Active clinical trials for "Heart Diseases"

Patients that have undergone a Fontan procedure (surgical correction for single ventricle congenital heart disease) may develop a complication known as protein-losing enteropathy (PLE). Some studies suggest PLE is primarily caused by impaired lymph flow. Use of continuous dopamine infusion can improve PLE. Evidence suggests the effect of dopamine may be through its effect on lymphatic function. This observational study looks at markers of lymph flow and PLE symptoms after treatment using dopamine and other standard therapies during disease exacerbations.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether the expression level of miR-320a are effective as biomarker in evaluating the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment effects of coronary heart disease.

Background: This study aims to determine the effects of communicating genetic risk for Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) alone or in combination with goal setting and prompts from a wearable device on objectively measured sedentary time (ST) in East Asians. It is hypothesized that this combination will lead to significant favorable changes in objectively ST, and that such changes will be more likely to be sustained over 6-month follow-up. Methods: In a parallel group, randomized controlled trial, a total 414 individuals of East Asians aged over 60years will be allocated into one of three groups: 1 control and 2 intervention groups. Blood samples will be used for estimation of CHD genetic and analysis of metabolic risk markers. Genetic risk for CHD will be estimated based on recently identified 79 SNPs (associated with CHD for East Asians) using an established methodology. Questionnaires and physical measurement will be administered at Before and after the 12-month intervention and at 6-month follow-up. Each group will receive a Fitbit device. Both intervention groups will be given CHD genetic risk estimates along with lifestyle advice but one of them will additionally use Fitbit's step-goal setting and prompt functions. The primary outcome is objectively measured sedentary time. Secondary outcomes include objectively measured MVPA, calories burned, and five intermediate metabolic risk markers (total cholesterol/HDL-C/LDL-C/triglycerides).

A mixed-methods study will be used to evaluate the use of standard of care periodic pulse oximetry by parents/LAR and the feasibility of the collection of physiologic data related to the use of the Pediarity System. This system includes the Gabi Band and software platform (Gabi Analytics).

This study is an ancillary study to the NHLBI-funded Pediatric Heart Network (PHN) "Multi-Institutional Neurocognitive Discovery Study" (MINDS) in Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD). The MINDS-ACHD" study will recruit 500 complex CHD patients between18-30 years old. The investigators propose to quantitate multi-modal neuroimaging biomarkers (brain injury, structure and physiology) which are not only important components of brain and cognitive reserve but can be predictive of neurocognitive decline and early onset of dementia in the aging non-CHD population.

AIMS Despite evidence-based therapeutic approaches, target blood pressure is obtained by less than half of patients with hypertension. Hypertension is associated with a significant risk for heart failure (HF), in particular HF with preserved left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (HFpEF). Although treatment is suggested to be given early after hypertension diagnosis, there is still no evidence-based medical treatment for HFpEF. We aim to study the underlying mechanisms behind the transition from uncomplicated hypertension to hypertensive heart disease (HHD) and HFpEF. To this end, we will combine cardiac imaging techniques and measurements of circulating fibrosis markers to longitudinally monitor fibrosis development in patients with hypertension. METHODS In a prospective cohort study, 250 patients with primary hypertension and 60 healthy controls, will be characterized at inclusion, and after 1 and 6 years. Doppler-echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) and ECG will be used for measures of cardiac structure and function over time. Blood biomarkers reflecting myocardial fibrosis, inflammation and endothelial dysfunction will be analysed. As a proxy for HFpEF development, the primary endpoint is to measure echocardiographic changes in LV function and structure (E/e´ and LAVI) and to relate these measures of LV filling to blood pressure, biomarkers, ECG and CMR. CONCLUSION We aim to study the timeline and transition from uncomplicated hypertension to HHD and HFpEF. In order to identify subjects prone to develop HHD and HFpEF, we want to find biomarkers and cardiac imaging variables to explain disease progression. Ultimately, we aim at finding new pathways to prevent HFpEF.

The purpose of this study is to fill in the gaps in knowledge on the tolerability and effectiveness of an outpatient, Pritikin-based Intensive Cardiac Rehabilitation (ICR) program on traditional cardiovascular risk factors, exercise performance, and patient well-being (as assessed by questionnaires), as well as to monitor subsequent clinical events. The hypothesis is that patients in the Intensive Cardiac Rehabilitation (ICR) group will have greater improvements in several cardiovascular disease risk factors than patients in the conventional Cardiac Rehabilitation (CR) group at the end of 24 sessions.

EVAREST will identify and validate novel blood and imaging biomarkers of potential value for consistent and accurate interpretation of stress echocardiography. During phase one, blood samples will be collected to assess the impact of cardiac stress on levels of circulating biomarkers and examine whether the measurement of these biomarkers can provide additional prognostic information. Phases one, two and three will also determine whether novel imaging biomarkers can be identified in the echocardiograms that can be used for objective interpretation of the stress echocardiograms. EVAREST will recruit up to 8000 patients (First 500 during phase one, an additional 500 during phase two and an additional 7000 during phase three) from multiple hospitals across United Kingdom, who have been referred for a stress echocardiogram as part of their investigations into ischaemic heart disease. Phase four of the study will continue into a clinical study cohort phase to capture information from all patients referred for a stress echocardiogram in the UK, regardless of the reason for investigation.This registry phase will run for 2 years, recruiting up to 15000 participants.

Around 3500 children including 1,000 babies a year in the UK require heart surgery. Open-heart repairs involve the heart being stopped, while blood is pumped around the body using a cardiopulmonary bypass machine. Following complex operations, the patient may temporarily develop poor heart function, leading to reduced organ blood supply. Low heart output leads to post-operative complications or even death. The current methods to assess cardiac output and to see if vital organs, especially the brain, are receiving enough blood flow, are indirect and can be inaccurate. If we find a better way to detect and then avert or ameliorate periods of poor cardiac output and / or reduced brain perfusion, then this would be helpful for clinicians and could lead to better outcomes for children. We believe that optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), a non-invasive way to image the blood vessels in the retina at the back of the eye, could help us to assess cardiac output and brain perfusion. The OCTA machine was approved for use in humans in 2019 and given a CE Marking, but it has previously been used mainly in the management of eye diseases. There is a small amount of experience with its use in critically ill adults. We plan a pilot study to see if it is possible to use the OCTA machine at key time points, before, during and after children's heart operations, in 30 patients. We will study the images taken with OCTA machine to see if they are of good quality and we will analyze the images to see whether or not the expected changes in cardiac output and brain perfusion that occur with heart surgery can be detected as changes in blood flow in the back of the eye. Depending on the success of this pilot, we will plan further studies.

This research is being done to evaluate the short term and long term effects of ketogenic diets on measures of cardiovascular health. Such measures include cholesterol levels, blood pressure, weight, and thickening of the blood vessel wall over time. Adults aged 18 or older who are already on a ketogenic diet for at least 12 months or who are interested in beginning on the modified Atkins diet may join.