Active clinical trials for "Retinal Artery Occlusion"

This is a search strategy for determining the prevalence of ocular complications in inflammatory rheumatic diseases for the purposes of a meta analysis.

Central retinal artery occlusions (CRAO) are the equivalent of an ischemic stroke (IS) at the retinal level. They share the same risk factors and common pathology. Their incidence is lower (8.5 / 100,000) and the functional prognosis is unfavorable in 80% of cases with visual acuity (VA) <1/10. The diagnosis of an CRAO is clinically based on the sudden occurrence of a decrease in deep visual acuity with fundamentally signs of reactive ischemia. There is no data on early retinal arterial recanalization after CRAO, nor on the relationship between early recanalization (spontaneous or post-thrombolysis) and visual prognosis.

Obstructive sleep apnea is a common disorder linked to serious long-term adverse health consequences; such as hypertension, metabolic dysfunction, cardiovascular disease. Retinal vascular occlusion is related to many systemic illnesses especially hypertension. Obstructive sleep apnea is also related to vascular endothelial dysfunction and vascular endothelial growth factor elevation which causes vision threatening complications of retinal vascular occlusion. Therefore the relationship between obstructive sleep apnea and retinal vascular occlusion should be studied.

The purpose of the Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Registry (HBOTR) is to provide real world patient outcome and side effect information from electronic health records submitted to a specialty specific hyperbaric registry as part of "Stage 2 of Meaningful Use," including data provided to meet PQRS requirements via the registry's QCDR mission. Goals include understanding the value of HBOT among patients treated for a variety of conditions in relation to the frequency and severity of HBOT side effects. While randomized, controlled trials can establish the efficacy of treatments like HBOT, because they routinely exclude patients with co-morbid conditions common to those patients seen in usual clinical practice, the results of RCTs are usually non-generalizable. Real world data can be used to better understand the effectiveness of HBOT among typical patients, as well as the risks associated with treatment.

Canadians fear loss of vision more than any other disability. Vision loss has an enormous impact on quality-of-life and is extremely costly from a societal and economic perspective. In 2001, more than 600,000 Canadians were estimated to have severe vision loss, accounting for 17% of total disability in Canada. One in 9 individuals experience severe vision loss by 65 years of age; however, this increases to 1 in 4 individuals by 75 years. The financial cost of vision loss in Canada is $15.8 billion per year. There is a general perception that vision loss is "normal with aging" but 75% of vision loss is estimated to be preventable. The major causes of severe vision loss are age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), glaucoma, particularly primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), and diabetic retinopathy (DR). Canada is headed for an epidemic of age-related eye disease and, unless something is done to prepare for this, severe vision loss will have significant consequences in terms of societal and economic costs. Through this proposed Research Program, and in conjunction with our international academic and private sector partners, we will build and develop unique quantitative imaging technologies to permit non-invasive assessment of visual changes, structural changes in the thickness of the retina at the back of the eye and also changes in the amount of blood flowing through the blood vessels that feed the retina with oxygen. This research will add to our basic knowledge in predicting the development of sight-threatening change in patients with the three diseases, and facilitate earlier detection of the problem to help us discover earlier treatments for people with these conditions. The reliability of each imaging technology will be assessed by determining its ability to differentiate between diseased and healthy eyes. Cross-sectional analyses at yearly intervals, as well as change over time analyses, will be undertaken.