Active clinical trials for "Atherosclerosis"

ATERA Survey is a national cross sectional observational study, aiming to determine the prevalence of dyslipidemia and other conventional risk factors for CHD (Coronary Heart Disease), the relationship between environmental and lifestyle factors with dyslipidemia, the perception and the knowledge of cardiovascular risk factors by the population, and above all, to strengthen the national strategy for primary and secondary prevention against coronary heart disease.

The purpose of this survey is to collect information for scientific research and to better understand the role of systemic inflammation in identification, treatment and management of patients with ASCVD and CKD. This study is a cross-sectional design conducted among cardiologists in United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Australia, China, India and France, treating ASCVD and CKD patients. Study participants will be recruited to complete an approximately 20-minute self-administered online survey. Recruitment will be conducted through email and phone. Data is collected though online data collection using a programmed survey.

The risk of developing clinical manifestations of ischemic heart disease is currently assessed by using integrated multifactorial prediction models based on the presence of non-modifiable risk factors, such as age, gender and a family history of early ischemic heart disease along with risk factors which are defined as conventional, such as arterial hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, cigarette smoking and diabetes mellitus. However, if the relationship between risk factors and ischemic heart disease clinical manifestations shows some limitations, the relation between risk factors and the coronary atherosclerosis process underlying most ischemic syndromes seems to be even weaker. In fact there is significant individual variability and the limits of such relationship are demonstrated by a non negligible number of subjects at the outliers of mean behaviour of the prediction model. At one outlier, in the presence of multiple risk factors, these subjects do not develop neither coronary events nor coronary atherosclerosis whereas, at the other, coronary events and disease occur in the absence of risk factors.This study aims at detecting new protection and susceptibility factors, thus enabling to formulate new etiopathogenetic hypotheses concerning coronary atherosclerosis and to identify new therapeutic targets.

Psoriasis is a common inflammatory disease of the skin and joints with a prevalence of 1-3% in the caucasian population of Northern Europe and the US. Similarly to other inflammatory diseases there is now substantial and accumulating evidence that psoriasis has a systemic inflammatory component. It is known that patients suffering from psoriasis have increased prevalence of traditional cardiovascular risk factors, such as hypertension, dyslipidaemia, obesity, tobacco use and diabetes mellitus. This would logically explain an increased rate of cardiovascular events, but even when adjusting for theses risk factors, psoriasis carry an independent risk for developing cardiovascular disease. Recent large epidemiological studies have shown a strong correlation between psoriasis and myocardial infarction. Atopic dermatitis has been linked to ischemic stroke in one study, but besides this, the disease has not been associated with cardiovascular disease. In conclusion, convincing and increasing evidence is supporting that psoriasis induce accelerated atherosclerosis and hence cardiovascular disease and mortality. In particular, this is seen in young patients with early disease onset. Psoriasis is believed to be driven by cytokines produced by Th1 and Th17 lymphocytes. A number of these cytokines are suggested to be atherogenic. In contrast, another chronic inflammatory disease, atopic dermatitis, is predominantly driven by Th2 lymphocyte derived cytokines, some of which may inhibit atherosclerotic processes. It is therefore, of interest to compare the presence of cardiovascular disease in these two inflammatory skin diseases. Hypothesis: That the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and especially coronary artery disease is increased in psoriasis patients and that this process can be influenced by treatment of psoriasis with biological treatment.

Vascular inflammation is a key factor in both the pathogenesis and outcome of atherosclerosis. 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) is a promising tool for identifying and quantifying vascular inflammation within atherosclerotic plaques.cardiac multidetector-row CT can provide measurements of coronary artery calcium (CAC), the degree of stenosis, and the characteristics of plaque including its potential vulnerability. Therefore, the purpose of the investigators study is to compare the usefulness of 18 FDG-PET and MDCT in assessing the vascular inflammatory status and vulnerability.

The UKPDS risk score is recommended to assess global risk for future coronary heart disease (CHD) events in primary prevention. Recently, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) has emerged as a strong independent risk factor for CHD. 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) is a promising imaging technique for the evaluation of vascular inflammation that reflects vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque.

This study is being done to determine if the use of EGCG-Enhanced Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a daily diet will improve endothelial function.

The purpose of this study is to compare the difference of diagnostic efficiency between coronary CT angiography and myocardial perfusion single photon emission computerized tomography in asymptomatic patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

People with diabetes are at increased risk for atherosclerosis and have high CVD morbidity and mortality rates. Tools for detecting and quantifying atherosclerotic pro/regression in people with diabetes and other CVD risk factors lack sensitivity and specificity for molecular level events that occur during the early stages of atherogenesis. Inflammatory macrophage infiltration in the vessel endothelium is an early, molecular level proatherogenic event. Activated macrophages consume glucose at a high rate. Novel in vivo radiotracer PET/CT techniques have been developed to detect, image and quantify molecular level events like macrophage inflammation and glucose utilization (18FDG) in human vessels. We propose to develop and test this novel technique in the Center for Clinical Imaging Research (CCIR) at WUMS. We propose that HIV-infected people with significant CVD risk profiles are a suitable, unique human model for testing these novel imaging techniques. HIV-infected people taking anti-HIV medications develop insulin resistance, T2DM, dyslipidemia, central adiposity, and hypertension. HIV replicates in macrophages and represents a chronic proinflammatory condition. Recent data indicate that HIV+ CVD risk have greater risk for atherosclerosis and MI than HIV-negative people. To test feasibility, we hypothesize that: a.18FDG-PET/CT imaging will detect more macrophage glucose uptake and inflammation in the carotid and aorta arteries of HIV-infected people with CVD risk than in HIV-negative controls; b. radiotracer PET/CT measures of proatherogenic processes will correlate with carotid intima media thickness; a standard measure of carotid atherosclerotic burden. We propose to obtain pilot data that shows feasibility for a novel analytical approach that will expand capabilities for researchers interested in studying the links between diabetes, inflammation, and CVD in humans.

This study will determine the usefulness of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for examining the heart or blood vessels. MRI uses a magnetic field and radio waves to produce images of body tissues and organs. The subject lies on a table that can slide in and out of the scanner (a metal cylinder), wearing earplugs to muffle loud noises that occur during the scanning process. MRI of the heart and blood vessels, called magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), is a developing diagnostic method that permits evaluation of arteries and veins without the use of x-rays or invasive catheterization required by conventional angiography. People 18 years of age and older with known or suspected atherosclerotic disease may be eligible for this study. Participants have blood tests and MRA scanning. The MRA takes about 1.5 to 2 hours. During part of the scan, a contrast agent may be injected into a vein to brighten the images of the heart and blood vessels. Subjects are monitored with an electrocardiogram and are asked to hold their breath for about 5 to 20 seconds intermittently during the procedure. A CT scan may be done to confirm the MRA findings. CT uses x-rays to produce pictures of the heart and blood vessels. The subject lies on a bed during the scan and is given a contrast agent through a catheter inserted into a vein. Subjects are asked to hold their breath intermittently for about 5 to 20 seconds. A medicine called a beta blocker may be administered to slow the heart rate.