Active clinical trials for "Carotid Stenosis"

The purpose of this research study is to understand how radiation therapy may affect blood vessels in the neck called the carotid arteries. Investigators want to look at narrowing of the artery or thickening of the walls of the arteries.

The goal of this observational study is to learn more about plaque biology in asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis (ACAS) patients through imaging. The main questions it aims to answer are: To determine the ability of 64Cu-CANF-Comb positron emission tomography (PET) to risk stratify ACAS patients for stroke event, to include transient ischemic attack or remote ipsilateral intervention. To further understand the role of Natriuretic Peptide Receptor C (NPRC) in the evolution of carotid atherosclerosis. Participants will be asked to undergo a carotid PET-magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination to assess whether the carotid atherosclerosis uptake of 64Cu-CANF-Comb as measured by PET-MRI correlates with patient outcomes (stroke, transient ischemic attack, or remote ipsilateral intervention).

Through prospective registration and follow-up, this study will collect data of patients with intracranial/carotid stenosis, including clinical information, neuropsychological scales, multimodal magnetic resonance images. The investigators aim to analyze clinical and imaging characteristics of patients with cognitive impairment related to intracranial/carotid stenosis, in order to achieve early identification of cognitive impairment.

Predicting relevant risk factors for patients with carotid artery stenosis after different surgeries through machine learning

Atherosclerosis is a chronic, systemic and progressive disease affecting different arterial blood vessels in the body. Atherosclerotic lesions silently progress from small plaques to severe stenosis and may remain asymptomatic for years. Unstable plaques and stenosis (also called vulnerable plaques), however, are prone to rupture leading to myocardial infarction, or stroke. The proliferation of the small arteries that are distributed to the outer and middle coats of the larger blood vessels (vasa vasorum) and within the atherosclerotic plaques (neovascularization) are inherently linked with the atherosclerotic plaque development, plaque inflammation and vulnerability. By injecting ultrasound contrast agents (microbubbles) into the blood stream, it is possible to detect this microcirculation of the vessel wall and the neovascularization within the atherosclerotic plaque using a contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) imaging technique. Particularly, CEUS of the carotid artery has been introduced as a non-invasive technique to improve detection of carotid atherosclerosis and to evaluate the presence of carotid plaque neovascularization which has emerged as a new marker for plaque vulnerability. The project investigates the predictive value of the detection of carotid plaque neovascularization on CEUS imaging in patients with asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis regarding the progression of the carotid atherosclerotic lesion and future vascular events including myocardial infarction, stroke or vascular intervention. The investigators hypothesize that neovascularization within the carotid lesion will significantly be more pronounced in patients with progressive carotid lesions and in patients suffering future vascular events during. The project will support the concept that intraplaque neovascularization is associated with plaque instability and vulnerability and therefore, the use of CEUS may provide an additional non-invasive, simple, safe, and reliable imaging modality to risk stratify individuals. The identification of vulnerable that are at increased risk of rupture by identification of intraplaque neovascularization is expected to improve the prediction of future vascular events and thus allow for better treatment selection. It will help the clinician to further risk stratify carotid stenosis. Particularly, it will help to identify unstable carotid stenosis that may already benefit from invasive therapy as carotid thromboendarterectomy and stenting.

We aim to determine whether cognitive impairment attributable to cerebral hemodynamic impairment in patients with high-grade asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis is reversible with restoration of flow. To accomplish this aim CREST-H will add on to the NINDS-sponsored CREST-2 trial (parallel, outcome-blinded Phase 3 clinical trials for patients with asymptomatic high-grade carotid artery stenosis which will compare carotid endarterectomy plus intensive medical management (IMM) versus IMM alone (n=1,240), and carotid artery stenting plus IMM versus IMM alone (n=1,240) to prevent stroke and death). CREST-H addresses the intriguing question of whether cognitive impairment can be reversed when it arises from abnormal cerebral hemodynamic perfusion in a hemodynamically impaired subset of the CREST-2 -randomized patients. We will enroll 385 patients from CREST-2, all of whom receive cognitive assessments at baseline and yearly thereafter. We anticipate identifying 100 patients with hemodynamic impairment as measured by an inter-hemispheral MRI perfusion "time to peak" (TTP) delay on the side of stenosis. Among those who are found to be hemodynamically impaired and have baseline cognitive impairment, the cognitive batteries at baseline and at 1 year will determine if those with flow failure who are randomized to a revascularization arm in CREST-2 will have better cognitive outcomes than those in the medical-only arm compared with this treatment difference for those who have no flow failure. We hypothesize that hemodynamically significant "asymptomatic" carotid disease may represent one of the few examples of treatable causes of cognitive impairment. If cognitive decline can be reversed in these patients, then we will have established a new indication for carotid revascularization independent of the risk of recurrent stroke.

In patients undergoing planned surgery for carotid tromendarterendectomy, a non-invasive device that registers heart rate variability is attached. Furthermore a non-invasive device that monitors cerebral oxygenation- near infrared spectroscopy as well as electroencephalography is also attached. At times when surgeons clamps the carotid artery, there will be a moment with controlled cerebral ischemia. This will be registered by the devices. The information obtained will be used to teach artificial intelligence what patterns are related to cerebral ischemia. The same procedure will be performed in patients undergoing ocklusive cerebral trombectomy, so the artificial intelligence will learn to recognize cerebral reperfusion.Blood samples will be drawn before and after cerebral ischemia may occur and will be analyzed for neurobiomarkers and cardiac biomarkers. To teach the algorithm patterns from anaesthesia and surgery in patients without pre existing neuronal injury, the same method will be applied to patients undergoing mixed abdominal surgery. This group will provide a better knowledge of neuro biomarker patterns during anesthesia and surgery.

Cerebrovascular accidents (CVA) are the second leading cause of death in France, and the most frequent cause of acquired physical and mental disability. Up to 90% of strokes are ischemic, among which about 15% are due to the presence of stenosis of the carotid sinus, at the base of the extracranial internal carotid artery. For many years, only the degree of stenosis was used to assess the risk of stroke, based on the results of original studies from the 1990s. However, the significant improvement in medical treatments since then has significantly reduced the risk of stroke, and the benefits of carotid intervention are becoming increasingly debatable. Since the publication of the latest recommendations, the degree of stenosis alone is no longer sufficient to propose an intervention, since most of them will never lead to a neurological event. In addition to stenosis greater than 60%, for the first time, other criteria must be sought to decide on treatment. For example, so-called carotid plaque "vulnerability" criteria, defining patients "at high risk of stroke," should be sought.

SSPC includes degree of Stenosis, Symptoms, Plaque stability and Compensation of the cerebral blood flow. SSPC, a comprehensive evaluation system on carotid artery stenosis, is established and advocated in this trial in order to make assessment on risk of carotid revascularization preoperatively and prediction of cerebral events postoperatively.

Prospective, single-center, clinical registry of patients with symptomatic/critical carotid artery stenosis at risk of stroke coexisting with unstable or multivessel severe coronary artery disease and/or severe valvular heart disease undergoing endovascular treatment of carotid atherosclerosis using a mesh stent in combination with cardiac surgery (coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and/or valve surgery). A study involving clinical data evaluation of truly simultaneous treatment outcomes in patients deemed to require carotid revascularization at the time of surgical cardiac intervention (single-stage, simultaneous treatment). An open-label study, without randomization - a single arm study. Academic Registry - scientific activity of the Faculty of Medicine, Collegium Medicum, Jagiellonian University and John Paul II Hospital.