Active clinical trials for "Heart Diseases"

Despite advancements in medical care, ischemic heart disease (IHD) remains the leading global cause of death. IHD develops through lipid accumulation into the coronary arteries with subsequent formation of larger atherogenic plaques. During myocardial infarction (MI), a plaque ruptures and subsequent occlusion leads to a death of the heart muscle. The tissue is rapidly replaced with a scar, which may later lead to heart failure (HF). Optimally, disease biomarkers are analyzed from blood, provide insight into the disease progression and aid the evaluation of therapy efficacy. Unfortunately, no optimal biomarkers have been identified for IHD. The vast but uncounted number of patients with undiagnosed IHD, benefitting from an early diagnosis, underscore the dire need for an IHD biomarker. Epitranscriptomics, the study of posttranscriptional modifications on RNA, has recently been properly re-established. This expanding field is uncovering a new layer of regulation, controlling processes ranging from cell division to cell death. Over 170 modifications have been identified as posttranscriptional marks in RNA species. These modifications influence RNA metabolism, including export, stability, and translation. One the most common and intensively studied RNA modification is the N6-methyladenosine (m6A), the abundance and effects of which are determined by the interplay between its writers, readers and erasers. Recent findings suggest a local dysregulation of the m6A dynamics in the myocardium, coalescing in signalling pathway and contractility related RNA transcripts during hypertrophy, MI and HF. While these early reports have focused on the myocardium, the role of the m6A in the circulation during IHD remains unexplored. We hypothesize the IHD pathophysiology to be reflected in the epitranscriptome of the circulating RNA. The objective of the IHD-EPITRAN is to identify new IHD biomarkers via cohort comparison of the blood epitranscriptomes from patients with: (1) MI related with coronary angioplasty, (2) IHD treated with elective coronary artery bypass grafting, (3) aortic valve stenosis treated with valve replacement and (4) IHD-healthy controls verified with computerized tomography imaging. The RNA fractionation is followed by the quantitative modifications analysis with mass spectrometry. Ultimately, nanopore RNA sequencing with simultaneous m6A identification in their native sequences is carried out using recently published artificial intelligence-based algorithm.

Preeclampsia is a multi-system vascular disease which affects 2-5% of pregnancies. It is also a risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease later in life and a number of functional and structural cardiac changes have been found in this population of patients. In mouse models disruption of a group of immune cells, neutrophils, has led to alteration of the placenta and offspring consistent with those seen in preeclampsia. These mice also have an abnormal cardiac function and structure (Nadkarni et al 2016). The investigators hypothesis that this may also occur in humans. This study aims to intimately link the maternal immunological and vascular components of cardiac dysfunction in women preeclampsia. The investigators hypothesise that in preeclampsia activated neutrophils may affect maternal immune system thus leading to myocardial injury and altered cardiac function. The study intends to identify the mechanisms by which the maternal immune system (focusing on neutrophil and T-cell subsets) affects cardiac function in women with preeclampsia. Specific aims to be addressed are: Aim 1: To correlate specific neutrophil phenotype(s) and function to cardiac function in women with preeclampsia during pregnancy Aim 2: To test whether specific activated neutrophil phenotype persists postpartum and whether this neutrophil phenotype correlates with cardiac function in women with preeclampsia postpartum The study population will comprise of 3 groups: Normotensive pregnant (~33 patients) Pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH; New-onset hypertension after 20 weeks without proteinuria; ~33 patients) Preeclampsia (~34 patients) Cardiac function will be evaluated using cardiovascular magnetic resonance, echocardiography and cardiac markers in the blood. The participants immune system will be assessed from blood samples looking at the immune cells, hormone levels and inflammatory and non-inflammatory mediators. The secondary research objective is to investigate whether changes in the immune system and cardiac function in participants is persistent after delivery. Therefore participants will have scans and blood tests both antenatally and at 3 months postnatally. By identifying key changes in immune cell type and function with cardiac abnormalities in women with preeclampsia, data obtained from this study could provide novel insight into how the maternal immune system influences cardiac changes in normal and preeclamptic pregnancies. Identifying such links could pave the way for future therapeutic targets.

Despite optimal angiographic result after stent implantation, a number of patients will undergo repeat angiography within 1 year of index procedure. EASY-PRIPCI is an observational study evaluating the incidence of abnormal physiology results in patients undergoing repeat angiography after uncomplicated percutaneous intervention (PCI).

Multicenter, prospective, non-randomized, post-market clinical follow-up (PMCF) study to confirm and support the clinical safety and performance of Angiolite sirolimus eluting stent to meet EU Medical Device regulation (MDR) requirements in all the CONSECUTIVE patients treated with Angiolite sirolimus eluting stent.

The purpose of this study is to collect DNA samples from patients undergoing routine care at the University of Chicago. These samples will be tested for differences in genes that may suggest greater risk of side effects or chance of increased benefit from certain medications. The results will be made available to the patient's treating physician and the researchers will track whether or not this information is used in routine health care.

It is unknown if obesity contributes to the development of heart disease in African American men and women. This study was created to determine whether there is a relationship between sex and body size and the incidence of heart disease in African American men and women. Researchers will attempt to associate obesity with the presence of heart disease risk factors. Risk factors that will be studied include; total body fat, body fat distribution, fat content of the blood (triglyceride concentration, low density lipoproteins [LDL], and high density lipoproteins [HDL]), how fast fat is removed from the blood, and how well insulin works in the body. Scientific studies have shown that obesity and increased levels of fat content in the blood are important risk factors for heart disease in Caucasian women. However, similar studies in African American women have failed to show the same correlation. In fact, it appears that African American women in all three body weight groupings, nonobese, overweight, and obese experience high death rates due to heart disease. In addition, prior research has shown that obese African American men tend to have elevated levels of fat in the blood while African American women have normal blood fat levels. Therefore, if high levels of triglycerides (fat found in the blood) are not seen in non-diabetic obese African American women, it cannot be considered a risk factor in this population. This suggests that studies conducted on Caucasian women may not provide insight into heart disease risk factors in African American women. The study will take 2000 healthy non-diabetic African American men and women (ages 18-70) and body mass index 3 subgroups; nonobese, overweight and obese. Diabetes undeniably increases the risk of heart disease. Therefore patients suffering from diabetes will not be included in the study. Candidates for the study will undergo a series of tests and examinations over 2 outpatient visits. Subjects will have body fat analyses, resting energy expenditure measurements, an EKG (electrocardiogram), and specific blood tests. Researchers believe this study will provide significant insight into the causes of obesity and heart disease in African Americans.

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of 4D image acquisition and post-processing with Vios Works for the evaluation of 3D images acquired on GE Magnetic Resonance Imaging scanners. Specifically, the investigators propose to evaluate the following: Image acquisition time using traditional 2D and new 4D processing techniques; Image quality for 2D and 4D processing techniques subjectively Post-processing time for the two techniques. Correlation of overall Left ventricular and right ventricular volumes and functions and aortic and pulmonic flow studies using the two techniques. The study will monitor any changes in patient diagnoses or treatment resulting from any differences in interpretations between the two processes.

A large number of patients with symptomatic ischaemic heart disease undergo coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) to alleviate their symptoms and improve prognosis. Given the progressive nature of coronary disease, bypass grafts can narrow or block over time, leading to chest pain and the need for further invasive coronary angiography. Invasive coronary procedures in patients with bypass grafts can be more complicated due to the variation in bypass graft ostia. This can lead to longer procedure times, with higher doses of contrast and radiation and more discomfort for the patient. The aim of this study is to see if the use of computed tomography cardiac angiography (CTCA) in patients with previous bypass grafts prior to invasive coronary angiography will help make their procedure safer and quicker.

The purpose of our multi-center cohort study is to build a large platform to follow up the peri-operative nutrition of children with congenital heart disease. And data will be collected pre and 1, 3, 6, 12 months post surgery including physical, laboratory, imaging examination and questionnaire. The primary outcome is nutrition status (measured as WAZ, WHZ and HAZ) and secondary outcomes were the biochemical index and quality of life.

This study is designed to verify the safety and efficacy of Lepu® NeoVas™ Bioabsorbable Coronary Artery Rapamycin-eluting Stent System combined with different antiplatelet therapies in the treatment of coronary heart disease.