Active clinical trials for "Atherosclerosis"

The Physical Activity and Nutrition in Children (PANIC) Study is a single-centre controlled trial on the effects of a combined physical activity and dietary intervention on cardiometabolic risk factors and other health outcomes in a population sample of children from the city of Kuopio, Finland. The study provides novel scientific information for the identification of cardiometabolic diseases and other chronic diseases since fetal period and for the prevention of these chronic diseases since childhood. The main hypothesis of the PANIC study is that individuals at increased risk of cardiometabolic diseases and other chronic diseases can be identified in childhood and that it is possible to start the prevention of these chronic diseases by a long-term physical activity and dietary intervention since childhood.

Background: - Innate immunity is the process by which white blood cells and other parts of the immune system sense and respond to potential infections by causing an inflammation. Researchers are interested in studying how the body responds to certain environmental factors, and whether the body s response can contribute to chronic illnesses or diseases such as asthma and certain types of cancers. Objectives: - To examine how specific genes and proteins in blood cells respond to environmental exposures. Eligibility: - Healthy volunteers between 18 and 45 years of age. Design: The study will involve one visit of 45 to 60 minutes. Participants will be screened with a brief physical examination and finger stick to determine if they are eligible to donate blood for the study, and will complete a questionnaire about any medications or other drugs (e.g., cigarettes) they may be taking. Participants will provide a blood sample for research purposes.

Hypothesis: SLE and RA increase risk of myocardial infarction (MI, heart attack). Immune reactants in the circulation of SLE patients downregulate cholesterol efflux proteins 27-hydroxylase and ABCA1 and upregulate scavenger receptor CD36, thus encouraging cholesterol accumulation. Adenosine A2A receptor agonist or statin treatment of cells exposed to SLE plasma (or immune complexes or cytokine-enriched plasma fractions from SLE patients) may ameliorate inflammatory properties of their plasma, lessening its atherogenic potency. Rationale: SLE and RA plasma contain components not present in significant levels in normal plasma that could, individually or acting together, affect 27-hydroxylase, ABCA1 and CD36 expression. Candidate components include autoantibodies, immune complexes, and various cytokines. Statins reduce major cardiovascular events and death. Modulation of adenosine signaling participates in regulation of 27-hydroxylase and ABCA1. As a potential preventative and therapeutic approach to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, the investigators evaluate the effect of A2A receptor agonists and statins on atherogenic parameters in SLE and RA plasma. Experimental Plan: Quantitate 27-hydroxylase and several other proteins involved in cellular cholesterol uptake and excretion in THP-1 monocytes/macrophages and HAEC after exposure to plasma and plasma components from SLE patients (and controls) ± lipid loading with acetylated LDL with/without addition of A2AR agonist, statin, or both. Determine relative impact of immune complexes and cytokines on expression of proteins involved in cholesterol flux. Determine levels of proteins involved in cellular cholesterol influx/efflux in peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from RA, SLE and psoriatic arthritis patients and normal controls at baseline, then following incubation in culture media alone or with statin, adenosine A2A agonist or both statin + A2AR agonist.

The Century Trial is a single center Phase III randomized study sponsored by the Albert Weatherhead III Foundation and conducted by Dr. K. Lance Gould. The study hypothesis is that a combined image-treatment regimen of PET + comprehensive program of lifestyle modification and lipid lowering drugs to target lipid level will result in an improved cardiovascular risk score when compared to current standard optimal medical therapy, potentially resulting in a lower rate of death, non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI) and revascularization procedures during long term follow-up when compared with current standard of care. If our hypothesis is correct, we will not only improve our ability to prevent and treat CAD but we will also illustrate that, even with the expenses of behavioral interventions and imaging techniques, we can be very cost effective. This information may help patients at risk or with known CAD to obtain insurance coverage to prevent the disease as well as providing a more effective way of treating it.

The purpose of this study is to verify the efficacy and safety of the Intracranial Stent (Tonbridge) in endovascular treatment of intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis.

To evaluate the clinical significance of optical coherence tomography (OCT) in interventional treatment of intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (ICAS).

The purpose of this study is to verify the efficacy and safety of the Intracranial Stent (Tonbridge) in endovascular treatment of symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis.

The goal of this phase 2, before-and-after interventional study is to investigate the effect of colchicine treatment on serum biomarkers of inflammation in patients with a history of stroke and atherosclerosis. Participants meeting inclusion criteria will have blood samples drawn at baseline, will be dispensed colchicine 0.5mg daily for a treatment period of 30 days and have blood samples drawn again at follow-up. All blood samples will be analysed for a panel of inflammatory blood markers and the change in blood inflammatory markers from baseline to end of treatment will be calculated.

The effect of head position as a nonpharmacological therapy on acute ischemic stroke (AIS) remains inconclusive. Recent HOPES2 (Head dOwn-Position for acutE moderate ischemic Stroke with large artery atherosclerosis) suggest the safety, feasibility, and potential benefit of the head-down position (HDP) in acute ischemic stroke. The current study aims to investigate the efficacy and safety of HDP in acute moderate ischemic stroke patients with large artery atherosclerosis.

Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and carotid stenting (CAS) are often performed for subgroups of patients for whom procedural benefit has not been established in randomised trials and despite evidence of serious procedural risk. In some places, the COVID-19 pandemic has made it difficult or impossible to perform CEA and CAS in time. This study aims to measure the rate of ipsilateral stroke and other complications in individuals with symptomatic carotid stenosis, whom for any reason are managed using current best medical intervention alone. The investigators expect at least 50% lowering of the ipsilateral stroke rate compared to that seen with medical intervention alone in past randomised trials.