variation in genes for inflammation and carotid artery atherosclerosis.

To assess genetic variation in 87 different cardiovascular disease candidate genes and to measure the associations of these variants with cardiovascular disease and its risk factors.

The purposes of this study are to determine: Inter-site variability in CIMT image measurement using SonoCalcTM. If non-sonographer health care professionals working in an office practice setting can be trained to follow a carotid scanning protocol that permits (a) accurate measurement of CIMT and (b) determination of plaque presence. If (a) CIMT measurements and (b) determination of plaque presence by non-sonographer health care professionals are bioequivalent to those made by a core laboratory. If CIMT measurements and plaque assessment performed in office practices lead to meaningful changes in patient and physician behavior related to cardiovascular disease prevention.

The advent of new antiretroviral agents, in particular Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART), spectacularly reduced HIV-associated morbidity and mortality. However, new complications have appeared in HIV-infected patients treated by with HAART such as dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, diabetes mellitus, and related cardiovascular complications including acute coronary syndromes, peripheral vascular disease, and stroke have been reported. A linear association has been proved between increased intima-media thickness of the common carotid artery (CCA-IMT), aortic stiffness (pulse wave velocity [aPWV]) and incidence of cardiovascular events suggesting that IMT and aPWV could be considered as an early marker of atherosclerosis. The progression of IMT has been shown to be predictive of cardiovascular events. Case control and longitudinal studies but not all have suggested an increase CCA-IMT in HIV-infected patients under HAART compared with non-HIV infected patients with different progression. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of pravastatin on CCA-IMT and aortic stiffness in dyslipidemic HIV-infected patients receiving HAART by using a high-resolution echotracking system. Patients in the pravastatin group were consecutively recruited in four department of infectious diseases if they fulfilled the following criteria : (1) HIV-infected treated with HAART for > 12 months 2) with dyslipidemia, defined as fasting serum LDL cholesterol > 160 mg/dL before initiation of pravastatin, (3) treated with pravastatin > 12 months and one more coronary risk factor. The patients in the control group were selected consecutively in the same departments among 1) HIV-infected patients treated with HAART > 12 months 2) fasting serum LDL cholesterol > 160 mg/dL 3) without lipid-lowering drugs and one more coronary risk factor. Cases and control patients were matched for age, gender and tobacco consumption. Using data from Mercie et al., inclusion of 42 patients in pravastatin and control groups was the minimum sample size needed for detection of a 6.5% difference in CCA-IMT, in a two-sided test (a = 0.05, b = 0.20). The protocol of the study, sponsored by the French Society of Cardiology was approved by the Committee for the Protection of Human Subjects in Biomedical Research of Pitié-Salpétrière University hospital in Paris. Written informed consent to participate in the study was obtained from each patient.

To test the theory that accelerated inflammation-promoted atherosclerosis occurs in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

To identify and evaluate genetic and non-genetic determinants of coronary heart disease (CHD), atherosclerosis, and their risk factors in ongoing population-based epidemiology studies. The multicenter study was conducted in three phases which were: Phase I, the family history component: Phase II, the clinical examination and follow-up component; and Phase III, the molecular genetic and genetic epidemiology studies component.