Active clinical trials for "Inflammation"

Various stimuli such as trauma, infection and major surgery may alter the physiologic immune balance and initiate systemic inflammatory processes. This pathophysiological event is characterized by the release of potent inflammatory mediators into the circulation. Among these, pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-8 or IL-10, ICAM-1 play a dominant role as local or systemic regulators in the acute inflammatory response. Recent studies have also investigated the role of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in the inflammatory response. The MMPs constitute a family of enzymes that are structurally related neutral proteinases. MMPs can degrade essentially all extracellular matrix (ECM) components and play an important role in wound healing and remodeling of the ECM. The Tissutal Inhibitor MetalloProteine (TIMPs) are important regulator of MMPs activity. The inflammatory response coming of surgery mainly affects surgical patients' outcome. Many factors may attributed to this response, such as the kind of operation, the extent of surgical trauma, the patient's medical history and therapy, as well as the type of anesthesia used. Apart from that, the kind of fluids administered for volume replacement was revealed to alter the inflammatory processes. Several studies have addressed on this issue mainly involved abdominal surgery and provided compelling evidence that perioperative fluid optimization produces benefits for the patient, with regard to inflammatory biomarkers such as cytokines, matrix metalloproteinases, intercellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1). They support that the different volume replacement strategies, using only crystalloids or combination of crystalloids with colloids (HES 130/0,4), may have important impact on immune response. However, the relevant studies investigated different inflammatory biomarkers, and usually involved either metalloproteinases, and their inhibitors (TIMPs) or cytokines. In our study we investigated the hypothesis that intra- and postoperative volume replacement with HES attenuates inflammatory response to elective abdominal surgery compared to RL fluid therapy. For this purpose both metalloproteinases, MMP-9, MMP-13, their inhibitor, TIMP-1, cytokines, IL-6, IL-8 and the intercellular adhesion molecule-1, ICAM-1 were investigated postoperatively. Their changes during the first 24 postoperative hours consisted our primary outcomes.

The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of what causes urinary urgency in women by asking about different symptoms and measuring biomarker levels in their urine. Understanding the underlying causes of urinary urgency will allow us to develop treatment options to better take care of women with urinary urgency.

Despite pharmacologic advances for the treatment of congestive heart failure (HF), sudden cardiac death (SCD) and pump failure remain the leading causes of mortality in patients with HF. Although, SCD is poorly understood, implantable cardiac defibrillators (ICD) have been shown to be an effective, but costly therapy in preventing SCD. At present, left ventricular systolic dysfunction is our best independent predictor of SCD, but only moderately predicts those patients who will eventually benefit from the placement of an ICD and, in most cases, left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction is a non-modifiable risk factor once acquired. As a result, there exists an intensive search for biomarkers that could improve the prediction of SCD and have the potential for risk factor modification. Experimental and clinical evidence has established that inflammation plays a critical role in stable coronary disease, plaque rupture, acute myocardial infarction, heart failure, and SCD. Studies at our institution have demonstrated that elevated levels of hsCRP and Interleukin-6 are predictive of arrhythmic SCD; however, the mechanism of causing this increased risk is unclear. Another well-known risk factor for SCD is abnormal sympathetic innervation. The most robust clinical test of sympathetic innervation to date is Iodine-123 Metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) imaging with gamma scintigraphy. MIBG imaging has emerged as one of our strongest predictors of SCD by detecting sympathetic nervous system abnormalities in patients with HF. Preclinical and clinical evidence suggests that myocardial inflammation adversely affects myocardial innervation. Based on these findings, the investigators hypothesize that elevated levels of inflammatory biomarkers are associated with abnormal sympathetic innervation as measured by MIBG imaging. The investigators aim to establish the strength of this association. This proposal will leverage unique access to the largest, most extensively phenotyped cohort of patients who have undergone ICD implantation for primary prevention of SCD, the PRospective Observational Study of the ICD in SCD, (PROSE-ICD).

High school elite training programs are today more and more under development in several 'elite sport schools' in Belgium, in order to select and train future elite athletes already at young age. Little is known about the effects of sustained training on the potential development of asthma in adolescents during lung growth. It would be of great importance to be able to select the individuals at risk to develop exercise-induced asthma, already at the start of their enrollment in the 'elite sport school. This would allow physicians to follow their lung function parameters very closely and regularly; and, if necessary, start treatment early after the first signs of exercise-induced asthma.

Objective of study is to explore expression of stress-related genes and inflammation in placentas and umbilical cord blood for women participating in group prenatal care compared with women receiving individual prenatal care.

Regular consumption of fruits and vegetables may improve human health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases, such as heart disease, certain cancers and type 2 diabetes, but the active components and the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Berry fruits are abundant in anthocyanins and this study aims to test the hypothesis that ingestion of an anthocyanin-rich blackcurrant beverage will improve markers of cardiovascular health (health of blood vessels, inflammation and platelet function). Further, the study will investigate the anthocyanin bioavailability from the blackcurrant beverage.

Although the diet of the US population meets or exceeds recommended intake levels of most essential nutrients, the quality of the diet consumed by many Americans is sub-optimal due to excessive intake of added sugars, solid fats, refined grains, and sodium. The foundations and outcomes of healthy vs. unhealthy eating habits and activity levels are complex and involve interactions between the environment and innate physiologic/genetic background. For instance, emerging research implicates chronic and acute stress responses and perturbations in the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal axis in triggering obesity-promoting metabolic changes and poor food choices. In addition, the development of many chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, asthma and autoimmune disease, results from an overactive immune response to host tissue or environmental antigens (e.g. inhaled allergens). A greater understanding is needed of the distribution of key environment-physiology interactions that drive overconsumption, create positive energy balance, and put health at risk. Researchers from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Western Human Nutrition Research Center are conducting a cross-sectional "metabolic phenotyping" study of healthy people in the general population. Observational measurements include the interactions of habitual diet with the metabolic response to food intake, production of key hormones, the conversion of food into energy: the metabolism of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates, characteristics of the immune system, stress response, gut microbiota (bacteria in the intestinal tract), and cardiovascular health. Most outcomes will be measured in response to a mixed macronutrient/high fat challenge meal.

The purpose of this study is to obtain markers of airway inflammation from the exhaled breath condensate (the moisture in exhaled air) for comparison to blood based markers. These markers will be compared in tetraplegic, asthmatic and able-bodied control groups. Additionally, lung function testing will be performed, and the associations between breath condensate and blood markers and pulmonary function explored between groups.

The important role played by the GI tract microflora on the metabolic health of an individual are increasingly recognized. In this respect, the initial studies of Metchinkoff that suggested a role of fermented food (specifically yoghourts ) to modulate the gut microflora have evolved into the concept of "probiotics". Probiotics are living microorganisms that bring a benefit to the host when administered in sufficient quantity (WHO/FAO, 2001). Here the investigators will study, in normal young male volunteers, the potential to modulate post-prandial metabolic and inflammatory responses by the administration of a yoghourt containing the probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus (LGG).

There is concern in the literature regarding egg consumption in diabetic people. The investigators hypothesis is that compared to an oatmeal-based breakfast, an egg-based breakfast will not increase the risk for heart disease in diabetic people but it may reduce inflammation, in this population characterized by chronic low grade inflammation. This is a cross-over study in which subjects will be randomly allocated to consume 1 egg per day for breakfast or a bowl of oatmeal with lactose-free milk for 5 weeks. After a 3 wk washout period, subjects will be allocated to the alternate treatment for additional 5 weeks. Blood will be collected at baseline and at the end of each dietary period to measure plasma lipids, glucose, insulin, glycosylated hemoglobin and inflammatory markers.