Active clinical trials for "Congenital Abnormalities"

Obesity is associated with reduced growth hormone (GH) secretion. GH secretion is regulated by nutritional stimuli including fasting, insulin, glucose and free fatty acids. However, the role of micronutrients, such as vitamins, on GH secretion has not been investigated in much detail. Vitamin C levels are also reduced in obesity, and the investigators recently demonstrated a possible role for dietary vitamin C intake in the regulation of GH secretion in two preliminary retrospective studies. The investigators therefore propose a more detailed prospective physiological study to examine the effects of increasing dietary vitamin C intake on GH secretion in a physiologic, intervention study. The investigators hypothesize that increasing vitamin C concentrations in obese subjects with sub-optimal plasma vitamin C levels and reduced GH secretion will increase GH secretion.

BACKGROUND: Despite the numerous advances in the field of in vitro fertilisation/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI), there still exists a maximum implantation rate per embryo transferred of about 30%. Next to the physiological and physic burden that comes with every IVF treatment cycle, implantation failure also adds up to the considerable costs associated with ART. Studies have shown, that minor intrauterine abnormalities can be found in 11-40% of the infertile women with a normal transvaginal sonography. Detection and treatment of these abnormalities by office hysteroscopy have led to a 9-13% increase in pregnancy rate. Therefore, it is increasingly advocated to screen all infertile women on intracavitary pathology prior to the start of IVF/ICSI. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the proposed study is to assess whether diagnosing and treating unsuspected intrauterine abnormalities by saline infusion sonography and/or routine office hysteroscopy prior to a first IVF/ICSI treatment cycle improves the cost-effectiveness of the fertility treatment. STUDY DESIGN: Multicenter randomized intervention study. POPULATION: Asymptomatic women, indicated for a first IVF/ICSI treatment cycle and a normal transvaginal ultrasonography. INTERVENTION: Participants will be randomized for a (SIS and) hysteroscopy with treatment-on-the spot of predefined intrauterine abnormalities versus no diagnostic work-up. In both groups standard IVF/ICSI treatment will be initiated. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE: Cumulative ongoing pregnancy rate resulting in live birth achieved within 18 months of IVF/ICSI treatment after randomization (obtained in both treatment cycles with fresh embryos, as well as in subsequent cryo/thaw cycles) SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURE: Cumulative implantation rate achieved within 18 months of IVF/ICSI treatment after randomization (obtained in both treatment cycles with fresh embryos, as well as in subsequent cryo/thaw cycles) Cumulative miscarry rate within 18 months of IVF/ICSI treatment after randomization (obtained in both treatment cycles with fresh embryos, as well as in subsequent cryo/thaw cycles) Cost calculations of, SIS, hysteroscopy procedures and the IVF treatment Patient preference and tolerance of a SIS and diagnostic/therapeutic hysteroscopy procedure Prevalence of unexpected intrauterine abnormalities Diagnostic accuracy of SIS in diagnosing intrauterine abnormalities

A comparison of two Unity Knee™ tissue-balancing techniques by analysing the results from X-rays and patient questionnaires.

The aim of this study is to compare the value of multifrequency tympanometry between patients with surgical indication of treatment for a Chiari type I malformation and healthy volunteers.

The purpose of this study is to use monitoring and intervention technologies in suboptimal health status in a general population in China and evaluate the effectiveness of these technologies in the improvement of suboptimal health status.

Background: Repeated bleeding from gastrointestinal vascular malformations remains to be a major therapeutic challenge. Methods: The investigators performed a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single centre study to assess the long-term efficacy and safety of thalidomide 100mg qn p.o. or placebo 100 mg qn p.o. administration for 4 months in subjects with recurrent gastrointestinal bleeding due to vascular malformations. Patients with at least six episodes of bleeding in the prior year due to vascular malformation were randomly grouped, prescribed a four-month regimen of either 100mg of thalidomide or 100 mg of placebo orally one time daily, and monitored for at least one year. The primary end point was defined as the patients whose rebleeds decreased from baseline by ≥ 50% at 12 months. Rebleeding was defined based on a positive fecal occult blood test (FOBT) (monoclonal colloidal gold color technology) at any visit after treatment. Secondary outcomes included the changes from baseline in participants dependent on blood transfusions and transfused packed red cell units, bleeding episodes, bleeding durations, and hemoglobin levels at 12 months. Statistical significance was defined at P < 0.05.

The CT examination on IQon Spectral CT would be a standard of care CT performed as per the clinical indication. The conventional CT images generated by the scanner will be used for clinical purposes as routinely practiced. And therefore, the primary study aim is to assess the impact of IQon Spectral CT scanner and applications on the clinical workflow of the site as well as the diagnostic confidence levels of the physicians reading the CT cases. In addition to the aim mentioned above, the investigators would like to develop recommendations for the clinical application of the spectral images in routine use. Such recommendations could include optimization of scanning protocols, optimization of reconstruction parameters; evaluate the utility of iodine maps and other supported materials.

Continuous video-EEG monitoring (cEEG) significantly improves seizure or status epilepticus detection in patients in intensive care units (ICUs), and is recommended for patients with consciousness impairment. cEEG is time- and resource consuming as compared to routine EEG (rEEG, lasting 20-30 minutes). While centers in North America have been using it increasingly, most European hospitals still do not have resources to comply with these guidelines. In addition, only one population-based study based on discharge diagnoses suggested that cEEG may improve patients' outcome. Current guidelines are thus based upon weak evidence and expert opinions. Aim of the study is to assess if cEEG in adults with consciousness impairment is related to an improvement of functional outcome, and to address the prognostic role of quantitative network EEG analyses. In this multicenter randomized controlled trial, adults with GCS inferior or equal to 11 or FOUR score inferior or equal to 12 will be randomized 1:1 to cEEG for 30-48 hours or two rEEG within 48 hours. The primary outcome will be mortality at 6 months. Secondary outcomes will blindly assess functional outcome, seizure/status epilepticus detection rate, duration of ICU stay, change in patient management (antiepileptic drug introduced, increased, or stopped, brain imaging), and reimbursement. Additionally, quantitative EEG will be assessed towards the primary outcome. 350 patients are planned to be included.

This clinical trial will determine the safety and effectiveness of intravenous L-citrulline in children undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass during heart surgery. Participants will be randomly assigned to either L-citrulline or a placebo (a substance that has no medicine in it). Citrulline is a protein building block in the body that can convert into another substance, nitric oxide (NO), which controls blood pressure in the lungs. Increased blood pressure in the lungs can be an important surgical problem; it may also lead to problems following surgery, such as severe high blood pressure in the lungs (pulmonary hypertension), increased time spent on a breathing machine, and a longer stay in the intensive care unit (ICU). The hypothesis of this study is that perioperative supplementation with intravenous citrulline will increase plasma citrulline, arginine and NO metabolites and prevent elevations in the postoperative PVT leading to a decrease in the duration of postoperative invasive mechanical ventilation.

Hypercholesterolemia is a major cardiovascular risk factor. Statins are the first-line drug treatment for hypercholesterolemia and have been shown to be effective in both primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. However, long-term statin therapy is associated with impaired carbohydrate metabolism and increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D), particularly in patients with metabolic syndrome. The risk of developing T2D is higher with high doses of statins. Currently the benefits of statins on the reduction of major cardiovascular events and mortality are considered superior to the risk of statin-induced diabetes T2D, and no change in clinical practice has been recommended to date. However, it now appears necessary to develop strategies to reduce the adverse effects of statins on carbohydrate metabolism and maintain the carbohydrate tolerance of patients on statins, especially in those at risk of developing T2D under statins. Statins are able to induce the expression and activity of an enzyme synthesizing nitric oxide (NO), the endothelial NO synthase (eNOS), which helps improving insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion. However, availability and metabolism of its substrate arginine is impaired in obesity and T2D. The investigators thus hypothesized that providing citrulline to statin treated patients, the arginine precursor with better gastrointestinal tolerance and bioavailability than arginine, would beneficially impact their glucose homeostasis. Tested in vivo by Béatrice Morio, a member of the CarMeN laboratory, combining citrulline to atorvastatin improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity in mice fed a high fat-high sucrose diet. These data therefore suggest that combining citrulline to atorvastatin may improve glucose tolerance in statin-treated patients at high risk of developing T2D. The objective of the study is therefore to investigate the impact of citrulline supplementation (5g/d) vs. placebo for 4 weeks on glucose tolerance assessed during an oral glucose tolerance test in patients at risk for developing T2D and treated with atorvastatin (40 or 80 mg / day).