Active clinical trials for "Fibrosis"

The emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria has increased the use of meropenem in spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP). Additionally, recent studies suggested female gender as an independent risk factor for mortality in SBP. Studies regarding possible sex dependent differences in meropenem pharmacokinetics in SBP are scarce. The aim of this study is to determine the pharmacokinetics of meropenem during SBP in female and male patients with liver cirrhosis to investigate whether pharmacodynamics therapy goals are met.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most frequently encountered cardiac arrhythmia. Emerging data suggests that common genetic variants are associated with the development of AF. The main feature of the structural remodelling in AF is atrial fibrosis and is considered the substrate for AF perpetuation. Genome-wide association studies suggest that AF-susceptibility variants may modulate atrial fibrosis. However, the association between atrial fibrosis and genetic polymorphisms in humans has not yet been specifically investigated. In this study, we plan to investigate the relationship between genetic polymorphisms, atrial fibrosis and other components of thrombogenic substrate in patients with non-valvular AF. Primary objectives of this study are to assess associations between (i) polymorphic genetic variants and atrial fibrosis (detected by magnetic resonance imaging), (ii) polymorphic genetic variants and components of thrombogenic substrate (inflammation, endothelial function, prothrombotic state, atrial functions).

To compare the safety and efficacy of 12 months of low dose prednisone with low dose cyclosporine combined with entecavir in patients with thrombocytopenia associated with HBV-related cirrhosis.

Though newly reported HBV infection and HBsAg prevalence in China have greatly decreased, patients who had been chronically infected with HBV, especially those with liver cirrhosis cause great burden on public health care. In view of economic development level, drug availability and lack of independent health economics evidence, the investigators are still unable to give specific guidelines for HBV related compensated liver cirrhosis in China. Therefore, the investigators aim to investigate clinical effects and cost-effectiveness of two early anti-viral therapy strategies on HBV related compensated liver cirrhosis through this prospective, open-label, multicenter and nonrandomized study.

This project entitled "Impaired secretory IgA and mucosal immunity in cystic fibrosis" is a research program which aims to determine, owing to national (KULeuven) and international (Descartes university Paris, university of Torino) collaborations for expertise and access to human material, whether a defect exists for the production of IgA antibodies in the lung from patients with this serious genetic disease. These antibodies line and protect normally the airways, and are secreted through a specific epithelial receptor called pIgR (polymeric immunoglobulin receptor); its expression and regulation will be studied in lung tissue and in cell cultures of the lung epithelium from these patients. The link between the putative IgA defect and chronic bacterial infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which often complicates the evolution of the disease, will also be evaluated ex vivo and in vivo, in an animal model of lung infection.

Study of progression of fibrosis in ILD

This prospective and multicenter study is to determine the diagnostic performance (accuracy, specificity and sensitivity) of transient elastography (FibroTouch) for liver fibrosis assessment in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients using ROC analysis, and liver biopsy as the reference. Approximately 600 patients will be enrolled to guarantee 500 final statistical cases; and ≥100 cases are required for fibrosis stage S0/1, S2, S3 and S4 (compensatory stage of cirrhosis), respectively. For each stage, the case is assigned as equally as possible.

The combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema syndrome (CPFE) individualized by our group in 2005 is characterized by an often severe dyspnea, almost exclusive male predominance, and often major, profound impairment of gas exchange contrasting with preserved lung volumes and absence of airflow obstruction, and a high risk of pre-capillary pulmonary hypertension responsible for increased mortality. Almost all patients are smokers or ex-smokers. There are some arguments in favor of genetic abnormalities in this syndrome of unknown etiology (other than smoking) including short telomeres and mutations in the telomerase complex genes. There are also emphysematous lesions, in patients with familial pulmonary fibrosis, with mutations in the SFTPC gene (surfactant protein C), and reported cases of CPFE syndrome with SFTPC mutation. No large genetic studies have been conducted to date in the CPFE syndrome. Our main hypothesis is that the proportion of subjects with short telomeres is higher among patients with CPFE syndrome than in subjects of similar age with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis but without emphysema. It has previously been shown that mutations in the telomerase TERT or TERC genes are mostly found in people whose telomeres are abnormally short. The investigators propose to use that test to identify patients most likely carrying a mutation, and to seek, among them, the mutations in the TERT or TERC telomerase genes. The objective of the study is to compare the proportion of patients with short telomeres in the group of patients with CPFE syndrome to that of other patients (with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis without emphysema, or with emphysema without fibrosis).

Osteoporosis is a common complication in chronic liver disease, especially in the late stages of the disease. Good nutrition and calcium and vitamin D supplementation are recommended for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. There are no specific guidelines for its pharmacological treatment, but bisphosphonates have been shown to be effective in increasing bone mass in patients with chronic cholestasis, with a good safety profile. There are few studies evaluating the prevalence of osteoporosis in patients with cirrhosis (except for primary biliary cholangitis (PBC)). There are no clear recommendations for osteoporosis screening in cirrhotic patients. A diagnosis and early therapeutic intervention before the onset of the complications derived would significantly improve the quality of life and decrease the morbidity and mortality associated with osteoporosis and fractures Objective: -To assess the prevalence of osteoporosis and fragility fractures in patients with liver cirrhosis in our country and the risk factors associated Method: Patients diagnosed with hepatic cirrhosis, other than PBC, will be included in any Child stage during a hospital admission. Epidemiological, demographic, clinical, analytical and imaging data (dorso-lumbar spine radiography, bone densitometry and Trabecular Bone Score) will be evaluated. A descriptive statistic of the main variables will be carried out as well as a multivariate analysis to evaluate the predictive factors of osteoporosis and / or fragility fractures

Tobacco and alcohol are the two major risk factors for upper respiratory tract cancer (VADS).