Active clinical trials for "Atherosclerosis"

Purpose: To investigate the different sound spectrum of carotid arteries and to analyze its relationship to the vessel disease, and to build a new biomarker about vascular disorder. Methods: To record the carotid phonoangiography with digital stereoscopy and analysis the spectrum with different algorithm such as FFT, wavelet, entropy, complexity, and HHT. The results will be correlated and comparison to the finding in clinical, carotid Doppler and duplex, CTA, MR, and catheter angiography. Statistics: The significance of difference between parameters was computed using t-tests or paired t-test etc. A p value <0.05 is defined as significant.

The AtheroRemo-IVUS study aims to investigate the relation of coronary plaque phenotype and vulnerability as determined by intravascular ultrasound and near infrared spectroscopy with genetic profile and novel circulating biomarkers. AtheroRemo-IVUS is a prospective, observational, cohort study of patients who underwent coronary catheterization for acute coronary syndrome or stable angina pectoris. Prior to the catheterization procedure, blood samples were drawn for biomarker measurements and genetic analyses. Subsequent to the catheterization procedure, intravascular ultrasound is performed in a non-culprit coronary artery. In patients who are also participating in the AtheroRemo-NIRS substudy, near-infrared spectroscopy is additionally performed in the same non-culprit vessel. Primary endpoint is the presence of vulnerable plaque as determined by intravascular ultrasound. Secondary endpoint is long-term incidence of major adverse cardiac events. Results from AtheroRemo-IVUS are expected to improve our knowledge on the role of genetic profile and inflammation in the development of atherosclerosis and vulnerable plaques. Furthermore, novel biomarkers and intracoronary imaging techniques will be validated in this study.

Intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD) is an important cause of ischemic stroke. The occurrence of stroke caused by symptomatic ICAD is significantly different compared with asymptomatic ICAD (19% vs 3.5%), suggesting that plaque vulnerability may be responsible for the difference. Based on the previous high-resolution magnetic resonance vessel wall imaging (HR-MRI) results, the investigators hypothesis that the feature of intracranial plaque enhancement is an important imaging biomarker of plaque instability, which is closely related to stroke. The investigators will establish the ICAD cohort and use HR-MRI to investigate the composition, morphology and the enhancement pattern of symptomatic ICAD plaques. These findings will correlate with biochemical markers, and stroke recurrence, in order to explore: plaque characteristics and the enhancement features between symptomatic ICAD and asymptomatic ICAD the relationship between plaque enhancement and the composition of plaques; relationship among enhancement features of symptomatic ICAD plaques, biomarkers with different clinical significance, evolution of enhancement features of symptomatic ICAD plaques under intensive medical therapy. The investigators aim to explore the correlation between vulnerable plaque stratification and clinical outcomes, to explore the value of vascular responses in the pathogenicity of ICAD vulnerable plaques, as well as to provide objective basis for the establishment of the evaluation criteria of intracranial atherosclerotic vulnerable plaques.

The prevalence of metabolic syndrome in patients suffering from non valvular atrial fibrillation is derived from studies regarding recurrences of atrial fibrillation after catheter ablation. Prospective studies in european countries are lacking. Furthermore, the impact of metabolic syndrome on cardiovascular events in patients with non valvular atrial fibrillation is still unknown.

Contrast enhanced 3D/4D (3 dimension/4 dimension) ultrasound (CEUS) provides visualization of the dynamic vascular features of the plaques, in a unique spatial format using three orthogonal planes and angiogram-like images. Therefore, the observer can utilize the entire vascular system in a volumetric manner (3D). The rotation of the intra-plaque neovasculature as viewed in various angles provides a realistic representation that is more easily appreciated. Inter-observer variability for individual plaques has been assessed and inter-observer variability and inter-scan variability (the analysis of multiple images from single patients in longitudinal studies) were dependent on plaque size, with larger plaques showing lower variability. Therefore, the proposed 3D/4D vs. 2D CEUS imaging of the carotid plaque will provide added value for the depiction of the and quantification of intra-plaque blood vessel density by providing a true volumetric viewing area. This data will be correlated to the subsequent surgical specimens. The goal of the protocol is to investigate the correlation of intra-plaque blood vessel density and hemorrhage to 3D/4D CEUS vasa vasorum using quantitative software analyses. The histology methods used for quantification of hemorrhage and vessel density analyses.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether matrix metalloproteinases are associated with atherosclerosis in the different stages of chronic kidney disease.

The NUMEVOX cohort is intended to follow-up the macro and microvascular dysfunction in relation to adipose tissue repartition in patients with metabolic syndrome associated to liver steatosis, sleep apnea. Duration of the follow-up is 3 years for each patient entering the cohort.

The purpose of this study is to compare plaque burden in the coronary and carotid arteries 5 years after adjuvant radiotherapy in women with right sided breast cancer vs left sided breast cancer.

This is a prospective, multi-center, non-randomized trial to study one-year outcomes of the Wingspan system for the treatment of Chinese patients with symptomatic atherosclerotic severe intracranial stenosis.

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is the major cause of morbidity and mortality in Western societies. It is a complex genetic disorder with many genes involved and significant gene-environment interactions. The aim of the study is to identify novel genetic- and biological-markers of atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is assessed in the coronary arteries using coronary angiography as well as in the carotid artery (intima-media-thickness) and peripheral vessels (ankle brachial index). Association analysis of genetic and metabolic markers with atherosclerotic burden will be performed to identify novel factors of disposition to atherosclerotic vascular disease.